Copland Fox Terrier 22

[neilflien]

I bought a Fox Terrier at the beginning of the year and have just launched after some cosmetic and non cosmetic work. I have a question about the keel housing and top of the keel that I hope you can assist with..

The keel housing has four holes in it, two of which have a small eye fitting - the upper part of the keel where the 'halyard' connection attaches (mine has a hydraulic lift) has a hole in each corner. My first outing experience had water gushing through the top of the keel (once lowered) filling almost 2/3rds of the keel box housing and occasionally sloshing to where the keel housing holes are. - Are any of these holes by design / could I fill them - should the top of the keel be sitting under half a foot of water when down???

This is the first lift keel I have been on and my first boat, advice welcome!

 

[colby]

Hi Budy

I have a fox terrier, no worries the box will flood, as for the holes make sure you put 4 rubber bungs in them,,, you have iron balast and this will expand if its not sealed properly,,,

where are you? i'm in essex.. you have aquired your self a great boat it will get you every where... anything else please ask,,

cheers colin

 

[aquaplane]

I have a Harrier and the keel sounds similar. It's a bit disconserting watching the keel get covered with water when you wind it down but that's what is supposed to happen. The waterline is about 6" below the top of the keel housing. When the boat heels some of the water runs out of the slot in the bottom of the boat, I hope.

Do you have two GRP pieces to hold the keel down with bolts all the way through the keel box?
A previous owner modified my boat so that water doesn't come out of the bolt holes when sailing fast. The GRP bits are held by expanding bolts and the holes have been glassed over, it's easier to see how it works than to explain it. No pics unfortunately.

 

[colby]

keel box

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as you can see the box drops into a keel box and there is two boltsat most the water should reach the bolt holes, i use rubber bungs when lifting the keel..

is this like the box in question? this is on my fox terrier 22,

[/IMG]

she is smarter now by the way lol...

colin

 

[aquaplane]

That shiny bit behind the webbing strap looks like the bolt to hold the keel in place, is that right?
Mine is all closed in with the winch permanently mounted. It closes off the front of the boat but for 2 it's great, the bog is more private too, not that you get much privacy on a 20' boat.


Her on her holidays.

 

[neilflien]

Answered!

This is excellent guys. I have the two boxes labelled A/F, which I have been curious about, now I know! - I have a bag of misc. bits so will look for the bolts. No water has of yet escaped the keel housing, but I'll invest in some bungs just in case.

The River Blackwater is leaving a lovely deposit every time we head out, so I'm going to try and find a intuitive way to stop this.

Thanks for the pics Colin, I'll upload some to share when I can. We are on a swing mooring at Blackwater Sailing Club (Heybridge).

 

[colby]

your harrier looks very nice.

She looks good, yes there are two bars that hold the keel down, there are a few variations apparently their was a kit build, fixed fin keel with an inbourd motor and the lifting keel, mine was made in 84 i bought her august last summer in a real mess but as well as sailing making her a work in progress.. great sail and goes like stink.

I am having my keel bolts done now, so she is out of the water..

[/IMG]

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for next summer the hull will be refinished and wood work once the balast has been changed..

colin

 

[neilflien]

Solace Pics

'Work in progress' ... and when is it ever not

 

[flookie]

I was looking around the web for harrier info and i found this thread.
can i ask if the keel comes completely inside the hull. ?
mine hangs down about 2 inches when fully up, this is due to the winding system, is thia normal ?any body got pics of their keel set up ?
thanks Brian

 

[Seajet]

I have a lift keel 22' Anderson.

I've found it wise to have the boat on high trestles over the winter, to allow maintenance of the keel plate. One snag with lift keelers ( any class ) is that they may be stored on things like trailers for the winter, with no access to the plate.

This is an important safety concern, for all lift keel designs and the state of the keel you're trusting your and family's life to should be checked.

I and a lot of others have simple wooden trestles, easy & cheap to make and they store flat at home in the summer; the sailing club or boatyard hoists the boats on & off the trestles.

 

[paul.b]

Help

Hi all
New to this forum and I have just acquired a Fox Terrier with a lift keel and need all the help I can get with sorting it out.
My ballast seems to have expanded a little is this a big job to change also keel bolts can anyone send pics of the keel bolts taken off
Thanks Paul

 

[Seajet]

Hi Paul,

hard to say without seeing the keel but an angle grinder may well sort out the problem, along with the boat being on high trestles for maintainance access as previously mentioned.

After the work has been done I can recommend Dulux Metalshield paint, it requires the special Metalshield primer first; both primer and topcoat are one-pot paints.