Inspection of swing keel

[Fredcrawley463]

I have recently purchased a Pearson 20ft Sailing yacht with a swing keel. On a recent trip I discovered that the swing keel wasn't dropping. I am planning to take the boat out of the water onto cradles in the winter however wondered if anyone could suggest a method of checking / repairing the keel prior to haul out?
Many Thanks

 

[Kelpie]

Hi, welcome to the forum.
Do you know if the lifting keel is weighted, or is it lightweight/floating? If the latter, there will need to be a means of hauling it down. If the former, it should move under its own weight and so yours may be jammed by mud, small stones, or fouling. Not very easy to sort with the boat in the water (unless you are friends with a scuba diver!)
Easiest way to get a look is if you are craning the boat out, have her held in the slings while you investigate the keel. You can sometimes get a good deal on a 'lift and hold' if you are the last boat of the day at the yard, where you can stay in the slings overnight. An old thin sawblade makes a good tool for freeing up a stuck keel, by the way.
It might be possible to arrange the cradle so that the keel can be dropped whilst she is ashore- Seajet of this parish knows a thing or two about this.

 

[pvb]

I believe the boat should have a 450lb centreboard, dropping from a slot in the keel. Don't think you can do much until the boat is out of the water.

 

[Fredcrawley463]

Many Thanks

 

[neil_s]

I leave my lift-keel down by a few turns of the handle. Every now and then, mud and little stones get into the keel box, jam the keel and stop it from dropping, even though it weighs 1000 lbs. If you leave the keel slightly 'down' you can wind it 'up' a little and maybe after a few tries, the obstruction drops clear and normal operation resumes. You might be lucky and find the previous owner of your boat had the same idea!
Another possible plan would be to poke a rod down the lift wire hole until it rests on top of the keel and try pushing it down. steady pressure needed, rather than hammering. Make sure you only have a little slack in the lifting tackle, so that the keel doesn't drop suddenly.

 

[Fredcrawley463]

I leave my lift-keel down by a few turns of the handle. Every now and then, mud and little stones get into the keel box, jam the keel and stop it from dropping, even though it weighs 1000 lbs. If you leave the keel slightly 'down' you can wind it 'up' a little and maybe after a few tries, the obstruction drops clear and normal operation resumes. You might be lucky and find the previous owner of your boat had the same idea!
Another possible plan would be to poke a rod down the lift wire hole until it rests on top of the keel and try pushing it down. steady pressure needed, rather than hammering. Make sure you only have a little slack in the lifting tackle, so that the keel doesn't drop suddenly.

 

[Fredcrawley463]

I have tried the metal pole option but without success. I was thinking of beaching on sand and then digging out the sand below the keel to create a makeshift inspection pit. YOUR THOUGHTS

 

[pvb]

I was thinking of beaching on sand and then digging out the sand below the keel to create a makeshift inspection pit. YOUR THOUGHTS

Sounds like hard work, and potentially dangerous.

 

[Seajet]

A temporary way around this may be letting the keel drop a few inches as a jolt - but only a few inches !

This is my boats' 40th season; I have tried every coating going - was trained in engineering and temped at a chandlery - and the only treatment which ever stayed on is Dulux Metalshield.

Don't be put off by ' Dulux ' this is serious stuff !

It requires stripping the keel to bare metal then the one-part undercoat and one part topcoat.

I don't know your boat but with the Anderson the keel is a tight fit so one coat of each on the galvanised keel then one coat of antifoul up to halfway is fine - any more and it will jam.

I keep my Anderson 22 lift keeler on high trestles every winter so as to maintain the keel plate.

If you dig a pit for the keel it will instantly fill with water so need a bilge pump of its own.

With a swinging centreboard style plate it is essential you check the pivot - both the pin for wear, and the plate for elongation wear in the pivot hole and where the lifting wire goes.

I'm happy to send plans for the high trestles ( the boat is safe to walk and work on, designed by my ex- Spitfire to Harrier II GR5 father ) for free, several other boats than Andersons use them.

If you'd like the trestle plans and detail photo's please PM me your e-mail address.

Andy