RE: catalina27-talk: Doing the Keel right and other issues.

[Judith Blumhorst, DC]

Yup, like Clyde says.  The prior owner replaced the keel bolts and used the windowing method on my boat, Bijou   See http://www.blumhorst.com/catalina27/images/keel_factory_drawings/ for details on how the factory recommends either the windowing method and lag bolt method be done.   Factory recommendations for replacing wood in the keel stubby and repairing a "smile" are there too.   As for cost and difficulty:  I've seen similar repairs  being done many, many times at Svendsen's Boatyard and at Berkeley Marina.  The advantage to the windowing method is that you can replace them easily/cheaply the next time around (12 -15 years is recommended by authorities such as Don Casey).  And as Phil pointed out, you drill down only about 4-6 inches, (not 4 feet!), so it's probably less time spent drilling than installing 18-inch-long lag screws.  It doesn't take long to drill the windows sideways into the keel from the outside.     If the yard is accustomed to doing the job, and they're got the right equipment (and the boat is out of the water for other work), it probably doesn't cost any more to window than to install lag bolts.  If you're doing the repair yourself or the boat is staying in the water, lagbolts are probably the most cost effectivce and easiest way to go.    My boat was out of the water at the time the repairs were done.  At the same time, the yard windowed in 6 new keel bolts replaced the wood in the keel stubby with glass at the same time wrapped the keel in a skin of fiberglass (to protect the soft lead from denting if/when there was a soft grounding or hitting stuff in the water) stripped off all the old bottom paint down to the gelcoat and sanded faired the hull a little put an epoxy barrier coat on the hull. painted the bottom with 2 coats of Trinidad antifouling.   IRRC, the labor cost was $5000 for 60 hours of labor.  The material costs were about $1000.  (Work was done in 2000) That's not a  bad price for that much labor done at the yard -- if you plan on keeping the boat a decade or more.    It was a good deal for me when I bought the boat with that work already done.   As most of you folks know, stainless steel DOES rust when there's no oxygen available.  Thenhidden crevice corrosion occurs.  (It's similar to crevice corrosion like you find on stays and shrouds where the wire rope goes into a swaged fitting.)   If you're lucky, the keel bolts will neverr rust out, but if the boat runs aground and water gets in there between the hull and the keel, where oxygen can't get in, you will need to replace them a second time.    You don't need to remove the keel from the boat to window-in new bolts.  The only reason I can think of to remove a keel (off the top of my head) would be to repair a badly damaged hull properly, such as might be necessary after a grounding. Fair winds, Judy B 1977 Catalina-27 Tall Rig, hull #3459,Bijou, always getting new stuff and busting our budget..... Sailing San Francisco Bay Area Visit Bijou’s website at <http://www.blumhorst.com/catalina27/catalinahomepage.htm>   Commodore Emeritus, Potter Yachters of Northern California 1985 West Wight Potter 19 #266, Redwing Danville/SF Bay, CA Potter Yachters website at <http://potter-yachters.org/> Potter Forum on the TrailerSailor website. http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/potter/index.cgi Judy B's Potter Website at  <http://www.blumhorst.com/potterpages> -----Original Message----- From: catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 3:55 PM To: catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com Subject: Re: catalina27-talk: Doing the Keel right and other issues. Someone out here in the Bay Area did that.  Yard drilled holes horizontal through keel then drilled down through bilge with stainless rod.  Secured washers, nuts on bottom, filled in holes.  Was pretty expensive  if I remember right.  Another yard tried to take the keel of a C27.  Cut off keel bolts in bilge, bounced it up and down in sling,  took crow bar, sledge hammer, etc and still had one real difficult time getting it off.  Said they would never do it again.       Clyde Thorington ex C27 now C30 ILEAN2 San Jose, CA