Recently bought a 1993 23.5 and discovered what looks like a shark bite taken out of the keel!! Now I'm assumming we don't have sharks in Lake Michigan - although we never know whats swimming around the nuke plants. The previous owner must have backed into something or someone. I'm wondering if any of you have (A) removed the keel from your 23.5, (B) is it as simple as unscrewing the hex bolt under the mast support, (C) did you encounter any problems re-attaching it. If you could share your keel repair experiences with me, I promise to post and Lake Michigan shark sightings !
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shark bite
Usually what appears to have been a shark bite on a keel is really the results of when a keel gets wrapped by a chain when anchored. If you can find missing teeth in your keel, I stand corrected.....Gary
Usually what appears to have been a shark bite on a keel is really the results of when a keel gets wrapped by a chain when anchored. If you can find missing teeth in your keel, I stand corrected.....Gary
I did
i dropped the keel on my 23.5 a few years ago to replace the plastic bushing. I was able to get the keel out while the boat was on the trailer, but used a hoist to hold the boat while I got it back in. Out was pretty easy, only one very large stainless bolt holding the keel bracket on. i recall we had to jack the boat just an inch or two with a hydraulic jack, while on the trailer. In was trickier. Unless you have Arnold Schwartzeneger as a close friend, it will be eaiser if you buy a length of threaded rod, about 2 or 3 feet long, same size as the bracket bolt. (at any auto supply place) this will enable you to line up the bracket with keel attached when you replace it in the boat. You run the rod down the hole, thread on the keel/bracket, get it all organized, remove the rod, then thread the bolt. Otherwise, you've got a guy in the cabin trying to thread the bolt through a hole, lined up by another guy outside, who's trying to manipulate the heavy and awkward keel bolt assembly blind. by the way, when I removed it all, I found the hauling line had never been properly routed by the factory, so after fixing it, I was able to get the keel tightly stowed when up. while it's out, you might consider replacing the line.
i dropped the keel on my 23.5 a few years ago to replace the plastic bushing. I was able to get the keel out while the boat was on the trailer, but used a hoist to hold the boat while I got it back in. Out was pretty easy, only one very large stainless bolt holding the keel bracket on. i recall we had to jack the boat just an inch or two with a hydraulic jack, while on the trailer. In was trickier. Unless you have Arnold Schwartzeneger as a close friend, it will be eaiser if you buy a length of threaded rod, about 2 or 3 feet long, same size as the bracket bolt. (at any auto supply place) this will enable you to line up the bracket with keel attached when you replace it in the boat. You run the rod down the hole, thread on the keel/bracket, get it all organized, remove the rod, then thread the bolt. Otherwise, you've got a guy in the cabin trying to thread the bolt through a hole, lined up by another guy outside, who's trying to manipulate the heavy and awkward keel bolt assembly blind. by the way, when I removed it all, I found the hauling line had never been properly routed by the factory, so after fixing it, I was able to get the keel tightly stowed when up. while it's out, you might consider replacing the line.
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