Hi All Has anyone installed a sacraficial annode to their wing keel? If so did you drill and tap, or go all the way through and insert a bolt? My Catalina 25 had the latter on a swing keel
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OK Frank Rich!
I assume you haven't received an answer is because no one has heard of such a thing. So possibly the Previous Owner (PO) installed a zinc on the cast iron swing keel because, well I don't quite know why. The keel is protected by a coating of epoxy (gel coat) and paint, and is quite high on the galvanic scale.
I assume you haven't received an answer is because no one has heard of such a thing. So possibly the Previous Owner (PO) installed a zinc on the cast iron swing keel because, well I don't quite know why. The keel is protected by a coating of epoxy (gel coat) and paint, and is quite high on the galvanic scale.
Swing Keels have several different metals
Frank: There are several different metals involved with a swing keel. The keel is cast iron. I think that the hangars are bronze. The pin is silicon bronze. The bolts that attach the keel to the boat are stainless steel, as is the cable and fitting that it attaches to. It's like vegetable soup, except that the least noble metal will corrode. That would be the cast iron keel. I think that many people think that the keel wears away, but it is actually eaten away by galvanic corrosion, if it isn't protected by sacrifical anodes. Anyhow, is your winged keel completely coated by epoxy? If it is, I would say that you don't have anything to worry about. Is there anything in your Catalina's owners manual about sacrifical annodes on a winged keel? There is for the swing keel boats, at least there was for mine in 1980. Aldo
Frank: There are several different metals involved with a swing keel. The keel is cast iron. I think that the hangars are bronze. The pin is silicon bronze. The bolts that attach the keel to the boat are stainless steel, as is the cable and fitting that it attaches to. It's like vegetable soup, except that the least noble metal will corrode. That would be the cast iron keel. I think that many people think that the keel wears away, but it is actually eaten away by galvanic corrosion, if it isn't protected by sacrifical anodes. Anyhow, is your winged keel completely coated by epoxy? If it is, I would say that you don't have anything to worry about. Is there anything in your Catalina's owners manual about sacrifical annodes on a winged keel? There is for the swing keel boats, at least there was for mine in 1980. Aldo
Thanks
Thank you, I guess i'm a bit concerned with my marina. I do have a wing keel with no protection other than paint. My previous boat a catalina 25 with a swing keel did have an annode, and it would be eaten away by years end
Thank you, I guess i'm a bit concerned with my marina. I do have a wing keel with no protection other than paint. My previous boat a catalina 25 with a swing keel did have an annode, and it would be eaten away by years end
Swing Keel rusting
My Catalina 22 swing keel is rusting. There are no anodes on it but 2 anodes on the underside of the hull near the swivel point. Are these anodes somehow connected to the keel and meant to protect it? I guess I should replace the anodes anyway as they are looking the worse for wear.
My Catalina 22 swing keel is rusting. There are no anodes on it but 2 anodes on the underside of the hull near the swivel point. Are these anodes somehow connected to the keel and meant to protect it? I guess I should replace the anodes anyway as they are looking the worse for wear.
Hull or Hangers
If there attached to hull I can't see how there doing anything. Hopefully the hull wasn't drilled to attach them. Attaching them to the hangers would be tough, I've seen at least one keel with anodes attached by drilling a hole through the keel then attaching anodes to both sides. Let us know what you find.
If there attached to hull I can't see how there doing anything. Hopefully the hull wasn't drilled to attach them. Attaching them to the hangers would be tough, I've seen at least one keel with anodes attached by drilling a hole through the keel then attaching anodes to both sides. Let us know what you find.
You Know
I seen a set put on upside down once, so it possible that could be the case. Barry could this be possible? The keel is cast iron so it will rust most folks take them off then encapsulate it in epoxy. I just helped a friend put his back on, and boy does he have a pretty keel.
I seen a set put on upside down once, so it possible that could be the case. Barry could this be possible? The keel is cast iron so it will rust most folks take them off then encapsulate it in epoxy. I just helped a friend put his back on, and boy does he have a pretty keel.
