Hull / Keel / Rudder / Tiller

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Author Keel Stabilizer
Bilgeboy
Carrboro, NC

Boat Name: Kosher Cannoli, Northern Light

Model/Year: C22 Swing 1988, C34 Wing 2003

Hull No. 14447, 1632

Hailing Port: Kerr Lake, NC		 09/17/2012 1:18 PM Pacific Time
Our keel used to clunk and rattle all the time - whether up, down, sailing or still. Last year, we faired the keel, replaced the hangers and added the spacers. The pin and hole/bushing were ok. Now the keel is solid when lowered but still clunks a bit when raised. Manually shaking the keel side to side yields an inch of play. We sleep on board every night when anchored. It's often too shallow to lower the keel so we listen to the clunking with each wave and wind change. It's quite annoying.

We're considering building stabilizers that would gently hold/grasp the keel when raised. Imagine something similar in shape to cove molding. A 3 foot length attached to the hull aligned with the keel trunk on each side between the keel pin and the cable attachment point. It would have to be 4 or 5 inches deep and just snug enough to steady the keel. Possibly made out of plastic or a glassed wood core.

Considering its narrow longitudinal profile it probably wouldn't affect speed much. But it might it might hamper turning/tacking.

Any thoughts on this idea?
Thanks, BilgeBoy
Bilbo
Youngstown, Ohio

Boat Name: Sea Dog

Model/Year: Catalina 22 1987

Hull No. 13971

Hailing Port: Andover, Ohio		 10/11/2012 10:42 AM Pacific Time
Hi, I have been using a fairly hard solid rubber ball on my keel cable. I find them at dollar stores sometimes in the toy or dog toys section. The ball is kinda like a hard ball but made of pretty dense rubber and is about 2 inches in diameter. I drill a 1/4" hole through it and run the cable through that. The ball gets jammed up in the hull keel slot and helps to buffer or cushion that side play when the keel is up. After a year or two, the hole gets enlarged a bit and the ball gets old and ineffective. It can easily be replaced. It most likely doesn't interfere with the smoothness of the hull or the lifting hardware. It only costs a dollar or two and a few minutes of installation time to try.
Peter
South Daytona, Florida

Boat Name: (Working On A Name)

Model/Year: C-22, 1974

Hull No. 2679

Hailing Port: South Daytona, Florida		 10/11/2012 4:33 PM Pacific Time
Have you considered adding a second set of spacers about 90 degrees to the other set? That way they are in about the same position as the first set (when the keel is down). This should keep the keel from rocking when it is in the up position.
 
 
Hull / Keel / Rudder / Tiller
Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Hull / Keel / Rudder / Tiller / Keel Stabilizer