Swing Keel Replacement

Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Swing Keel Replacement / Flaking finish on swing keel???
 
 
Author Flaking finish on swing keel???
Sean Madian
Portland, OR

Boat Name: Time Out

Model/Year: 1973

Hull No. CL 3839 FX

Hailing Port: Portland
10/09/2005 6:25 AM Pacific Time

I'm baffled. I finally crawled under my C-22 this weekend to find that my cast iron (I believe) keep has a layer of material that is flaking off of it. The material is about 1/16 thick and is brittle and black. Underneath there is a white hard material. Some of the material around the leading edge (this would be the leading edge if the keep were extended -- it is the 'bottom' edge with the keel swiveled up on the trailer) is showing rust and is very rough. What is this??? Is it a coating of some sort on the keel? How do I repair it or remove it?
Uwe Behrendt
Rutland Vermont

Boat Name: Joyful

Model/Year: 1977 C22

Hull No. 7200

Hailing Port: Plunder Bay Orwell VT
10/10/2005 2:53 AM Pacific Time

it sounds like rust from the keel Use a magnet to determone if it is. you can also hit the leading edge with a hammer and the rest will break off .then of corse you will be reworking your keel this winter. Not a fun job.
Uwe
Fred Apstein
Gabriola Is BC

Boat Name: Scruples

Model/Year: 1976

Hull No. 95

Hailing Port: Gabriola Is BC
10/10/2005 8:17 AM Pacific Time

I took my keel of and had it sandblasted down to the iron and epoxy primed.

It was a mistake! The original iron casting is very rough, I ended up with a lot of work to fill and smooth it.

I would suggest that you scrape off any of the filler that's loose, sand or wire brush the rusty spots, prime the metal anywhere it's been rusty with epoxy resin or phosphoric acid (OSPHO is a common brand name) then epoxy resin, and make it smooth again with an epoxy putty (epoxy resin and microballoons is good and relatively inexpensive), sand, bottom paint, and GO SAILING.
Sean Madian
Portland, OR

Boat Name: Time Out

Model/Year: 1973

Hull No. CL 3839 FX

Hailing Port: Portland
10/10/2005 8:59 AM Pacific Time

Thanks guys. I'm a bit reticent to start handling 500lbs of iron/steel but I can't figure out a way around it. Net-net it sounds like you'd suggest sand blasting, refinishing with epoxy resin, then repainting. Right? This gets us to a smooth and algae resistent finish?

At the same time I'll install the bushings to reduce the keel clunk and check out the entire lift system. Any other advice?
Dick King
Melbourne, FL

Boat Name: Twilight Zone

Model/Year: Sport/2005

Hull No. 15546

Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL
10/11/2005 3:26 AM Pacific Time

Order the keel finishing video from Catalina Direct. Item No. 1915. After you understand THOROUGHLY what needs to be done, find a competent and reputable marine yard to do it.
Fred Apstein
Gabriola Is BC

Boat Name: Scruples

Model/Year: 1976

Hull No. 95

Hailing Port: Gabriola Is BC
10/11/2005 8:48 AM Pacific Time

Don't sandblast the keel like I did! It was a stupid mistake!

The original casting is very rough, and most of the fairing compound, putty, or whatever is on the keel now is probably good.

Just fix what you need to do to seal the metal so it doesn't rust, and smooth it off. Then GO SAILING.
dave Cogswell
newport, OR

Boat Name: Monoloco

Model/Year: C-22, 1973

Hull No. 2265

Hailing Port: Newport
10/11/2005 7:36 PM Pacific Time

I have some experience in removing the swing keel, etc, from this past summer, which I am interested in sharing, but my question is related to the hull numbers. I thought they were sequential, related to the date. This would appear to be an incorrect assumption from my observations. my boat, Monoloco, is 1973, hull number (sail number??) 2265. I see 1972 boat "AM" with a hull number of 5610, and a 1972 boat named "Swallow" with a number of 3839. Obviously numbers higher than my boat, but with an earlier manufacture date. I thought that my number indicated which C-22 I had in order from the first example. This seems like it doesn't work, can anyone help me understand?
Sean Madian
Portland, OR

Boat Name: Time Out

Model/Year: 1973

Hull No. CL 3839 FX

Hailing Port: Portland
10/11/2005 11:13 PM Pacific Time

Dave -- Swallow is hull number 2485. I thought that the numbers were sequential too.
Tim Seifert


Boat Name: Mary's Joy

Model/Year:

Hull No. 8281

Hailing Port: Holyrood, Newfoundland
10/12/2005 4:50 AM Pacific Time

I had the same problem with my keel - flaking and rusting. Took a grinder to it, then faired it with epoxy putty. Worked great, and improved the performance of the boat dramatically (sanding and painting the bottom of the boat helped too). The keel is easy to raise and lower with hydraulic jacks (surprisingly so). Be sure to brace it well as you lower it. As for maintainence, you really can't tell until you remove the keel. Look at the shape of the hole, corrosion on the pin or bushings. I added the fiberglass shims to reduce sway.
Fred Apstein
Gabriola Is BC

Boat Name: Scruples

Model/Year: 1976

Hull No. 95

Hailing Port: Gabriola Is BC
10/12/2005 9:06 AM Pacific Time

My boat, AM,(hull # 5610) may not be a '72. The P.O. said '72,
so that's what I put on my info when I joined the list.

