stuck adjustable keel

[jlgraham]

i have a oday 23 with a adjustable keel that will not drop.
does anyone have any suggestions how to free it while it's
out of the water? i was thinking of drilling a hole thru in
and putting a carrage bolt thru it for leverage.

thanks

jlg

 

[Joe11688]

i have a oday 23 with a adjustable keel that will not drop.
does anyone have any suggestions how to free it while it's
out of the water? i was thinking of drilling a hole thru in
and putting a carrage bolt thru it for leverage.

thanks

jlg

What year is your O'Day 23? If it was built before 1974, the keel is made of cast iron and may have rust problems that will constrict the fiberglass centerboard in the keel slot. In 1974, the O'Day company started building these keel/centerboard boats with lead keels and this solved that problem. All is not lost though. These are still great boats and the issue can be corrected if you are willing to tackle it head on and meet the challenge. I know of one guy in my area who fixed his 1973 OD 23 and brought it back to almost new. Right now, there are at least two others on this forum who are dealing with it and I'm confident that they will do the same. Let us know how you make out.
Joe