Frank Gery says:

snip

When I'm sailing, I live by the motto "If you THINK it's time to reef, It's
time!" I'm wondering if I should do the same for the keel.

That goes double or triple for the keel ;-)
If you don't reef and lose a rig, you have to motor home. If you lose a keel,
you go swimming - or worse.

Steve

Frank Gerry wrote:
While people are on this subject..... would anyone care to give their advice
when they think a keel should be rebedded?

If you can feel any motion of the keel, then it should be removed,
rebedded, and rebolted.


I have a Cal 28 with a bolted on fin keel. About 5 years ago I grounded the
boat. It was nothing serious, but over time the keel has shown more and more
signs of movement.

Probably doesn't have much... possibly not anything... to do with the
grounding. It's the nature of the beast.

... Initially the crack between the keel and the fiberglass
stub extended back about 1 foot from the front of the keel on the port side.
The second year it was about two feet and so on. This year the crack extends
the length of the keel and I'm thinking I need to have it done now.

Yeah, if you've got a crack the whole length of the keel root you chould
have done it years ago. You're sailing on borrowed time! Think about the
impulse loading of the keel root when it thunks from side to side, every
time you go over a wave.

OTOH you've got it better than some people, whose keel bolts are
inaccessible under solid fiberglass; or people with encapsulated keels
that might also get wobbly over the years, or have a keel root that is
getting wobbly. It's all fixable but it's also a PITA... costs money too.


When I'm sailing, I live by the motto "If you THINK it's time to reef, It's
time!" I'm wondering if I should do the same for the keel.

Short answer: yes!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

On Tue, 09 Nov 2004 00:09:13 GMT, "Frank Gerry"
wrote:

While people are on this subject..... would anyone care to give their advice
when they think a keel should be rebedded?

I have a Cal 28 with a bolted on fin keel. About 5 years ago I grounded the
boat. It was nothing serious, but over time the keel has shown more and more
signs of movement. Initially the crack between the keel and the fiberglass
stub extended back about 1 foot from the front of the keel on the port side.
The second year it was about two feet and so on. This year the crack extends
the length of the keel and I'm thinking I need to have it done now.

When I'm sailing, I live by the motto "If you THINK it's time to reef, It's
time!" I'm wondering if I should do the same for the keel. I think it's time
but wanted to know what others thought. Also, if anyone knows how much I
should expect to pay my boatyard to do the job. All reply's would be much
appreciated.

Frank


"Basil P" wrote in message
.. .
I have to drop my keel after a hard grounding this past season. The
boat is a 34 fin keel boat with a glass keel sump that the keel is
bolted to. Lead keel, S.S. bolts 1". I have a couple of question.

Having never done this before I am looking for advice, not abuse. So
Glenn if you are listening...

What bedding compound should I use?

Should I leave the seal flexible? Or could I Glass over it with a
couple of layers of biaxial cloth and epoxy?

Any other tips would be great.

Thanks,

After I drop the keel I plan on grinding out any cracks and or
delamination. Then laying down more glass and epoxy. I have some
Kevlar matte. I would like to know if this would be good to use under
the keel bolt nuts? Or should I just stick with regular Glass?

Also, would it be a good idea to use larger backing plates under the
keel bolts? Instead of just the 2" fender washers. Maybe a S.S. plate
that would span two or more bolts.

There are (10) 3/4" S.S. bolts with 1 1/8" nuts.

I will lay the glass down let it set. Drill the holes again. bring the
keel back to the hull. Tape the threads of the keel bolts.Then place
some thickened epoxy in the area of the plate. Wax the plate really
well. Place it over the bolts and draw it up slightly. Then let it set
up. Then torque to spec. This should give it a good even, flat area to
carry the load.

Finally. Any opinions on glassing over the hull to keel seam? Maybe
using the same Kevlar matte. Extending the matte vertically 6-8"
beyond the seam.

Thanks again,