O’Day 322 Keel Bolts

May 17, 2004
5,025
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
The rear keel bolt was not bonded.
I'm not an expert on bonding systems, but I'd think the keel bolts would all be electrically connected by the keel itself, so it wouldn't make a difference if there's not a wire to each individual bolt.
 
Jul 17, 2012
22
Oday 322 Fairhaven
I'm not an expert on bonding systems, but I'd think the keel bolts would all be electrically connected by the keel itself, so it wouldn't make a difference if there's not a wire to each individual bolt.
That makes sense. I don’t know much about bonding either but do know that my washers were almost gone and looked like electrolysis. I’m sure there a bunch of people much smarter than me that could weigh in.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
The rear small bolt takes 1 1/8 extra deep socket. I bought Sunex 236xd. The front three take 1 1/2 extra deep socket. I bought a Sunex 248xd. You will also need a 10 inch extension Sunex 2510 worked for me. I originally tried an extension bought at autozone and it was really wobbly.
Thanks Josh. The PO left me a large socket for the 3) 1” bolts, but my deep well sockets would bottom out before getting on the nut. I didn’t want to buy an extra deep socket in the wrong size.

I do have the 1/2 “drive extension and was able to get about a 1/4 turn on the larger bolts before I splashed. Will get a socket for the smaller one and see if it can be tightened.

I don’t think all of my bolts are bonded.
My thought was they were putting a pathway from the mast and shrouds to the keel....what is the purpose of grounding all the keel bolts?

The grounding connections to the chain plates look a bit cheesy to me...no sure if that hose clamp is the only thing holding the bonding wire or if the wire is sandwiched between the 2 nuts...but either way, seems a bit weak.

9666C740-1655-4327-8100-4F889C6BFC31.jpeg

Greg
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Well that looks very beefy!

Did you drop the keel to check the bedding and state of the stub keel?

Greg
 

CarlN

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Jan 4, 2009
603
Ketch 55 Bristol, RI
Nice job. But I'd still think about having the yard drop the keel next winter. 30 year old bolts in salt water. Oday's have had keel problems. It's really not hard to drop a keel if you can loosen the nuts (which you already have).
 
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