Joe DiMarino
Mersville, MD
Boat Name:
Model/Year: 22/1973
Hull No. 2987
Hailing Port: Mattowoman Creek, MD |
 06/18/2006 8:01 AM Pacific Time
I have found that the keel lock down bolt on my old (but new to me) C-22 is gone. The hole is sealed but I want to confirm that the lock down hole is above the waterline as my boat is in a wet slip. Thanks |
Dick King
Melbourne, FL
Boat Name: Twilight Zone
Model/Year: Sport/2005
Hull No. 15546
Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL |
06/18/2006 11:54 PM Pacific Time
Yes, the keel lock down bolt hole is above the waterline. However, inspect the area carefully, to insure the keel trunk has not been damaged by the previous owner(s).
I am in the "don't lock the keel down" group. Count your blessing that you don't have to deal with a bent or leaking bolt. |
connie
marion, ma
Boat Name: polliwog
Model/Year: 1973 swing keel
Hull No. 2599
Hailing Port: marion, ma |
06/19/2006 8:35 AM Pacific Time
I have a '73 Catalina 22 which is very new to me. Where is this lock down bolt you are discussing? Also, when I am putting the keel down, if I don't really hold onto the handle it spins out of control. Does anyone know if this is how the swing keel should operate? |
Robert Donehoo
Duluth Ga
Boat Name: Shady Deal
Model/Year: Catalina 22 1979
Hull No. 8940
Hailing Port: Lake Lanier Ga |
06/19/2006 8:57 AM Pacific Time
CONNIE LOOK UNDER THE PORT SIDE FORWARD SEAT, THERE MAY BE A T-HANDLE BOLT ON THE KEEL TRUNK. I HAVE CUT MINE OFF AND FIBERGLASSED OVER IT TO STOP THE LEAKING.
MOST IMPORTANT -----THE OUT OF CONTROL KEEL WINCH HANDLE IN NOT GOOD AND MOST DANGEROUS. IT MAY ALLOW THE KEEL TO FALL AND BREAK THE KEEL TRUNK OR HARM YOU.
REPLACE THE WINCH AND CABLE ASAP. |
connie
marion, ma
Boat Name: polliwog
Model/Year: 1973 swing keel
Hull No. 2599
Hailing Port: marion, ma |
06/19/2006 1:19 PM Pacific Time
Robert-
Thank you so much for the advice. Regarding the cable, I was told it was just replaced. The winch seems to work OK. Is there something that I am not doing right with the lever next to the winch that locks and unlocks the mechanism?
Connie |
Boat Name:
Model/Year:
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
06/19/2006 2:15 PM Pacific Time
Connie, it sounds like someone replaced the winch with a standard trailer winch. This is very dangerous to you and the boat (like Robert said). Replace it with the correct winch from Catalina Direct. Some people try to cheap out and purchase what they think is a good buy. The correct winch has a clutch mechanism that will keep the winch from turning when the handle is not being turned. The keel weighs 500lbs and should never be allowed to drop on its own.
Regards,
Butchie |
Peter
South Daytona, Florida
Boat Name: (Working On A Name)
Model/Year: C-22, 1974
Hull No. 2679
Hailing Port: South Daytona, Florida |
06/19/2006 2:19 PM Pacific Time
Connie,
There should be no mechanism or lever to lock the winch to keep it from turning, such as a trailer winch. The keel winch has a clutch. When you stop turning the handle the winch stops. This is true whether you are going up or down. Sounds like someone has replaced the winch with an ordinary trailer winch. Extremely dangerous and needs to be replaced. Go to the Catalina Direct online store. They sell it for about $89.
Peter |
Richard Taylor
Atlanta Ga
Boat Name:
Model/Year: Catalina 22 1980
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
05/27/2010 12:05 PM Pacific Time
I discovered the same thing on my (new to me) C22...
When I'm under motor power, the keel seems to shift back and forth making a subtle thunking sound every so often... Is this normal? |
Kevin
Honolulu, HI
Boat Name:
Model/Year: 1971 Catalina 22
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
05/27/2010 12:05 PM Pacific Time
I discovered the same thing on my (new to me) C22...
When I'm under motor power, the keel seems to shift back and forth making a subtle thunking sound every so often... Is this normal? |
Craig Burlette
St Louis MO
Boat Name: Toujours ete'
Model/Year: C22 / 1974
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Lake Saint Louis MO |
05/28/2010 4:00 AM Pacific Time
The subtle "thunk" is the keel shifting side to side, not back and forth. That is partly what the keel lock down bolt is for, to lock the keel in position and stop the noise. Most peoples issues with the keel lock down bolt are either:
Its easy to bend the bolt if you retract the keel with the bolt engaged. Fear that in a capsize situation the keel will slam back down and split the keel trunk open. Or dealing with the persistent dribble of a leek through the bolt threads.
I sail with the keel locked down and I store the winch handle in the compartment where the lock down bolt is, that way I remember to unlock it when I need to retract the keel. I do not worry about the capsize issue because the lock down bolt will prevent it from slamming down, and would keep the keel extended which would right the boat in any event. And I just ignore the little dribble and occasionally sponge out the compartment.
