Hi all
I seen there a while back someone had the problem of a swing keel
stuck in the keel trunk.
I have the same problem. and am now at a crossroads with it.

I drilled a hole in the steel keel and used a 800kg ratchet winch onto
an large anchor weight
this pulled the keel down with some effort. I removed the keel winch
and the keel pin.

but still cant pull the keel out with the rust around where the pin
was.
I guess I need some thing to dissolve the rust that will not damage
the gel coat.

I have tightened up the ratchet pressure again and soaked the keel in
diesel. And left it over night to see what will happen .

Anybody got any better ideas on this.

On Mon, 25 May 09, derry wrote:
Hi all
I seen there a while back someone had the problem of a swing keel
stuck in the keel trunk.
I have the same problem. and am now at a crossroads with it.

I drilled a hole in the steel keel and used a 800kg ratchet winch onto
an large anchor weight
this pulled the keel down with some effort. I removed the keel winch
and the keel pin.

but still cant pull the keel out with the rust around where the pin
was.
I guess I need some thing to dissolve the rust that will not damage
the gel coat.

I have tightened up the ratchet pressure again and soaked the keel in
diesel. And left it over night to see what will happen .

Anybody got any better ideas on this.

What size boat and what weight keel are you dealing with?
And are you able to open the top of the trunk? Or flip the boat
upside down? Or reach the pin location? (in other words, is the pin
located up inside the trunk, of externally like a Catalina 22?

Seems like you could clean the part of the keel that's out, then winch
it back up, down, up, down, etc. to loosen the pin area a bit. Might
help to flush it with a water hose while you're doing that. Then pull
the pin again and go from there.

-shrug- just a suggestion. It's hard to say without knowing the
details.

Rick

On Mon, 25 May 2009 04:20:28 -0700 (PDT), derry
wrote:

Hi all
I seen there a while back someone had the problem of a swing keel
stuck in the keel trunk.
I have the same problem. and am now at a crossroads with it.

I drilled a hole in the steel keel and used a 800kg ratchet winch onto
an large anchor weight
this pulled the keel down with some effort. I removed the keel winch
and the keel pin.

but still cant pull the keel out with the rust around where the pin
was.
I guess I need some thing to dissolve the rust that will not damage
the gel coat.

I have tightened up the ratchet pressure again and soaked the keel in
diesel. And left it over night to see what will happen .

Anybody got any better ideas on this.


Muratic acid should dissolve the rust and won't hurt the gel coat. In
fact boatyards use it to clean hulls. Most auto supplies and paint
stores have it.

Be CAREFUL!

I usualy put it, straight, into a spray bottle. It just takes a few
seconds to remove crud and rust from the hull, deck, etc. Probably a
little longer for your application. Note that it will instantly SMOKE
when you spray it in.

Only do this if you're sure you can rinse everything thoroughly with
no proplem.

Rick

Rick Morel wrote:
On Mon, 25 May 2009 04:20:28 -0700 (PDT), derry
wrote:

Hi all
I seen there a while back someone had the problem of a swing keel
stuck in the keel trunk.
I have the same problem. and am now at a crossroads with it.

I drilled a hole in the steel keel and used a 800kg ratchet winch onto
an large anchor weight
this pulled the keel down with some effort. I removed the keel winch
and the keel pin.

but still cant pull the keel out with the rust around where the pin
was.
I guess I need some thing to dissolve the rust that will not damage
the gel coat.

I have tightened up the ratchet pressure again and soaked the keel in
diesel. And left it over night to see what will happen .

Anybody got any better ideas on this.


Muratic acid should dissolve the rust and won't hurt the gel coat. In
fact boatyards use it to clean hulls. Most auto supplies and paint
stores have it.

Be CAREFUL!

I usualy put it, straight, into a spray bottle. It just takes a few
seconds to remove crud and rust from the hull, deck, etc. Probably a
little longer for your application. Note that it will instantly SMOKE
when you spray it in.

Only do this if you're sure you can rinse everything thoroughly with
no proplem.

Rick


And don't inhale the smoke!!

Rick Morel wrote:
On Mon, 25 May 2009 04:20:28 -0700 (PDT), derry
wrote:

Hi all
I seen there a while back someone had the problem of a swing keel
stuck in the keel trunk.
I have the same problem. and am now at a crossroads with it.

