This mucky mess is the compression block and one of the rusty keel bolts. I have been reading posts on how to replace this nasty block. I think that we will be using a stainless steel block to replace it. Another big concern is all of the rusty keel bolts. Can they be cleaned up and made shiny again. Are they a huge problem? Our boat is a 1978 hull # 959 (I think). The bilge also looks like someone dumped engine oil in it as we'll. there is a thick coat of pasty goo on the sides.
Rusted keel bolts
- Thread starter windcat
- Start date
- Status
I have seen far worse keel bolts then that in a bilge before.
The keel bolt nut actually looks pretty good. I believe that by 1978 year,
Catalina upgraded to stainless steel from the original ferrous steel bolts.
Although you may just have a replacement nut, as the threaded stud looks a bit rusty.
The best thing you can do for them is to keep the bilge as dry as possible, although really almost impossible on a C 30 of that, or any era. There's just too many areas where she can take on water that ends up down in da' stinkin bilge. Degreaser, rags & paper towels are a start to get the oil out to figure what's actually good or bad down there.
S. steel is a good material for compression block, but most c 30 sailors make it out of rot resistant wood such as mahoghany or Starbrite, etc., because you have to shape it & form it to fit the peculiar opening. S.S. is very difficult to manufacture & shape. I know because I'm having S.S. plates made for my jib furler drum right now, & they're gonna cost me some bucks to have custom made. Good luck.
The keel bolt nut actually looks pretty good. I believe that by 1978 year,
Catalina upgraded to stainless steel from the original ferrous steel bolts.
Although you may just have a replacement nut, as the threaded stud looks a bit rusty.
The best thing you can do for them is to keep the bilge as dry as possible, although really almost impossible on a C 30 of that, or any era. There's just too many areas where she can take on water that ends up down in da' stinkin bilge. Degreaser, rags & paper towels are a start to get the oil out to figure what's actually good or bad down there.
S. steel is a good material for compression block, but most c 30 sailors make it out of rot resistant wood such as mahoghany or Starbrite, etc., because you have to shape it & form it to fit the peculiar opening. S.S. is very difficult to manufacture & shape. I know because I'm having S.S. plates made for my jib furler drum right now, & they're gonna cost me some bucks to have custom made. Good luck.
Keel Bolt Nuts
We actually put the nuts on a couple of years back. I was trying to clean the bilge and I asked my husband why everything was so rusty. After some consultation, he was told to put new nuts over the rusty ones and keep cranking them down until the old ones rusted away, which they now have. My husband thinks that the keel bolts rusted as a result of whatever I used in my attempts to clean the bilge. :neutral:
We actually put the nuts on a couple of years back. I was trying to clean the bilge and I asked my husband why everything was so rusty. After some consultation, he was told to put new nuts over the rusty ones and keep cranking them down until the old ones rusted away, which they now have. My husband thinks that the keel bolts rusted as a result of whatever I used in my attempts to clean the bilge. :neutral:
Does any one have images of where the most aft keel bolt comes thru just under the engine? For comparison .
Thanks
Thanks
Had a similar problem on my old '70's vintage C27 a few years ago
Hauled out, had new keelbolts installed crosstied into the keel, left the old ones there.
Was not cheap, but worked.
My newer (88) C30 has SS Keelbolts, hauled out and retorqued them to factory specs last year.
Hauled out, had new keelbolts installed crosstied into the keel, left the old ones there.
Was not cheap, but worked.
My newer (88) C30 has SS Keelbolts, hauled out and retorqued them to factory specs last year.
- Status