"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?

I have no experience dropping a keel other than as sidewalk supervisor
removing a fin from a Hunter. One thing I did learn was not to use 5200.
The boat was on well braced stands with a fork lift holding the keel.
Everyone thought that once the nuts were removed from the bolts it would be
a simple matter to just lower the forklift. Not So! The 5200 held the keel
firmly. After much nerve wracking wiggling they finally had to saw through
the 5200 and then spend the better part of a day scraping the joint
surfaces.

The sealant should be a little flexible. Maybe 4200 or one of the other
sealants that is not quite as tenacious as 5200. The hull/keel joint is
going to flex minutely no matter what you do so glassing over sealant is
probably not a good idea.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

Glenn Ashmore wrote:

"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?


----------------------

I MIGHT SUGGEST USING A FLEXIBLE EPOXY BEDDING COMPOUND AND NO CLOTH. JUST MY
HUMBLE OPINION....

PAUL OMAN

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 12:09:54 -0500, "Glenn Ashmore"
wrote:

I have no experience dropping a keel other than as sidewalk supervisor
removing a fin from a Hunter. One thing I did learn was not to use 5200.
The boat was on well braced stands with a fork lift holding the keel.
Everyone thought that once the nuts were removed from the bolts it would be
a simple matter to just lower the forklift. Not So! The 5200 held the keel
firmly. After much nerve wracking wiggling they finally had to saw through
the 5200 and then spend the better part of a day scraping the joint
surfaces.

Hi,

Might be handy for an offshore boat, as it's not unknown for keel bolt
studs to snap at the nuts.

cheers,
Pete.

I'm with Glenn.

The only cases of keels falling off that I know of we
- Ultra go-fast boats where the designer was trying to save the last gram and
left .01% safety margin
- Old boats whose maintenance (including keel bolt inspection) had been sorely
neglected.
- cases where the wrong bolt material had been used.

Use the right bolt material and a non-permanent sealant and pull a bolt every few
years to see how they're faring.

Pete C wrote:

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 12:09:54 -0500, "Glenn Ashmore"
wrote:

I have no experience dropping a keel other than as sidewalk supervisor
removing a fin from a Hunter. One thing I did learn was not to use 5200.
The boat was on well braced stands with a fork lift holding the keel.
Everyone thought that once the nuts were removed from the bolts it would be
a simple matter to just lower the forklift. Not So! The 5200 held the keel
firmly. After much nerve wracking wiggling they finally had to saw through
the 5200 and then spend the better part of a day scraping the joint
surfaces.

Hi,

Might be handy for an offshore boat, as it's not unknown for keel bolt
studs to snap at the nuts.

cheers,
Pete.

I have no experience dropping a keel other than as sidewalk supervisor
removing a fin from a Hunter. One thing I did learn was not to use 5200.
The boat was on well braced stands with a fork lift holding the keel.
Everyone thought that once the nuts were removed from the bolts it would be
a simple matter to just lower the forklift. Not So! The 5200 held the keel
firmly. After much nerve wracking wiggling they finally had to saw through
the 5200 and then spend the better part of a day scraping the joint
surfaces.

I expect that are situations where 5200 is an appropriate choice... but I have
not come across any myself in 30+ years of sailing and working on small boats.
Alexander "Ali" Meller
http://www.sailing.org/int505/