I bought my Person two month ago. I noticed, that nuts on keel bolts are really rusted. I mean they are rusted to the point, where I can take parts of rust off with my fingers. Though I do not see any leaking. My theory is: I have some water in the bildge and the nuts connected to the cupper grounding wires. There is should be some gulvanic corrossion between steel nuts and cupper wires though the bildge water and this reaction is not countered by the zinc (I do not have any zinc inside of the bildge). So the plan is to replace bolts and to add some zinc. And I do not want to rebed keel. Does it make sense to replace one bolt at a time so the keel is held in place by other seven bolts? PS. This is my first post. If you think, I should post it somewhere else, please let me know. Thanks
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
M
Mike
Bilge water salty?
Hi Viktor- I am sorry to see now one has responded to your post as yet. I also recently bought a P26 (1971) and have been looking askance at my keel bolts based on looking at Dan Pfeiffer's site http://dan.pfeiffer.net/p26/boat.htm. Mine are also rusty but not so bad that metal is flaking off of them. I also don't see any evidence of water getting into the hole sthough as there is no evidence of rust stains on the bottom. I have also noted that my port port (window)leaks as does my water tank and so i have assumed that my constant bilge accumultaion is a combination of these factors as opposed to a leak via the keel bolts. Nonetheless, if you decided to replace them, please post a messge describing how it went for you. THanks Mike
Hi Viktor- I am sorry to see now one has responded to your post as yet. I also recently bought a P26 (1971) and have been looking askance at my keel bolts based on looking at Dan Pfeiffer's site http://dan.pfeiffer.net/p26/boat.htm. Mine are also rusty but not so bad that metal is flaking off of them. I also don't see any evidence of water getting into the hole sthough as there is no evidence of rust stains on the bottom. I have also noted that my port port (window)leaks as does my water tank and so i have assumed that my constant bilge accumultaion is a combination of these factors as opposed to a leak via the keel bolts. Nonetheless, if you decided to replace them, please post a messge describing how it went for you. THanks Mike
C
Capt Ron;-)
Serious Scenerio
Viktor & Mike, Likely that most of the mates here have not had this problem. If you can get at your keel bolts, can't specifically remember the Pearson 26, without tearing the yacht apart, thank Neptune & Long John Silver, 'Shiver Me Timbers'. If you CAN replace the bolts do it, and it's agiven that you will replace the baking washers, nuts and torque them to specs without stripping (you can strip anything with force). My suggestion: If you cannot afford a boatyard, and remember this is VERY serious stuff, a yacht can go down real fast if she touches and loses her keel (whale whatever), remember during Americas Cup the auzzie yacht that sank in less than 3 minutes? Expensive yes, lost keel yes! Again, If you cannot afford a haul out, a "noon-hang" would likely do, and pretty cheap too. Then do it on a spring tide on the INSIDE of a dock whence you know it is shallow enough to ground you, take the weight off so you can properly change keel-bolts, the catch the rising tide, at least as high or higher as your first tide...
Viktor & Mike, Likely that most of the mates here have not had this problem. If you can get at your keel bolts, can't specifically remember the Pearson 26, without tearing the yacht apart, thank Neptune & Long John Silver, 'Shiver Me Timbers'. If you CAN replace the bolts do it, and it's agiven that you will replace the baking washers, nuts and torque them to specs without stripping (you can strip anything with force). My suggestion: If you cannot afford a boatyard, and remember this is VERY serious stuff, a yacht can go down real fast if she touches and loses her keel (whale whatever), remember during Americas Cup the auzzie yacht that sank in less than 3 minutes? Expensive yes, lost keel yes! Again, If you cannot afford a haul out, a "noon-hang" would likely do, and pretty cheap too. Then do it on a spring tide on the INSIDE of a dock whence you know it is shallow enough to ground you, take the weight off so you can properly change keel-bolts, the catch the rising tide, at least as high or higher as your first tide...
C
Capt Ron;-)
Add ON
Viktor, That last post was a bit Poste Haste, poorly written, my apologies, and a good thing you can't sue me. 1) If any doubt at all contact a SAMS or NAMS marine surveyor, small consulting fee is nil compared to your life. 2) I meant, get the weight ON the Keel, as that is mucho weight to 'suck up' and contributes to stripping new bolts. 3) a "Noon-Hang" is done whence a yacht is left in the straps of the travel-lift whilst the boys go fer lunch. Befor they leave better tell em to 'rest it on the hard' to get the bolts cinched up proper. 4) At the veryleast check with the/a yard foreman on those keel bolts nd pump him, some are really helpful. 5) ahve all information, and ducks in order before you do the dirty deed, but no it is not rocket science, but is about as permanent as can be this side of the grave!
