Encapsulated Keels

[KipH]

I'm interested in buying a boat that has an encapsulated iron keel. If the boat has been grounded hard, there will probably be some water ingress and therefore rust. If the damage to the grp bit of the keel is repaired, could any trapped rust then expand and then split the encapsulation, or am I worrying unnecessarily?

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[Avocet]

Yes, I think that's perfectly possible! Are you sure the ballast is iron? I have an encapsulated keel boat but the ballast is lead and is glassed-in from above. I tried drilling a small hole in the top of it (below the waterline) but inside the boat, to see if any water came out and it didn't.

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[KipH]

Yes, I'm thinking along the lines of a Contessa 26, which I've read had an iron keel. As such a boat would also be quite old I'm concerned that I could buy a boat that was outwardly O.K. but have a form of creeping death within. Other similar boats of the period also had encapsulated iron keels I believe.

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[steve28]

Your quite right, although the keel is a big lump of pig iron. I doubt the water would have much affect on it as it would normally be totaly encapuslated in resin, so unless its worn through to bare metal i think you will be ok.

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[Ohdrat]

I bought a CO26 last year.. having looked at many of that type all with encapsulated iron keels.. none of the boats I looked at had a problem with water ingress.. Generally I think I prefer the encapsulated keel as many boats of the same age with bolt on keels have keel bolt problems .. and there is the chance with a bolt on that you could loose the keel completely .. this even if there was water ingress into an encapsulated keel would be very unlikely..

Good luck hunting.. nb there are a few on the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.contessa26.net>CO26 owners association website</A>

Peter de Jeresey is v helpful if you want some advice and so is Jeremey Roger's company..

But don't dismiss the Van De Stadt Invcita, the Halcyon 27, Bowman 26 or I think the Cutlass 27.. all worth looking at too.

PS All the boats I looked at were out of the water so evidence of damage to hull/keel was visible.. would reccomend that your first look at a specific boat should be out of the water.. if you like it .. get a survey .. then if you can a test sail..

 

[AndrewB]

It's worth mentioning that pig-iron does not suffer from rust in the extreme way that one associates with mild steel.

One iron keeled yacht I owned was neither encapsulated or even painted, and while it remained in the water the rust problem was almost non-existent, though it did develop light surface rust in the air.

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[KipH]

Thanks for setting my mind a rest, I had thought iron would turn orange-red as soon as water was even mentioned. Maybe that's a common misconception? Also thanks to "Ohdrat" for the list of alternatives. It'd be a mistake to set my heart on one design and miss an excellent boat for want of looking. The CO 26 is certainly the prettiest to my eye, but being 6 ft 2 may make me look at alternatives.
Just hope buying a first boat is like buying my first home, I'll see "the one", look at six or seven more just to make sure, then go back to it.

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[Ohdrat]

Re:6ft2

I'm 5'11" part of the reason I am happy with the CO26 are the full lenght (well over 6 foot berths.. standing hight not so much an issue as I feel that there isn't much one absolutely has to do standing up.... good luck hunting..

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[yoda]

My Pioneer 9 has an encapsulated iron keel and has grounded a fair few times over the year. The only problem I have had was where the sheathing was damaged half way up the side of the keel (lord knows how) and water started to cause the sheathing to delaminate from the keel. This was simply resolved by finding the extremities (it sounds hollow when tapped), cutting back and relaminating with some epoxy. The bottom of my keel is now 38 years old and still going strong so I think your fears can be put to bed.

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