Possible Keel Housing damage

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Lewis

Recently while winching the keel of my Catalina 22 into the raised position, the cable snapped allowing the keel to drop from a 3/4 raised position. When te keel hit the lower position it seemed to bounce back once or twice. There were no visible leaks following this incident and the keel plate bolts appear snug however there is some minor play in one of the plats (less that 1/16"). What type of damage should I investigate. I've replaced the cable but have not sailed the boat since. What is the probability of losing the keel under heavy sail.
 
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Aldo

What do you mean play?

Lewis: What do you mean play? Do you mean a gap between the 2 bronze side plates and the keel, or do you mean a gap around the bronze plates and the pockets in the hull that they go into? I guess if you are worried, and it sounds like you are, you could replace the 4 stainless steel bolts. That's easy enough to do, and you probably should torque them with a torque wrench. You should look for cracks while you are under the boat. I suppose that you already looked for cracks around the trunk inside the boat. We have some inside the compartment where the keel lock is, but that hasn't been a problem. From my experince, the keel and surrounding parts are incredibly strong. One time we hit an "obstruction" with ours, and it was an experience that I'll never forget. I think once you are satisfied that everything is OK you have to just start sailing it again, and rebuilding your confidence in the boat. I just dropped our keel out and inspected the pin, and after 20 years of sitting in the water, it looked like new. I know that my boat can take more than I can take. Aldo
 
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