Viktor, That last post was a bit Poste Haste, poorly written, my apologies, and a good thing you can't sue me. 1) If any doubt at all contact a SAMS or NAMS marine surveyor, small consulting fee is nil compared to your life. 2) I meant, get the weight ON the Keel, as that is mucho weight to 'suck up' and contributes to stripping new bolts. 3) a "Noon-Hang" is done whence a yacht is left in the straps of the travel-lift whilst the boys go fer lunch. Befor they leave better tell em to 'rest it on the hard' to get the bolts cinched up proper. 4) At the veryleast check with the/a yard foreman on those keel bolts nd pump him, some are really helpful. 5) ahve all information, and ducks in order before you do the dirty deed, but no it is not rocket science, but is about as permanent as can be this side of the grave!
V
Viktor
You can rule it out eazy
if it leaks from rain and from the fresh water tank - the water in the bilge is fresh. I know it is gross, but the simple way is to deep you finger into the water and then lick it. You will taste the salty water. My bilge also does not have rust stains, but nuts are rusty.
if it leaks from rain and from the fresh water tank - the water in the bilge is fresh. I know it is gross, but the simple way is to deep you finger into the water and then lick it. You will taste the salty water. My bilge also does not have rust stains, but nuts are rusty.
V
Viktor
sorry for misunderstanding
I am not going to replace bolts while in the water. I have boat out for the winter. Nevertheless I do not want to take keel off (btw, it requires to take must off too, or boat will flip over). My plan is to remove one bolt at a time, so the keel will be attached with 7 other bolts. I also consider to lay some fiber glass over the new nuts. It will seal any posible leaks. This was mentioned in "This Old Boat"
I am not going to replace bolts while in the water. I have boat out for the winter. Nevertheless I do not want to take keel off (btw, it requires to take must off too, or boat will flip over). My plan is to remove one bolt at a time, so the keel will be attached with 7 other bolts. I also consider to lay some fiber glass over the new nuts. It will seal any posible leaks. This was mentioned in "This Old Boat"
I think one at a time is the way to go. Two at a time would be fine. See details here for replacement bolts and nuts. dan.pfeiffer.net/p26/keel.htm You might need to hit them every day for a few with PB Blaster to get them to come off OK. Great stuff. Get it at an auto parts store. I wouldn't glass over them. Once they are torqued spray wipe them down with alcahol and them with McLube or Lanocote or silicone. Or maybe paint them. Or slather some grease on them. You might be able to get this job done for one bolt with a "noon-hang" or a spring tide. But forget about doing the whole job this way. You need some time to be patient. Rushing to meet the yard schedule or an incoming tide will get you into trouble. And I wouldnt call any AC boat experience comparable. I doubt you are in danger of loosing the keel. I wouldn't be surprised if the rust didn't look less serious after a wire brush cleaning. I would still replace the bolts. I just wouldn't live in fear. Dan Pfeiffer
Rusted Keel Nuts - typos
Criminy that's some bad editing. Here's a re-do on second paragraph: I wouldn't glass over them. Once they are torqued wipe them down with alcohol and then spray with McLube. Or maybe paint them. Or slather some grease on them - Lanocote or silicone or lithium.
Criminy that's some bad editing. Here's a re-do on second paragraph: I wouldn't glass over them. Once they are torqued wipe them down with alcohol and then spray with McLube. Or maybe paint them. Or slather some grease on them - Lanocote or silicone or lithium.
B
Bob Fox
Rusty Keel Bolts
Another method some yards are using is to leave the old bolts alone. Forget about them. Replace them with brand new sister bolts alongside the old bolts. Bob Fox 1975 P 26 whithecap #76 Marblehead MA
Another method some yards are using is to leave the old bolts alone. Forget about them. Replace them with brand new sister bolts alongside the old bolts. Bob Fox 1975 P 26 whithecap #76 Marblehead MA
Rusty Keel Bolts
That makes sense for embeded bolts (bolts that are cast into the keel when it's poured) but on the P26 the bolts go through a flange in the iron keel and it's pretty basic to replace them. There is a plug (probably bondo) over the bolt heads on the keel flange. Dan Pfeiffer
That makes sense for embeded bolts (bolts that are cast into the keel when it's poured) but on the P26 the bolts go through a flange in the iron keel and it's pretty basic to replace them. There is a plug (probably bondo) over the bolt heads on the keel flange. Dan Pfeiffer
- Status
- Not open for further replies.