Keel Filler
Ken: When you helped your friend with his keel, did you use anything to fill or smooth the irregularities? In a reply a few weeks ago, someone recommended coating a keel with VC-TAR. I plan on doing that next spring, but my keel could certainly be a little smoother. Also, on one side, the casting doesn't perfectly match the other side, and it would be nice if I built this irregularity up with some kind of filler. There are also a few pits that I would like to fill. Do you have any recommendations? I just can't see coating the keel without first improving it's shape a little. Normally, I just scrape everything that's loose off of the surface of the keel, then paint it with ACE Hardware primer, then a coat of their oil base paint, (both much better than Rustoleum), then a coat of bottom paint. This usually looks OK when we pull the boat out of the water at the end of the summer, but by the spring, much of the paint has flaked off, pushed off by rust. I know that if I could seal the cast iron, the bottom paint would stick for years, (the way that it does to the hull), and I wouldn't have to lift the boat up and paint the keel every year. Thanks, Aldo
Ken: When you helped your friend with his keel, did you use anything to fill or smooth the irregularities? In a reply a few weeks ago, someone recommended coating a keel with VC-TAR. I plan on doing that next spring, but my keel could certainly be a little smoother. Also, on one side, the casting doesn't perfectly match the other side, and it would be nice if I built this irregularity up with some kind of filler. There are also a few pits that I would like to fill. Do you have any recommendations? I just can't see coating the keel without first improving it's shape a little. Normally, I just scrape everything that's loose off of the surface of the keel, then paint it with ACE Hardware primer, then a coat of their oil base paint, (both much better than Rustoleum), then a coat of bottom paint. This usually looks OK when we pull the boat out of the water at the end of the summer, but by the spring, much of the paint has flaked off, pushed off by rust. I know that if I could seal the cast iron, the bottom paint would stick for years, (the way that it does to the hull), and I wouldn't have to lift the boat up and paint the keel every year. Thanks, Aldo
faired keel
Aldo, He first coated the keel with a rust preventer, then using epoxy built it up using a template. (I can make you a paper template if you need one, you can then transfer it to plywood) The keel was faired then coated with Interux 2000 four coats, faired once more, then VC 17 applied over the barrier coat. (I believe VC Offshore is better to use on the Keel) He also did a blister repair job on his boat. Like you when I took my Keel off I wanted to do it right. I faired my Keel two years ago, Still looks good. My friend did his keel the same way I did mine. If you don't have a Keel sled I would recommend you make one, I made the one we use, There is a good Keel sled design on The C22 Maintenance page (link provided). I made mine pretty similar to the one pictured there. I used 2X4's rather than 4X4's and added plywood between the 2X4's. We've used it to do three keels so far. You can also see the system used to keep the hull from oil canning while off the trailer.
Aldo, He first coated the keel with a rust preventer, then using epoxy built it up using a template. (I can make you a paper template if you need one, you can then transfer it to plywood) The keel was faired then coated with Interux 2000 four coats, faired once more, then VC 17 applied over the barrier coat. (I believe VC Offshore is better to use on the Keel) He also did a blister repair job on his boat. Like you when I took my Keel off I wanted to do it right. I faired my Keel two years ago, Still looks good. My friend did his keel the same way I did mine. If you don't have a Keel sled I would recommend you make one, I made the one we use, There is a good Keel sled design on The C22 Maintenance page (link provided). I made mine pretty similar to the one pictured there. I used 2X4's rather than 4X4's and added plywood between the 2X4's. We've used it to do three keels so far. You can also see the system used to keep the hull from oil canning while off the trailer.
Anodes versus hangers
I have 2 replacement anodes ready to install so I know what anodes are. Unfortunately it has rained pretty well every day since my first post so have been unable to do anything. The bolts holding the anodes on are very rusted so the replacement will not be an easy job. I think my boat is a 77 or 78 but not sure as the HIN is not in evidence.
I have 2 replacement anodes ready to install so I know what anodes are. Unfortunately it has rained pretty well every day since my first post so have been unable to do anything. The bolts holding the anodes on are very rusted so the replacement will not be an easy job. I think my boat is a 77 or 78 but not sure as the HIN is not in evidence.
Use SS or Brass Fasteners for Zincs
Barry: You must use stainless steel fasteners, or at least brass, for attaching the anodes. When you buy zincs, they usually come with stainless screws. I use a piece of stainless steel threaded rod that goes right through the keel. I used to use brass threaded rod and it worked as well or maybe even better. Also, there's a company that has a brass grommet in their's to improve the electrical connection. Aldo Ken: It's the "faired" part of your reply that I need more information on. What did you use to fair the keel to fill in the areas that needed filled? Also, I couldn't open the link. I would like to see your keel sled. We always moved ours around on a floor jack in the past. Could you type out the website into your reply? Relative to oil-canning, our boat could go back onto the trailer after we remove the keel, so that shouldn't be a problem. We lift it with slings and winches and can lift it over 5 feet off the floor. I'm lucky that way, but it still isn't anything that I look forward to. Thanks, Aldo
Barry: You must use stainless steel fasteners, or at least brass, for attaching the anodes. When you buy zincs, they usually come with stainless screws. I use a piece of stainless steel threaded rod that goes right through the keel. I used to use brass threaded rod and it worked as well or maybe even better. Also, there's a company that has a brass grommet in their's to improve the electrical connection. Aldo Ken: It's the "faired" part of your reply that I need more information on. What did you use to fair the keel to fill in the areas that needed filled? Also, I couldn't open the link. I would like to see your keel sled. We always moved ours around on a floor jack in the past. Could you type out the website into your reply? Relative to oil-canning, our boat could go back onto the trailer after we remove the keel, so that shouldn't be a problem. We lift it with slings and winches and can lift it over 5 feet off the floor. I'm lucky that way, but it still isn't anything that I look forward to. Thanks, Aldo
keel template
Aldo, When fairing the keel you need to use a template, without the template you have nothing to go by. The template let you fair both sides to the same chordlenght. When I did my keel I used thickened epoxy to fill and fair it. Many have used bondo then covered it with epoxy , but my experience with bondo is it doesn't like water and I quite honestly I didn't want to do that project over anytime too soon.
Aldo, When fairing the keel you need to use a template, without the template you have nothing to go by. The template let you fair both sides to the same chordlenght. When I did my keel I used thickened epoxy to fill and fair it. Many have used bondo then covered it with epoxy , but my experience with bondo is it doesn't like water and I quite honestly I didn't want to do that project over anytime too soon.
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