Here in Canada, we don't have to register vessels with less than 10 HP, so the boat has been registered some of the time and not registered some of the time. There's no continuity in the paper work.

I'll check with Catalina and see what year my boat really is.

Sorry for the confusion.
Peter
South Daytona, Florida

Boat Name: (Working On A Name)

Model/Year: C-22, 1974

Hull No. 2679

Hailing Port: South Daytona, Florida
10/12/2005 10:27 AM Pacific Time

Fred, the boat registration number incorporating the Hull I.D. number is located on the transom, starport side, just under the rub rail. The last 2 digits should be the year the hull was made according to Catalina Yachts. It is a stamped impression and sometimes hard to see, especially if the hull has been painted.

Peter
steve smith
rothesay nb canada

Boat Name: all hours

Model/Year: 1975?

Hull No. 4928

Hailing Port: rothesay yacht club
10/13/2005 3:20 AM Pacific Time

Hi,I've been reading the input on keel fairing intending to do it next month in a friends welding shop,thanks for the tip on NOT blasting.
Last week the keel cable snapped during high winds while moored.Shock at the thought of the keel slaming down and concerned that a new cable will do that.It looks like the cable pulled right out of the swage but I'll know more after today as a diver is going to attach the spare(old one).I haven't read of this being a major fault,has anyone had this happen??
Fred Apstein
Gabriola Is BC

Boat Name: Scruples

Model/Year: 1976

Hull No. 95

Hailing Port: Gabriola Is BC
10/13/2005 8:38 AM Pacific Time

Thanks Peter,
It looks like my boat is a '76. Does that make sense?
Peter
South Daytona, Florida

Boat Name: (Working On A Name)

Model/Year: C-22, 1974

Hull No. 2679

Hailing Port: South Daytona, Florida
10/13/2005 9:18 AM Pacific Time

Sounds about right. Catalina Yachts was producing a lot of C-22s at this time. My hull number is 6168, which is not that far from yours. My stamp impression shows it was made in 1976.

Peter
John Flato
Houston

Boat Name:

Model/Year: 1984

Hull No. 12030

Hailing Port: Shoreacres, TX
10/13/2005 9:29 AM Pacific Time

To identify, using a magnet is a good idea.

I refinished my keep last year. Pulled the boat in the driveway. Used a couple of floor jacks and a custom made dolly for the keel (made out of 2X4s and 2x6s and big 250 lb casters and with vertical supports to hold the keel vertical). Tooks 4-6 hours to get it off the boat. I had a lot of 2x4s and 4x4 to block it as I went along. I bought a hydralic motor hoist for $100 (which I later sold) so I could move it around after getting it off.

I just sanded it down best I could with a power hand sander. I also used a wire bruch attached to a drill and chipped off all the loose stuff. That goes fairly quickly. I used Interprotect 2000 to seal. What takes a lot of time is the fairing process. I used West Systems. The problem is that you put in filler, and sand it and then check the curve to the template and then repeat and repeat and repeat. For me every step seemed to take a day. Once a day I would put on a coat, or add some filler or whatever and then come back the next day. I also did one side then flipped the keel and did the other side. So if you have 14 iterations on one side, it can take you a month to do the whole thing if you don't skip any days. Of course it will go faster if you work on it twice a day or if you are less concerned about matching the template shape exactly.

I finished off with Interprotect 2000 and VC Performance Epoxy which has no antifouling, but the anti fouling paints would probably have been easier to use. Intallation was the reverse process also took 4-6 hours.

Hope this helps.
Uwe Behrendt
Rutland Vermont

Boat Name: Joyful

Model/Year: 1977 C22

Hull No. 7200

Hailing Port: Plunder Bay Orwell VT
10/14/2005 4:23 AM Pacific Time

The following is a sample serial number breakdown

C TY H 7200M 77 E
Catalina Yachts_ | | | | |
| | | |
Model | | | |
(Factory location) ___| | | |
Hull number_____________| | |
Year________________________| |
Month of manufacture (Dec) ______|



Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
10/15/2005 2:42 AM Pacific Time


You can find a detailed explanation on how to locate, read and identify your hull/sail number (and a lot of other useful C-22 information) at:

http://www.chipford.com/other_links.htm

Scroll down to and click on:

"Catalina 22 hull and sail numbers explained"

Chip Ford --
Marblehead, Mass.
1974 Swing Keel "Chip Ahoy" #3282
Chip Ahoy website: www.chipford.com




Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
10/15/2005 2:59 AM Pacific Time

Dick King wrote:

"Order the keel finishing video from Catalina Direct. Item No. 1915. After you understand THOROUGHLY what needs to be done, find a competent and reputable marine yard to do it."

I'll add, when you find a reputable marine yard, make sure you get a firm price from them, in writing, to do the job. I had such a boatyard restore my keel a couple of winters ago and was very satisfied with the job. Then the bill arrived in the mail and, after I picked myself up off the floor, I realized that I could have bought a new fiberglass-over-lead keel and had it shipped here for less than the $2,000 I paid to have the old one refinished!

For all the details, go to:

Upgrade, Repair, Restoration and Refinishing Projects
http://www.chipford.com/projects.htm

Then scroll down to and click on:

"Keel Restoration Project"

Chip Ford --
Marblehead, Mass.
1974 Swing Keel "Chip Ahoy" #3282
Chip Ahoy website: www.chipford.com

 
 
Swing Keel Replacement
Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Swing Keel Replacement / Flaking finish on swing keel???