Craig
C22 Toujours ete |
Mike Bracket
Clinton Twp, MI
Boat Name: Gunsmoke
Model/Year: 1979
Hull No. 9150
Hailing Port: Lake St Clair MI |
05/28/2010 7:49 PM Pacific Time
if you are members of the C22 national sailing association, you will notice the cover picture this month on the Mainbrace magazine. It shows a C22 lying on her side with the mast in the water. the crew is holding on and scrambling to get to the high side.
this boat righted herself and only had a few gallons of water inside. I dont know if the keel was locked or not but it indicates just how far over the boat will go and still pop right back up. and at this angle, there is absolutely no way the keel will slam back into the trunk and break the hull or worse. If the boat gets beyond mast in the water - like mast and sails UNDER water, you have bigger problems than the keel swinging back into the trunk. the lock down bolt is a false sense of security. I dont have the lock down bolt in the trunk and havent had any close calls etc in almost 20 years of learning and racing.
dont worry - so sailing!! |
Lynn Buchanan
Nevada City, CA
Boat Name: SAILYNN
Model/Year: SWING 1984
Hull No. 11994
Hailing Port: SCOTTS FLAT LAKE, CA |
05/29/2010 1:50 PM Pacific Time
Mike you are so right. That tiny piece of bolt is not going to hold a falling upside down 550 lb keel in the upright position once the boat goes well past 90 degrees. It is a false sense of security. To use the pin as a wedge to get rid of the sideways keel clunk will cause the keel to be positioned off centerline and will result in an unbalanced helm. If you want to get rid of the sideways "clunking" buy the spacers Catalina Direct sells or make your own spacers to get rid of the noise and achieve better helm.. |
Lynn Buchanan
Nevada City, CA
Boat Name: SAILYNN
Model/Year: SWING 1984
Hull No. 11994
Hailing Port: SCOTTS FLAT LAKE, CA |
05/29/2010 1:51 PM Pacific Time
Mike you are so right. That tiny piece of bolt is not going to hold a falling upside down 550 lb keel in the upright position once the boat goes well past 90 degrees. It is a false sense of security. To use the pin as a wedge to get rid of the sideways keel clunk will cause the keel to be positioned off centerline and will result in an unbalanced helm. If you want to get rid of the sideways "clunking" buy the spacers Catalina Direct sells or make your own spacers to get rid of the noise and achieve better helm.. |
Andrew Bredow
Holland, MI
Boat Name: Athena
Model/Year: Catalina 22, 1977
Hull No. 7441
Hailing Port: Holland, MI |
08/04/2010 1:36 PM Pacific Time
I have tried to remove the keel lockdown bolt but it refuses to unscrew the last four threads. Do I have to cut that part off before I can remove it? |
Bernie Senn
Merritt Island, Florida
Boat Name: FirstLuff
Model/Year: Catalina 22/1986
Hull No. 13498
Hailing Port: Merritt Island |
08/04/2010 1:36 PM Pacific Time
I have tried to remove the keel lockdown bolt but it refuses to unscrew the last four threads. Do I have to cut that part off before I can remove it? |
Lynn Buchanan
Nevada City, CA
Boat Name: SAILYNN
Model/Year: SWING 1984
Hull No. 11994
Hailing Port: SCOTTS FLAT LAKE, CA |
08/04/2010 11:40 PM Pacific Time
The bolt is designed not to come out. Most people just back the bolt out as long as it will go. Then cut off the protuding piece where it leaks as close to the fiberglass as you can. Most people I know just fiberglass over the inside port storage area where the hole with the small piece remains in the fiberglass. I suppose if you really wanted to you could drill out the last piece of bolt and then fiberglass over the resulting hole. We've owned four C22's and 3 of them were fixed this way. One of the four was a wing keel and this was not an issue. |
Howard Friedman
Pisgah Forest, NC
Boat Name: Forspacious Seas
Model/Year: Wing - 1989
Hull No. 14907
Hailing Port: Lake Keowee-Seneca, SC |
08/06/2010 9:02 AM Pacific Time
I believe the necessity for the lock down bolt has more to do with where you sail. For instance, when I sailed my '76 on Biscayne Bay off Miami, there was usually a lot of chop that would at times send the keel from side to side with loud thumps when it bounced off each side of the trunk housing. Locking the bolt greatly reduced the problem. When motoring up the channel, the smacking of the keel would be even greater without the lock down bolt. Another serious problem was shallow spots that could kick the keel up and then have it slam down. The bolt prevented it from slamming by slowing it down. Biscayne Bay is full of these types of obstacles and you are bound to find one sooner or later. I now sail on a lake with none of these problems and so the lock down bolt would be unnecessary-but then again, I have a wing keel this time. |
Boat Name:
Model/Year:
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
08/07/2010 1:06 PM Pacific Time
Beware the keel bolt can seep water on a tack. My old boat bolt was frozen. Iron bolt in stainless fitting does'nt work for long unless well maintained.
I slotted a 1/2 drive socket. With it I used an air wrench to gently hammer each direction until it freed itself from corrosion. After the bolt was removed I chased the female thread. I also had a stainless bolt made. I also use waterproof grease and teflon tape. No leaks now.
I was much more active on this list a few years ago.
I fell off my boat and hit driveway head first. Damages included scalp surgery, ear reattachment, 2 broken neck bones. 8 broken ribs on the right side and a broken left arm.
I made a small step backward onto a round power cord while power washing a soapy deck.
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