Various articles covering frequently asked questions, informative bits of information, and even a spot of humor.
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Purchase our kit Z3617. Drill and tap the cast iron, then install the stainless steel rod
Without removing the keel, you can’t. One Catalina 30 owner reported removing his keel in preparation for a trip to the South Pacific. Once visible he discovered that the bolts were eroded to only ~1/4” diameter where they passed through the hull. This was not visible before he dropped the keel.
Catalina bonded the keel onto the fiberglass keel stub in addition to the keel bolts. It is likely this bond that is still holding the keel onto the boat. Unfortunately, eventually the keel bolts can weaken until it is primarily the bond securing the keel to the hull. When that bond fails catastrophically the keel will part from the boat.
The answer is unknown. The Mexican made cast iron keels were not precision castings. In addition, cast iron can be crumbly and abrasive. Clearly they will add significant strength, but how much strength depends upon the quality of the threads you are able to achieve.
The tap is a special design specifically for cast iron. A regular tap will not do the job in cast iron. The extra long drill bit will reach into the bilge and deep into the keel. Note that, due to the nature of cast iron, the bit will likely need to br resharpened more than once.
Place them between the existing keel bolts.
The original keel bolts were bent into a J shape then cast into the molten metal. They are not removable.
Have a boat yard do it! Seriously, this is not an easy job. But if you want to try it yourself, several customers report success chocking a bench top size drill press into the boat.
No!. Boats that require this retrofit should be restricted to sailing in small inland lakes and protected inland waters. Sailors wanting to sail on San Francisco bay, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, or the open waters of the Chesapeake bay should consider a different boat.
We must have a discussion regarding all of these issue before shipping these parts. We don’t someone to install this kit, then decide to sail the boat to the Bahamas!
Purchase our kit Z3617. Drill and tap the cast iron, then install the stainless steel rod
Without removing the keel, you can’t. One Catalina 30 owner reported removing his keel in preparation for a trip to the South Pacific. Once visible he discovered that the bolts were eroded to only ~1/4” diameter where they passed through the hull. This was not visible before he dropped the keel.
Catalina bonded the keel onto the fiberglass keel stub in addition to the keel bolts. It is likely this bond that is still holding the keel onto the boat. Unfortunately, eventually the keel bolts can weaken until it is primarily the bond securing the keel to the hull. When that bond fails catastrophically the keel will part from the boat.
The answer is unknown. The Mexican made cast iron keels were not precision castings. In addition, cast iron can be crumbly and abrasive. Clearly they will add significant strength, but how much strength depends upon the quality of the threads you are able to achieve.
The tap is a special design specifically for cast iron. A regular tap will not do the job in cast iron. The extra long drill bit will reach into the bilge and deep into the keel. Note that, due to the nature of cast iron, the bit will likely need to br resharpened more than once.
Place them between the existing keel bolts.
The original keel bolts were bent into a J shape then cast into the molten metal. They are not removable.
Have a boat yard do it! Seriously, this is not an easy job. But if you want to try it yourself, several customers report success chocking a bench top size drill press into the boat.
No!. Boats that require this retrofit should be restricted to sailing in small inland lakes and protected inland waters. Sailors wanting to sail on San Francisco bay, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, or the open waters of the Chesapeake bay should consider a different boat.
We must have a discussion regarding all of these issue before shipping these parts. We don’t someone to install this kit, then decide to sail the boat to the Bahamas!
Catalina Direct is the largest supplier of Catalina Yacht parts in the country. We specialize in parts, custom up-grades, and accessories. Worldwide delivery available.
