I have a 1971, 21' MacGregor sailboat with a swing keel. I am not pinning?bolting my keel in the down position because I cannot find the thru-bolt hole in the keel. Will someone please answer the following questions: Does the 22 (and others) Ventures and/or MacGregors have a thru-bolt hole? Do you use it everytime you go out? Do you pin the keel when you are in rough weather or offshore? Have you drilled thru the keel where the holes are in the keel slot? I will be going offshore this spring to Catalina, Santa Barbara Island and the Santa Cruze Islands. And am a little skeptical about not pinning the keel at that time. Please let me know what you have and what you do with it. Novelman
swing keel bolted
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keel bolt
Thanks, Perhaps I have not cranked the keel up far enough to find the corect hole. I will check it out this Wedsnesday when I go sailing and let you know. The drawing looks like when the keel is bolted down it is much more slanted toward the stern than when the keel is let all the way out. When it gets a little warmer I will go under the boat at the slip and check the rake of the keel in both positions (providing I can find the bolt hole shown in the drawing.) Novelman
Thanks, Perhaps I have not cranked the keel up far enough to find the corect hole. I will check it out this Wedsnesday when I go sailing and let you know. The drawing looks like when the keel is bolted down it is much more slanted toward the stern than when the keel is let all the way out. When it gets a little warmer I will go under the boat at the slip and check the rake of the keel in both positions (providing I can find the bolt hole shown in the drawing.) Novelman
HARD TO FIND BUT IMPORTANT
Your keel lockdown bolt is important and its hard to get used to finding it. However its Very Important as most likely your boat is not self rightable without it locked down and if you're out sailing and the keel swings up , you may be in trouble...crank real slowly and keep checking the hole with each single click when you get close. you can almost over close it by going to fast' and think that there isn't a hole. You can let it all the way down and then carefully swing it up a few clicks at a time until you see it come into view. Sometimes I use a flashlight if the light isnt good down below. My own rule is that if the boats on the water the keel is locked down.... I dont know if my insurance co. would honor any claims if she sank due to the fact that I would have left her in an other than self rightable state...good Luck...go slow and use a flashlight or a long smaller bolt to stick through , just to find it. when you do lock it down , be sure to use the right size bolt...GOOD LUCK. I had to get used to mine also ......Smitroe
Your keel lockdown bolt is important and its hard to get used to finding it. However its Very Important as most likely your boat is not self rightable without it locked down and if you're out sailing and the keel swings up , you may be in trouble...crank real slowly and keep checking the hole with each single click when you get close. you can almost over close it by going to fast' and think that there isn't a hole. You can let it all the way down and then carefully swing it up a few clicks at a time until you see it come into view. Sometimes I use a flashlight if the light isnt good down below. My own rule is that if the boats on the water the keel is locked down.... I dont know if my insurance co. would honor any claims if she sank due to the fact that I would have left her in an other than self rightable state...good Luck...go slow and use a flashlight or a long smaller bolt to stick through , just to find it. when you do lock it down , be sure to use the right size bolt...GOOD LUCK. I had to get used to mine also ......Smitroe
Actually on my V222
When the keel is all the way down and against the stop bolt, the lock down bolt holes align, and that is the way it should be, I assume, on all the models!!! This will also only apply if no bolts are bent, which could alter the hole alignment! Also a word to the wise, if your only on a lake, locking down isnt necessary, but out on the ocean, it is always prudent to lock the keel into place!!!!!
When the keel is all the way down and against the stop bolt, the lock down bolt holes align, and that is the way it should be, I assume, on all the models!!! This will also only apply if no bolts are bent, which could alter the hole alignment! Also a word to the wise, if your only on a lake, locking down isnt necessary, but out on the ocean, it is always prudent to lock the keel into place!!!!!
Further thoughts on your lock down
If you cant find the lock-down bolt, perhaps the previous owner fiberglassed over it or something????? If he did, and you want to ocean travel, you should put another in! You could do that by lowering your keel until it hits the stop bolt, and then drill the new lock-down bolt hole through the trunk and keel, being sure to keep everything straight as possible! Just a thought for you!!!! On Macs, with swing keels, there should be three bolts: pivot, lock-down and stop bolts, all in their respective areas!!!!It appears by the diagram on the bottom, however, sent previously by another, that the 21s lock-down bolt runs through a rubber stop placed at the back of the keel trunk! If that is the case, then the holes should align when the keel is all the way down also! Apparently the 21 only has two bolts, at least from the diagram below????
If you cant find the lock-down bolt, perhaps the previous owner fiberglassed over it or something????? If he did, and you want to ocean travel, you should put another in! You could do that by lowering your keel until it hits the stop bolt, and then drill the new lock-down bolt hole through the trunk and keel, being sure to keep everything straight as possible! Just a thought for you!!!! On Macs, with swing keels, there should be three bolts: pivot, lock-down and stop bolts, all in their respective areas!!!!It appears by the diagram on the bottom, however, sent previously by another, that the 21s lock-down bolt runs through a rubber stop placed at the back of the keel trunk! If that is the case, then the holes should align when the keel is all the way down also! Apparently the 21 only has two bolts, at least from the diagram below????
It takes 2
The easiest way is to have one person on the crank and the other looking through the hole. Lower the keel all the way and slowly start cranking up. On my 74 V21 the holes line up several turns up from the fully down position. When lake sailing and such I sometimes leave the lock bolt going through the trunk and then lower the keel so the bolt serves as the stop.
