Derek Lawler wrote:

Thanks a lot for all the creative ideas from a crew of sailors. If the keel
does come loose it only has a foot to fall onto a steel box girder running
lengthwise of the tandem trailer. The cable had been cut and the cable hole
enlarged to accept a large crowbar---next time a bigger sledge hammer. I
had tried to insert a hand saw to no avail---no room for it.
One thing I attempted was to drill and tap the trailing edge of the keel and
put in a ring bolt, hook it up to a "come along" secured to the trailer with
a snatch block and tighten it up so the downward force of the "come-along"
would keep on tension and at the same time beat on a steel rod aimed down
the cable hole on top of the keel.
I couldn't get a drill bit into the keel so I am going to try and grind off
enough rust (to bright metal) and use a tungsten tipped bit. I didn't think
a casting would be so hard to drill.
This method is just using brute force to move it and if that doesn't work I
will try some of the chemical/solvent or high pressure water jet methods
suggested. Thanks again.
Derek

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

please keep us posted as to the progress you make. We are all interested!

paul oman
progressive epoxy polymers

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 07:05:51 -0500, DSK wrote:


Paul Oman wrote:
my suggestion would be a high pressure water jet - water blaster -enough pressure
and enough water and all the expanded rust would, I think, come off and fall out
of the trunk

Now that's a pretty good idea. The mess might be easier to deal with and
easier to avoid cutting away too much fiberglass.

Derek Lawler wrote:
I had thought of selling the boat as is and getting another. I happen to
love the design of this boat and its layout.

Well, it's a Halsey Herreshoff design.


... With the board up it seems to go in
water that seems impossibly shallow and is great for Keys back country
gunkholing.

Hush! Relatively few people appreciate the benefits of shallow draft, I
don't want all the best anchorages spoiled!


What I did think of doing is simply caulking in the keel, fixing it in place
and dealing with the problem after using is as a motor sailor for a while,
sailing mostly off the wind.

If you're going to do that, why caulk it? Just leave it.

... I also thought of simply using the keel as
inside ballast and welding a fin on the bottom of it. Does sound a bit
sloppy though.

Yep... and you'd have to "Rust Never Sleeps" on the stereo a lot.

My boat had an external cast iron keel with a steel plate centerboard that
retracted into it. I ended up dropping the keel, using a sawsal with a long
bimetalic blade to cut the centerboard and its bronze hinge pin loose working
from above. The replacement centerboard is being made up of solid fiberglass.
At least it wont rust.

JJ

Try the water jet idea... I regret not thinking of that myself... and if
all else fails, go ahead and cut the trunk out. That way you can rebuild
it properly, upgrade the pivot bearing & lifting gear, and really finish
up the job properly.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King


James Johnson
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