Shifting C22mkII Swing Keel

[Mike4049]

When my boat heels and returns in moderate air I frequently get a significant clunking noise associated with the keel shifting. I can get it to stop by slightly lifting the keel from full down (the cable then hums annoyingly). I can't get the clunking to stop by slacking the cable or by tightening the keel hold-down pin near the trunk.Has anyone dealt with this before? I am new to the boat, and had the keel cable replaced (as a precaution) right after I bought the boat, so I don't know if it was a pre-existing condition or not.Thanks for any thoughts.Mike.

 

[Bayard Gross]

Might be a bad keel pin

Your problem may be a worn keel pin. The keel pin can wear in the middle seriously weakening it and possibly break which means bye bye keel.The hole in the keel that the pin gors through may be elongated. This may be usable but a through inspection is necessary.Unfortunately, I think you should really drop the keel and inspect the pin and keel pin hole. Hopefully you can do this without breaking the bolts.

 

[Mike4049]

Really, A boat only 7 years old?

Wow. I bought a newer boat (1998 mkII) with the hopes of avoiding this kind of problem for many more years. Is this unusual for a freshwater-only boat?

 

[tom b.]

Catalina direct does have

something in their catalog that will take up some sloppiness on your keel.. I have a 74 that I was going to use them on, but in redoing my keel, I welded some plates on it that pretty well took up any extra space that was there. I would've thought the newer ones wouldn't have that problem.. If the boat was sailed in salt water for any length of time, it's possible tha keel pin was worn a little more than in fresh. Checking the condition of it would be a wise choice since you just bought the boat. You can always just get under the boat and see what kind of clearance there is side to side along the pin area. Still, it wouldn't hurt to check out the whole pin assbly...