V 17 Keel & sails

[Dwane]

Hi AllI'm the new sailer with a v17 in very nice shape except the keel! I did use a bunch ok WD forty and it now moves about 5 inches. I see that the fibler glass has seperated toward the front, moveing the keel to one side making it stick. I live inapt complex so I'm some what limited to wht I can do but hate to lose thetime coming up I've taked off to sail. Could I remove the front bolt with the backstill connected have the front drop and see if I could make a tempory fix? the put I put it in the shop this winter.Sails? I have a good main sail marked V 17 but it leaves the boom so far down that it is at face level. I see in the pic on the Megregor page it show a sail higher thatsay V 15 on a V17 could I have my sail cut or by a used sail the would put the boom up higher?I love to here form any V17 owners or past owners I have other question and need on line help and fellow shipDwaneHouston Txdandwane@swbell.net

 

[Jim Hughes]

keel

The reason your keel is stuck,is because it got water inside and rusted the metal.The rust is like sawdust,thats the reason for it being thicker,causing it to stick.You could take a grinder and grind some of the fiberglass off,if you really need to use the boat,but it's not a fix.Your going to have to drop the keel,remove the fiberglass that has seperated from the metal,grind the rust out and reglass it.I did this to mine,a V-21.It took 4 qts.of fiberglass and 1wk. Good luck