I drilled a hole in the steel keel and used a 800kg ratchet winch onto
an large anchor weight
this pulled the keel down with some effort. I removed the keel winch
and the keel pin.

but still cant pull the keel out with the rust around where the pin
was.
I guess I need some thing to dissolve the rust that will not damage
the gel coat.

I have tightened up the ratchet pressure again and soaked the keel in
diesel. And left it over night to see what will happen .

Anybody got any better ideas on this.


Muratic acid should dissolve the rust and won't hurt the gel coat. In
fact boatyards use it to clean hulls. Most auto supplies and paint
stores have it.

Be CAREFUL!

I usualy put it, straight, into a spray bottle. It just takes a few
seconds to remove crud and rust from the hull, deck, etc. Probably a
little longer for your application. Note that it will instantly SMOKE
when you spray it in.

Only do this if you're sure you can rinse everything thoroughly with
no proplem.

Rick

The fumes(smoke) are toxic and can kill you so make sure you do it out
side, or at minimum in a well ventilated area.

Rick Morel wrote:


Muratic acid should dissolve the rust and won't hurt the gel coat. In
fact boatyards use it to clean hulls. Most auto supplies and paint
stores have it.

Be CAREFUL!

I usualy put it, straight, into a spray bottle. It just takes a few
seconds to remove crud and rust from the hull, deck, etc. Probably a
little longer for your application. Note that it will instantly SMOKE
when you spray it in.

Only do this if you're sure you can rinse everything thoroughly with
no proplem.

Rick


Vinegar might work as well with far less danger for you and the
environment but slower.
Classic Coca-Cola also... it used to contain small quantities of
sulphuric acid and old-times mechanics would use it for frozen
engines.

Daniel

On May 25, 4:33*pm, Rick Morel wrote:
On Mon, 25 May 2009 04:20:28 -0700 (PDT), derry





wrote:
Hi all
I seen there a while back someone had the problem of a swing keel
stuck in the keel trunk.
I have the same problem. and am now at a crossroads with it.

I drilled a hole in the steel keel and used a 800kg ratchet winch onto
an large anchor weight
this pulled the keel down with some effort. I removed the keel winch
and the keel pin.

but still cant pull the keel out with the rust around where the pin
was.
I guess I need some thing to dissolve the rust that will not damage
the gel coat.

I have tightened *up the ratchet pressure again and soaked the keel in
diesel. And left it over night to see what will happen .

Anybody got any better ideas on this.

Muratic acid should dissolve the rust and won't hurt the gel coat. In
fact boatyards use it to clean hulls. Most auto supplies and paint
stores have it.

Be CAREFUL!

I usualy put it, straight, into a spray bottle. It just takes a few
seconds to remove crud and rust from the hull, deck, etc. Probably a
little longer for your application. Note that it will instantly SMOKE
when you spray it in.

Only do this if you're sure you can rinse everything thoroughly with
no proplem.

Rick- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

rick this sounds good any idea of what strengt ot hydrochloric acid to
use

On Fri, 29 May 2009 06:44:36 -0700 (PDT), derry
wrote:


rick this sounds good any idea of what strengt ot hydrochloric acid to
use

I've always used straight Muratic acid. I'm not sure offhand what
concentration it is. Same for the boatyards. As I had mentioned, paint
stores and auto supplies carry it.

I did try using some to remove rust from a tractor engine radiator and
water jacket. It got diluted by the water left in the block and didn't
seem to do nearly as well.

As an aside, it's used, diluted a pint to 3 gallons of water (I think)
to clean the calcium deposits and stuff in a Lectra/San Type I MSD.

I usually put it in a sprayer. One of those quart type garden spayers,
not the kind with a hose.

Everyone that wrote about the fumes is correct. Make sure you've got
very good ventilation.

Let us know how you make out!

Rick

On Mon, 25 May 2009 09:04:27 -0700, Gordon wrote:

Muratic acid should dissolve the rust

It might be worth knowing that it is a common name for a cheap grade
of concentrated hydrochloric acid. It is yellowed by contamination
with iron.

asad

On Wed, 27 May 2009 21:43:16 +0200, Daniele Fua
wrote:

Vinegar might work as well with far less danger for you and the
environment but slower.
Classic Coca-Cola also... it used to contain small quantities of
sulphuric acid and old-times mechanics would use it for frozen
engines.
Never sulphuric. Phosphoric acid is a common ingredient in soft
drinks.

Casady