Wandering what anyone thought about drilling and draining the keel, fiber-glassing the bottom of the pocket with the swing keel in place and filling all voids with epoxy from the top of the pocket inside the boat along with the keel itself hence doing away with the swing keel alltogether . I have looked up in the pocket and it could be leaking from a number of areas. A man told me there were lead ingots with sand or foam poured in around the lead, getting the keel cleaned out to accept the epoxy might be a problem, I also don't know much about sailing a 23 without the swing keel down, has anyone seen the inside of a keel of these boat?
Leaking swing keel O'day repair or modify
- Thread starter dreamboat23
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First off, are you sure the keel is leaking? It's almost impossible for it to leak on a 23 unless you've hit something and there are cracks. If you're finding water in the bilge, first check the cockpit drain hose, then the cockpit icebox drain and last but not least, the tube the centerboard line runs through. Those would be the most likely places for water to get in...As for sailing with the board up, I do it all the time with no ill effects...
sure
I can see it coming up through a crack near the front of pocket inside, slow but sure, also the keel weeps for weeks after haulout, I can hear voids in the keel. How is it that a 23 can't leak in the keel?
I can see it coming up through a crack near the front of pocket inside, slow but sure, also the keel weeps for weeks after haulout, I can hear voids in the keel. How is it that a 23 can't leak in the keel?
The 23 can leak through a crack in the centerboard trunk, and that sounds like what is happening on your boat. I would try to shine a strong flashlight in hte area where you see the weeping to get a better look at the leak. It may be that yo uwill need to have this professionally repaired it you can't acces the leak yourself.
Yes, you COULD sail with the CENTERBOARD retracted all the time, but you will most likely find that you make more leeway while trying the beat to windward and steering will be less precise. The Centerboard (NOT swing-keel, it is a CENTERBOARD) provides resistance to leeway (sideslip) and improves directional control and adjusting the centerboard allows you to fine tune the balance (lee-helm vs weather helm) of the boat on various points of sail. If you do decide to eliminate the centerboard, you may reduce the resale value of the boat since most owners will want to use the centerboard. If you still wish to permanantly fix it in the up position, it would be better to remove it and then glass over the bottom of the keel to close the slot, perhaps glue/screw a piece of plywood over the CB slot in the keel so that can be reopened and hte CB reinserted if you change your mind or sell the boat.
However, I think you would be very disappointed by the performance of the boat after eliminating hte CB.
Yes, you COULD sail with the CENTERBOARD retracted all the time, but you will most likely find that you make more leeway while trying the beat to windward and steering will be less precise. The Centerboard (NOT swing-keel, it is a CENTERBOARD) provides resistance to leeway (sideslip) and improves directional control and adjusting the centerboard allows you to fine tune the balance (lee-helm vs weather helm) of the boat on various points of sail. If you do decide to eliminate the centerboard, you may reduce the resale value of the boat since most owners will want to use the centerboard. If you still wish to permanantly fix it in the up position, it would be better to remove it and then glass over the bottom of the keel to close the slot, perhaps glue/screw a piece of plywood over the CB slot in the keel so that can be reopened and hte CB reinserted if you change your mind or sell the boat.
However, I think you would be very disappointed by the performance of the boat after eliminating hte CB.
You asked why a 23 keel doesn't leak, it can if there is damage to it, however they are fully encapsulated in fiberglass and fully molded to the boat from the factory. Sounds like you have a crack that goes all the way through. I agree with Sunbird, unless you are very good with fiberglass, you may need a professional look at it.
Sailing with the board up gives me less weather helm in light to medium air, however when it picks up over 15knts, putting the board down does help the leeway....
Sailing with the board up gives me less weather helm in light to medium air, however when it picks up over 15knts, putting the board down does help the leeway....
I have looked up in the pocket and it looks rough around the pivot pin area and could be leaking there, any way there is very little access inside pocket, I could drill maybe 1 1/2 hole from the outside to access the inside of the pocket, I would like to hear from someone who knows how there build inside , as for a pro good luck with that, its see as you go.
Well, perhaps the best "EXPERT" would be Rudy Nickerson at D&R Marine, he used to be the Parts Dept. Manager for O'DAY and now runs a little "Mom & Pop" (Literally!) store selling O'DAY Parts and offering advice. D&R has a web site www.drmarine.com but for best results, a phone call is usually better (508) 644-3001.
You might try resealing around the wedges that hold the CB pivot pin in place. Search this forum for how to remove the wedges.
You might try resealing around the wedges that hold the CB pivot pin in place. Search this forum for how to remove the wedges.
Center Board / keel leak
Thank you all for your input, and correction on center board not swing keel, I talked to Rudy and he told me they dropped lead ingots down and filled in with black sand or foam, and there maybe voids. I have dug out some foam from a hole I made along side the center board pocket inside the boat. Sand or foam inside the keel would make it difficult to clean out the keel to accept epoxy. I'm thinking of drilling some holes in the keel to drain it and also see whats in there , wandering if I could drill a 3 inch hole high and see what happens?
Thank you all for your input, and correction on center board not swing keel, I talked to Rudy and he told me they dropped lead ingots down and filled in with black sand or foam, and there maybe voids. I have dug out some foam from a hole I made along side the center board pocket inside the boat. Sand or foam inside the keel would make it difficult to clean out the keel to accept epoxy. I'm thinking of drilling some holes in the keel to drain it and also see whats in there , wandering if I could drill a 3 inch hole high and see what happens?
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