Swing Keel Replacement

Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Swing Keel Replacement / Missing Lock Down bolt workaround..?
 
 
Author Missing Lock Down bolt workaround..?
Blaine King
Collierville, Tennessee

Boat Name: Moon Glow

Model/Year: C-22 SWING KEEL / 1973

Hull No. 2157

Hailing Port: Paris & Pickwick Landing
02/18/2006 9:57 AM Pacific Time

The Moon Glow is without lock down bolt and plate. Does anyone condone the following attempt: Attach a cable/rope to the swing keel (boom bail, etc..) and run it to the bow. The dend-end of this "keel securing cable" could be configured to be manually adjusted -and- tensioned to release on impact. We may sing more tunes with two keel cables, but in an emergency this would keep the keel from dangeously swinging into it's own cavity uncontrolled.

I am sure there may be overall speed issues. If the keel is being adjusted in a race situation, then one could slacken the keel securing cable, as well as other keel postioning techniques. Ditto for shallow water passage & docking.

Moon Glow does NOT leak -except- the keel lockdown bolt area (seeping). Complete upgrades and yard work for more than four years.. I would like to just seal the hole - not embark on a keel cavity bolt & strap project. I am not impressed by this design!

I know this ones out there, but maybe It also could improve the boats ability to point..? It's another iced in day in Memphis......

Coments Appreciated!

Blaine King
Glenn Warner
Jacksonville Florida

Boat Name: Goblin/JuJu

Model/Year: 1981/1972

Hull No. 10369/1222

Hailing Port: Jacksonville Florida
02/19/2006 3:07 AM Pacific Time

There are varying positions on the keel lock down bolt. I have never used mine. Glass over the hole and forget it. The only situation that I can imagine that may make a keel slam into it's solt might be if the boat turned turtle. At that point it is unlikely, no impossible that a little bolt hand tightened against the keel would hold it in position. Bend to the point you could never get it out, maybe. By the way, the one design rules prohibit adjusting the keel while racing. I have heard of swing keels failing in a variety of ways but never because of the use or non use of the lock down bolt. The only thing the lock down bolt does is leak.

Glenn Warner
Dick King
Melbourne, FL

Boat Name: Twilight Zone

Model/Year: Sport/2005

Hull No. 15546

Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL
02/19/2006 4:26 AM Pacific Time

Hi Blaine, Like Glenn, I am also a Non Locker. You can and are likely to do more damage to the boat hitting bottom with a locked keel, than you ever will with keel swinging "up" in a capsize. (If the boat has rolled beyond 90 degrees, you have some other major problems.)

Get the shortest stainless hexhead bolt you can find and coat the threads with 3M 4200. Remove the "Lock Down" bolt and replace it with the semi-permanent installation of the hexhead bolt. If you ever decide to sell the boat and the new owner believes it must have the lock down bolt, tell him it was lost. Catalina Direct sells them for $7.00 (D1083).
Blaine King
Collierville, Tennessee

Boat Name: Moon Glow

Model/Year: C-22 SWING KEEL / 1973

Hull No. 2157

Hailing Port: Paris & Pickwick Landing
02/19/2006 6:53 AM Pacific Time


Thanx for the words of advice! During the past four years of upgrades, I installed a pair of keel shims (factory). This eliminated the wobble and left the keel in a snug fit. I will seal the hole as the metal strap surrounding the keel cavity is gone.

Once again, thanks!!
Jim Chester
Vernon, CT

Boat Name: Ripper

Model/Year: 1979 Catalina 22

Hull No.

Hailing Port: New London
08/23/2006 4:58 PM Pacific Time

I had not ever used to lockdown when I was sailing in New London CT. What could happen is that there could be premature wear on the depending on how tight the current fit is. I know this because I just replaced the brass pin because approximatly 33% of the cross-section was gone. I also had to weld in a 2"od and 1" id crs tube into the cast iron keel to fix all the material loss in it.

After all this I decided to lockdown my keel.
Dick King
Melbourne, FL

Boat Name: Twilight Zone

Model/Year: Sport/2005

Hull No. 15546

Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL
08/24/2006 2:13 AM Pacific Time

Jim - The wear you experienced on the pivot pin, is probably not wear at all. The loss of material is due more likely to galvanic corrosion. The keel is cast iron and the pin is silicon bronze (a short piece of 1" propeller shaft.)

Unless you sail in deep waters where shoals won't reach up and grab your keel from time to time, forget about using the "lockdown" (it doesn't) bolt. A grounding with the "lockdown" bolt tightened will do more damage, than you will care to fix.
Rick
New Bern, NC

Boat Name: Wendy Sails

Model/Year: Cat 22. 1985

Hull No. 12798

Hailing Port: Blackbeard Sailing Club
05/07/2010 7:07 PM Pacific Time

ah you guys are great , this hole time iv been trying to figure out how to break the seized thing loose to replace it .good to know others dont use it . i thought of getting it to work because ....... well i was in some good size chop in humboldt bay were i sail and as i went up and then down a good one there was a huge crashing bellow sound that came out of the cabin flexing the hole boat to the feel neway i believe this happened because as i went up the wave the unlocked keel went on its way up into the housing and the sudden going over and down the wave made the keel go back to the down position. the short few seconds it takes for that to happen made the slamming noise and put the thought in my head of seeing a huge hole in the center of the boat next time it happened ,dint happen. neway could it?. the hulls on these boats seem pretty rigid and strong, just wondering ,and has any one else ever got the keel SLAM?.

SUNY
Rick
New Bern, NC

Boat Name: Wendy Sails

Model/Year: Cat 22. 1985

Hull No. 12798

Hailing Port: Blackbeard Sailing Club
05/07/2010 7:07 PM Pacific Time

ah you guys are great , this hole time iv been trying to figure out how to break the seized thing loose to replace it .good to know others dont use it . i thought of getting it to work because ....... well i was in some good size chop in humboldt bay were i sail and as i went up and then down a good one there was a huge crashing bellow sound that came out of the cabin flexing the hole boat to the feel neway i believe this happened because as i went up the wave the unlocked keel went on its way up into the housing and the sudden going over and down the wave made the keel go back to the down position. the short few seconds it takes for that to happen made the slamming noise and put the thought in my head of seeing a huge hole in the center of the boat next time it happened ,dint happen. neway could it?. the hulls on these boats seem pretty rigid and strong, just wondering ,and has any one else ever got the keel SLAM?.

SUNY
 
 
Swing Keel Replacement
Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Swing Keel Replacement / Missing Lock Down bolt workaround..?