The easiest way is to have one person on the crank and the other looking through the hole. Lower the keel all the way and slowly start cranking up. On my 74 V21 the holes line up several turns up from the fully down position. When lake sailing and such I sometimes leave the lock bolt going through the trunk and then lower the keel so the bolt serves as the stop.
Santa Cruz, huh? Better tighten your keel nuts!
Novelman, On my 25 I let it down all the way and then back up 5 clicks. If you don't let it down all to the way first you may end up putting the bolt in outside of the keel. On the open ocean when the keel is not locked down the keel will slam like its going to take the bottom of your boat out. I was told not to lubricate the winch. It became more and more difficult to lower with the handle sticking. I finally out of desperation sprayed it with my Silicon spray and now it works beautifully. It clicks and locks into place and releases when its suppose to. I frequently do what I'm told not to and infrequently it works out. If you are going across the Channel Islands channel you will likely hit some large waves especially this time of year. Best time for crossing is in May/June - August. Check out the weather archives at http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/buoy/46054.html for the year. Right now the dominant wave height is 15+ft. Here is a great link of a guys journal of a 9 day trip to Santa Cruz. Hope it helps. I haven't done that trip yet but plan to this summer. If you want some company let me know. I don't plan to sail up to Channel Island Harbor as this guy did, I will trailer mine. http://www.macgregor-boats.com/cruise/cruise1.html CaGuy
Novelman, On my 25 I let it down all the way and then back up 5 clicks. If you don't let it down all to the way first you may end up putting the bolt in outside of the keel. On the open ocean when the keel is not locked down the keel will slam like its going to take the bottom of your boat out. I was told not to lubricate the winch. It became more and more difficult to lower with the handle sticking. I finally out of desperation sprayed it with my Silicon spray and now it works beautifully. It clicks and locks into place and releases when its suppose to. I frequently do what I'm told not to and infrequently it works out. If you are going across the Channel Islands channel you will likely hit some large waves especially this time of year. Best time for crossing is in May/June - August. Check out the weather archives at http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/buoy/46054.html for the year. Right now the dominant wave height is 15+ft. Here is a great link of a guys journal of a 9 day trip to Santa Cruz. Hope it helps. I haven't done that trip yet but plan to this summer. If you want some company let me know. I don't plan to sail up to Channel Island Harbor as this guy did, I will trailer mine. http://www.macgregor-boats.com/cruise/cruise1.html CaGuy
Santa Cruze, huh?
Caguy, Thanks for the advice. I have been powering, sailing, skin diving SCUBA diving at Anacapa, Santa Cruze, Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands as well as Catalina, San Diego and all points in between since the 70,s, but never in such a small sailboat, just 15' power boats, and 24' sailboat, a 30' Catalina sailboat, as well as many comercial dive boats. I will be trailering up to Ventura for the summer season (June-Sept.) and renting a dock space or mast-up trailer space. I have written for both Skin Diver magazine and Sail magazine about my trips and have many more unpublished articles about my diving and sailing trips. The advice to pin my swing keel is just what I thought and I will be doing so, probably this wed. when I will be sailing out of my month-by-month slip at Alamitos Bay, Long Beach. I normally sail two times a month, two days each time, year-around, but lately have been sailing more often while teaching a friend to sail in preparation for his purchase of a sailboat Perhaps I'll see you at the dock on in the water. My boat is the white with blue striping and the name "Novelman Too" on the transom. By-the-way, last week we hit 7.2 knote on a beam reach with a 150 Genoa and full main...lots of fun. Novelman
Caguy, Thanks for the advice. I have been powering, sailing, skin diving SCUBA diving at Anacapa, Santa Cruze, Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands as well as Catalina, San Diego and all points in between since the 70,s, but never in such a small sailboat, just 15' power boats, and 24' sailboat, a 30' Catalina sailboat, as well as many comercial dive boats. I will be trailering up to Ventura for the summer season (June-Sept.) and renting a dock space or mast-up trailer space. I have written for both Skin Diver magazine and Sail magazine about my trips and have many more unpublished articles about my diving and sailing trips. The advice to pin my swing keel is just what I thought and I will be doing so, probably this wed. when I will be sailing out of my month-by-month slip at Alamitos Bay, Long Beach. I normally sail two times a month, two days each time, year-around, but lately have been sailing more often while teaching a friend to sail in preparation for his purchase of a sailboat Perhaps I'll see you at the dock on in the water. My boat is the white with blue striping and the name "Novelman Too" on the transom. By-the-way, last week we hit 7.2 knote on a beam reach with a 150 Genoa and full main...lots of fun. Novelman
keel bolt
CAGUY My e-mail is novelman@roadrunner.com. Send me your e-mail address and I'll send you some stories. And who knows maybe we can meet and sail togeather, perhaps even to Anacapa? Novelman
CAGUY My e-mail is novelman@roadrunner.com. Send me your e-mail address and I'll send you some stories. And who knows maybe we can meet and sail togeather, perhaps even to Anacapa? Novelman
no lock down bolt on mine
There is no lock down bolt on my 1974 Veture 25 either..and noooo..it has not been fiberglassed over.there just is not one on my boat,,,
There is no lock down bolt on my 1974 Veture 25 either..and noooo..it has not been fiberglassed over.there just is not one on my boat,,,
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