Return2IM
New Member
Hello YBW Members, I am hoping someone can offer some advice. I am a beginner sailor and have purchased a 1971 C&C 25 Redline. The drop down keel seems seized in the up position. The boat does sail fine with the drop down keel in the up position. It is cradled between the permanent keel. Inside the boat cabin, where the bilge pump sits, there is a horizontal bolt, I assume holds the drop down keel. I am trying to get a good understanding about the bracket system which holds the drop keel. I would like to lift the boat and remove the keel. Based on a visual crack on the drop keel, I believe it swells in the water and does not allow it to drop. Also, I am sure there is corrosion upside the keel pocket inhibiting the rotation. The plan is to remove the keel and fix the original or recreate a new keel using the old as the template. I am hoping someone with experience can provide a better understanding how to get the drop keel out. Thank you in advance. Note, if you enlarge the image, the drop keel is positions horizontally between the hull keel. The drop keel is released from inside the cockpit by releasing a pulley. A metal cable is coiled on the metal pulley and runs from the pulley to the bottom for the drop keel via a metal tube pass through.
