I recently purchased a 21 foot 1971 Macgregor/Venture that is in need of some work. I dropped out the swing keel, and discovered that it is in fact three plates of steel welded together, covered in thick epoxy to round the edges, and coated in fiberglass. The keel was a rusty mess, and obviously needs to be redone. Before I start on this task, I was wondering if anyone out there has done this before, and if this is the original keel. I expected it to be cast iron, and already shaped. Any advice/tips/information about this would be greatly appreciated. -Josh Whitman Email: <A HREF="mailto:jwhitman@adelphia.net">jwhitman@adelphia.net</A>
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Doug Rodrigues
I was wonder that same thing.
I have a MacGregor / Venture 2-22. I dove under my boat last week to check the roughness of the keel that I felt with my feet. The keel has lost most of it's fiberglass covering and is rusted as yours is. However, my keel still has the proper streamline shape without the fiberglass covering. As with you, I'm also wondering how to find the place and time to drop the keel (without crushing myself to death) in order to remove the rust and re-fiberglass it. Somewhere on the internet are photos of a guy making a contraption out of timbers used to raise his boat off the trailer. On another trailer, he had made a wooden holding fixture or sorts, to accept the keel as it was disconnected from the boat. For the life of me, I cannot find that site again! If I do, I'll e-mail you the site address.
I have a MacGregor / Venture 2-22. I dove under my boat last week to check the roughness of the keel that I felt with my feet. The keel has lost most of it's fiberglass covering and is rusted as yours is. However, my keel still has the proper streamline shape without the fiberglass covering. As with you, I'm also wondering how to find the place and time to drop the keel (without crushing myself to death) in order to remove the rust and re-fiberglass it. Somewhere on the internet are photos of a guy making a contraption out of timbers used to raise his boat off the trailer. On another trailer, he had made a wooden holding fixture or sorts, to accept the keel as it was disconnected from the boat. For the life of me, I cannot find that site again! If I do, I'll e-mail you the site address.
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Lyn
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Doug Rodrigues
Home made boat lift
www.community.webshots.com/album/15396994BhmBeRwpGYT is the guy with the self-help home made equipment to lift his MacGregor 25. He also has another web site with more detailed information as to how to construct that boat lift and keel carrier, but site address isn't listed here. Go check this one out. It's really good information.
www.community.webshots.com/album/15396994BhmBeRwpGYT is the guy with the self-help home made equipment to lift his MacGregor 25. He also has another web site with more detailed information as to how to construct that boat lift and keel carrier, but site address isn't listed here. Go check this one out. It's really good information.
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Doug Rodrigues
Another web site for the swing keel
http://dcwi.com/~nybarra/keel.html is the web site showing photos of an Ensenada 20 Swing Keel removal. This same method can be applied to just about any similar boat. I may even try it with my Venture 2-22! The lift strap being used on the engine hoist can be purchased at crane rigging supply outlets. Call your local crane business and ask them where they buy their lift straps. The straps are suprisingly inexpensive for what they can do.
http://dcwi.com/~nybarra/keel.html is the web site showing photos of an Ensenada 20 Swing Keel removal. This same method can be applied to just about any similar boat. I may even try it with my Venture 2-22! The lift strap being used on the engine hoist can be purchased at crane rigging supply outlets. Call your local crane business and ask them where they buy their lift straps. The straps are suprisingly inexpensive for what they can do.
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Andrew
how bout replacing it with a fixed keel
I was wanting to replace my swing keel with a bulb weighted dagger board, that would lock in place...or a fixed keel with a bulb. I am worried that in the case of a knock down, the swing keel will come up, thus eliminating any chance of self righting, and looking at the lack of floatation, is unlikely to do anything but sink. I sail pretty hard, but have only experience with boats with unweighted keels...any advise??encouragement?? can reply to Dawnswind@aol.com
I was wanting to replace my swing keel with a bulb weighted dagger board, that would lock in place...or a fixed keel with a bulb. I am worried that in the case of a knock down, the swing keel will come up, thus eliminating any chance of self righting, and looking at the lack of floatation, is unlikely to do anything but sink. I sail pretty hard, but have only experience with boats with unweighted keels...any advise??encouragement?? can reply to Dawnswind@aol.com
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Steve Shenkel
Go-Fast Mods
A local sailing phenom bought a early vintage V21 and was beating many of the established local racing boats. The boat was damaged in a collision. Seeing the potential the boat had, the owner put money into good rigging and sails. Additionally, the keel was dropped down and glassed permanently in place (to clean up the bottom). Upon completion, he was able to regularly beat the likes of Olson 30's, Merit 25's, J-24's, and so on boat for boat, not corrected. He was a good sailor, but the boat can be made to go fast. FYI Steve
A local sailing phenom bought a early vintage V21 and was beating many of the established local racing boats. The boat was damaged in a collision. Seeing the potential the boat had, the owner put money into good rigging and sails. Additionally, the keel was dropped down and glassed permanently in place (to clean up the bottom). Upon completion, he was able to regularly beat the likes of Olson 30's, Merit 25's, J-24's, and so on boat for boat, not corrected. He was a good sailor, but the boat can be made to go fast. FYI Steve
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Larry
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