My 79 C-22 is on a mooring now and I've noticed the keel really wobbles and clunks while it's floating out there. Has anyone else run into this? I was planning on pulling the keel off at the end of the season anyway so is this something I can live with for a few months? I thought about just lowering the keel and tightening down on the lock down bolt, but then I've got all that cable sitting in the water. I appreciate everyone's thoughts and help. Dave
Keel Wobble on Mooring
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smae
I have the same wobble in my '82 C22. Talked to a dealer who said to check for stress cracks in the mounting but otherwise not to worry until end of season. I'd also be interested in other responses.
I have the same wobble in my '82 C22. Talked to a dealer who said to check for stress cracks in the mounting but otherwise not to worry until end of season. I'd also be interested in other responses.
tough decision
Hello, You have to make a decision. Leave the keel down and you remove the stress from the cable, winch, etc. However, now the cable and cable are exposed to water for a long time. Retract the keel and now the cable and winch are stressed the entire time, which I don't believe it was designed for. When my boat was on the mooring I left the keel down. I was more worried about the stress on the cable and the damage it would cause if it broke than I was about water damage to the keel and cable. Good luck, Barry
Hello, You have to make a decision. Leave the keel down and you remove the stress from the cable, winch, etc. However, now the cable and cable are exposed to water for a long time. Retract the keel and now the cable and winch are stressed the entire time, which I don't believe it was designed for. When my boat was on the mooring I left the keel down. I was more worried about the stress on the cable and the damage it would cause if it broke than I was about water damage to the keel and cable. Good luck, Barry
Blind Leading the Blind
I have only had my C-22 for about a year and I'm still a rookie sailor but here goes... The owner's manual posted on the C-22 National Association website suggests that the boat be moored with the keel retracted to limit the cable's exposure to the water. Check out Catalina Direct for a keel retrofit kit. They have keel centering spacer kit that limits the keel side-to-side motion at the pin and inside the trunk as well.... Of course you might as well replace the pin while have the keel removed. Good luck!
I have only had my C-22 for about a year and I'm still a rookie sailor but here goes... The owner's manual posted on the C-22 National Association website suggests that the boat be moored with the keel retracted to limit the cable's exposure to the water. Check out Catalina Direct for a keel retrofit kit. They have keel centering spacer kit that limits the keel side-to-side motion at the pin and inside the trunk as well.... Of course you might as well replace the pin while have the keel removed. Good luck!
A word to the wise
Don't know about wobble at mooring but mine always was "klunking", etc. Pulled the keel for the first time this spring, The keel pin was worn 3/4 of the way through!!! Needless to say my advice to everybody is check your keel pin the first chance you get.
Don't know about wobble at mooring but mine always was "klunking", etc. Pulled the keel for the first time this spring, The keel pin was worn 3/4 of the way through!!! Needless to say my advice to everybody is check your keel pin the first chance you get.
Re: Keel Wobble
Mooring with the keel up allows it to wobble from wake/waves and wear away the pivot parts (pin and keel hole). It also puts a lot of stress on the winch and cable. Not to mention what would happen if/when the cable breaks. Mooring with the keel down stops the wobble from wake/waves and therefore extends the life of the pivot parts. That's assuming the keel fits well. Adding the spacer kit from CD will take care of this. Although it only helps when the keel is down. The spacer kit does absolutely nothing to stabilize the keel when it's in the raised position. Leaving the keel down at mooring also eliminates the stress on the winch and cable. It also minimizes the possibility of the cable breaking and possibly sinking the boat due to hull damage when no one is around. If you only raise the keel when you're on the boat, at least you have a fighting chance (bailing, beaching, etc.) to prevent sinking if there is serious hull damage due to a cable break. I leave mine down all the time now. With the spacer kit, it's rock solid. I only raise it to trailer the boat at the end of the season. Although I may raise it to get into shallow water once or twice. It sure is nice not having to worry about it at the dock though. I sail in fresh water, so it's not as much an issue with corrosion as salt water would be. It would be worth it to me to change the cable every year just to be able to leave the keel down all season. After last season, the cable still looked brand new, so I'll probably change it every other year.
Mooring with the keel up allows it to wobble from wake/waves and wear away the pivot parts (pin and keel hole). It also puts a lot of stress on the winch and cable. Not to mention what would happen if/when the cable breaks. Mooring with the keel down stops the wobble from wake/waves and therefore extends the life of the pivot parts. That's assuming the keel fits well. Adding the spacer kit from CD will take care of this. Although it only helps when the keel is down. The spacer kit does absolutely nothing to stabilize the keel when it's in the raised position. Leaving the keel down at mooring also eliminates the stress on the winch and cable. It also minimizes the possibility of the cable breaking and possibly sinking the boat due to hull damage when no one is around. If you only raise the keel when you're on the boat, at least you have a fighting chance (bailing, beaching, etc.) to prevent sinking if there is serious hull damage due to a cable break. I leave mine down all the time now. With the spacer kit, it's rock solid. I only raise it to trailer the boat at the end of the season. Although I may raise it to get into shallow water once or twice. It sure is nice not having to worry about it at the dock though. I sail in fresh water, so it's not as much an issue with corrosion as salt water would be. It would be worth it to me to change the cable every year just to be able to leave the keel down all season. After last season, the cable still looked brand new, so I'll probably change it every other year.
Mooring location
My mooring is located in salt water, relativly close to shore in a crowded harbor. I raise my keel when I leave my C22 because at low tide I have approximately 4 ft of water. During a storm that could go to less than 3 ft. I have rebuilt the keel 4 years ago (new bushing, pin, hangers and spacer kit) When the keel is down, shes solid as a fixed keel, and only this year has started to wobble when raised at the mooring. I don't know what damage would occur if I left the keel down (unlocked) and burried it in the muck at a low low tide. I don't think there are any rock or debris under me. I don't want to risk it so I raise it when I'm not there.
My mooring is located in salt water, relativly close to shore in a crowded harbor. I raise my keel when I leave my C22 because at low tide I have approximately 4 ft of water. During a storm that could go to less than 3 ft. I have rebuilt the keel 4 years ago (new bushing, pin, hangers and spacer kit) When the keel is down, shes solid as a fixed keel, and only this year has started to wobble when raised at the mooring. I don't know what damage would occur if I left the keel down (unlocked) and burried it in the muck at a low low tide. I don't think there are any rock or debris under me. I don't want to risk it so I raise it when I'm not there.
wandering keel pivot hole
I recently bought a '76 swing keel, and while crawling under bottom to paint it, noticed the hole in the keel that the pivot pin goes through had elongated itself upward quite far, to the point where I'm going to drop the keel out to check how much keel is really left above the pivot pin. I assume this wandering of the hole comes from keel wobbling in comb. with corrosion. Anyone dealt with this problem before? If it's really bad, I'm considering drilling out hole and installing a bushing. Any advice? Tom
I recently bought a '76 swing keel, and while crawling under bottom to paint it, noticed the hole in the keel that the pivot pin goes through had elongated itself upward quite far, to the point where I'm going to drop the keel out to check how much keel is really left above the pivot pin. I assume this wandering of the hole comes from keel wobbling in comb. with corrosion. Anyone dealt with this problem before? If it's really bad, I'm considering drilling out hole and installing a bushing. Any advice? Tom
It is in need of repair.
You will be fixing the keel in the off season. It would be good to know how much wobble (play) there is. If it is quite a bit, then sooner is better. Regards, Ted
You will be fixing the keel in the off season. It would be good to know how much wobble (play) there is. If it is quite a bit, then sooner is better. Regards, Ted
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