Newport 30, exposed keelbolts?

Aug 16, 2018
82
Newport 30-mkIII Baltimore
Looking at a 1986 Newport 30 mk3. In pretty good condition. Except I noticed some brown water in the bilge, and the keelbolts were exposed, and the nuts looked rusty (I'll try to link photos). From what I read the keelbolts in this model should be encapsulated in fiberglass. So why would they be exposed? Is this a sign of possible damage, or more routine maintenance? How concerned should I be?

I asked the owner if he knew why, but still waiting. He only owned the boat a year, so not sure he'll have much info. I'll get a survey if I move forward, but obvi would prefer to find a dealbreaker issue before then.

 
Aug 16, 2018
82
Newport 30-mkIII Baltimore
Can't see why if they're SS. If they're not SS, run before the keel falls off :yikes:.
I meant that's just what the newport manual says; the keelbolts are encapsulated from the factory. So in this one someone must have hacked them out, for ... some reason? I fear it might have been a grounding so hard that the keel had to be droppped and reattached, and who knows what other hidden structural damaged there is then!

Hard to tell from the photos, but I believe the bolts are SS, they look clean. The nuts look grimey, but I can't quite tell if it's rust, or just dirty. I'm going to look at the boat again soon so will try to check them out more.
Thanks
 

dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
971
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
They look like they're SS. Someone may have chipped off the epoxy to re-torque the bolts and didn't bother to put it on again, doesn't have to be from a grounding. The epoxy coating is not a requirement and many boats have exposed keel bolts. See if you can dry out the bilge and get a good look at the bolts - bring a scrub pad and see if the nuts and bolts shine up like stainless. Also, take a close look at the leading edge of the keel - if there was a grounding, there is usually evidence unless it was faired out.
 
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Apr 22, 2011
865
Hunter 27 Pecan Grove, Oriental, NC
The rust around the ss keel bolts could be an indicator of crevice corrosion. The only way to know for sure would be to back the nuts off on some of the worst looking stained bolts (one at a time) and check for signs of corrosion between where the nut was and the bolt.
 
Aug 16, 2018
82
Newport 30-mkIII Baltimore
Took another look in the dry bilge. The nuts are pretty rusted!:confused: The bolts look clean. Good idea to back the off some, I couldn't do that now. But the nuts looks intact enough to take off and replace? I tried with a magnet, and they're both magnetic.. He said he had anti-freeze in the bilge. That doesn't seem necessary. And the glycol would do.. something..? to the metal.

PXL_20210309_161441767.jpgPXL_20210309_161432894.jpg
 

dmax

.
Jul 29, 2018
971
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
It's possible the nuts are not stainless but the bolts are - that's what it looks like in the picture. Start putting some PB Blaster on them whenever possible - they look intact enough to remove. Replace with new 316 SS ones and lock washers. If you can't get them off, a nut splitter should do it.
 
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Apr 22, 2011
865
Hunter 27 Pecan Grove, Oriental, NC
I assume the the bolts and nuts are both of stainless steel. The bolts are shiny because they have been exposed to oxygen. If the rust stains are from crevice corrosion, the corrosion occurred where the nut is mated to the bolt in the absence of oxygen. Impossible to verify without backing off the nut.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,726
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Took another look in the dry bilge. The nuts are pretty rusted!:confused: The bolts look clean. Good idea to back the off some, I couldn't do that now. But the nuts looks intact enough to take off and replace? I tried with a magnet, and they're both magnetic.. He said he had anti-freeze in the bilge. That doesn't seem necessary. And the glycol would do.. something..? to the metal.

View attachment 191331View attachment 191330
A lot of people put pink antifreeze in the bilge over the winter, particularly if you have water ingress down the mast. keeps the water from freezing and damaging the bilge.

I don’t think it hurts stainless steel. I have been putting it in my bilge for years.

Greg