Jeanneau SO32 lifting keel - detailed question

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Plevier

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I looked at one of these for sale the other day and one thing worried me and I'd appreciate comments from anyone really familiar with it.
The boat was on the hard with the little keels resting on blocks. With the swing blade lifted clear of the ground, if you got hold of the back end of it, you could waggle it without effort quite a lot from side to side.
Is this normal or does it mean the pivot is suspect? I would hate it to be as waggly as this when down - are there some guides that firm it up when lowered?
The rest of the boat was nearly perfect and appeared to have had very little use.
Keel photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/wylde.m/SO32Keel?authkey=Gv1sRgCNrHucTHlaynKQ# unfortunately you can't really see up to the pivot.
Is it a big job to drop the blade out? Is it the rearward set of bolts holding it up?
Informed comments much appreciated.
I was surprised how thin and light the blade is - on my Bene 29 it's quite a hefty cast iron thing. The Bene seems to me the better system - anyone care to speak up for the Jeanneau?

PS If anyone has a drawing of how it's all put together that would be enormously helpful!
 
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I was berthed next to one for about and year. Chatting with the owner he did comment that he could hear the lift keel clunk occasionaly when down. Don't know if that helps. I always thought that it would be inevitable but freely admit to no experience of lift keelers.
 
I have a SO32 with the lifting plate. It is not a ballast keel, merely a galvanised steel plate, and when removed I can lift it myself. Mine moves a fair bit from side to side but I think its normal.

Ballast is the cast 'shoe' arrangement from which the plate is hinged, so plate is used only to prevent leeway.

Lightness of the plate means complex lifting devices not necessary, just a multi block pulley arrangement.

Plate is hinged on nylon bushes which are easily accessible when boat out of water. I will be checking mine this week, but I've had the boat for 3 years and no probs and no noises.

On your photo the leading pair of bolts secure a pulley, part of the lifting system. The rearward pair secure the nylon trunnions.

The plate slot is higher than the base of the ballast plate upon which the boat rests so there are no problems with mud or grit getting into the slot.

I'm afraid I can't find my copy of the drawing but there is a nice lady at Sea Ventures who may let you have one.

We have been generally delighted with the boat.
 
Hi Stoshak
Thank you very much. If you find yourself taking yours apart this week some photos would be nice if you could manage it please.
If you undo the rear bolted brackets the whole lot comes out does it? I guess you have to do that with the boat held high and the blade down to detension the lifting rope do you? The rope over the pulley underneath looks like bare Dyneema. Does it need replacing regularly?
I need to know what to insist the yard must do if I buy this 2003 boat!
Did you compare with a Bene 311 lift keel before you got the SO32? These really seem to be the only two boats available in this range. I'd be interested to know what influenced you. I haven't seen a 311 yet.
Where does yours live?
 
had a lifting keel SO32 for 2 seasons had no problems with keel or heard any side to side noises when sailing.
Super boat traded up to lifing keel SO35
 
Willow3

My boat is out of the water at Chi Marina. The ballast keels sit upon kind of short sleepers about 15in high, which is enough for plate access.

I removed the plate (by undoing the 4 bolts) when the boat was 3yrs old and replaced the strop with braided although it wasn't really necessary. Fairly easy to do. Top end of the pulley arrangement is accessed by a hatch beneath the saloon table. Hatch is above waterline. So no possibility of leaks.

Did a lot of research at the time and I think we preferred the layout. Also found a nice example.

But replaced the Yanmar with a Beta.

PM me if you wld like a natter
 
Hello, I'm resurrecting this thread as I've just purchased a 2005 SO32 with lifting keel. The boat is in excellent condition but the surveyor did recommend that I changed the lower Dyneema strop and the bushes. My question is how do you access the bushes? From a diagram I have found and by taking photos inside the keel box they look to be bolted on. Do the bolts go through the keel box below with the bolt heads accessed below the saloon flooring? They look like large door stops to me :) Also, at the pivot point is it just friction rings that sit between the L shaped brackets and the keel? https://goo.gl/photos/feCTRpvtuFqQYypL8
 
Given the lack of decent modern bilge keel boats on the market I might be forced into one of these lift keel benjens next. Two questions: How tender are they and how easily do they round up?
 
Drumm - if you PM me an email address I can send you a Jeanneau drawing of the keel arrangement.
I got it from forumite Stoshak. You may get comments from him but I've lost touch and no longer have the SO32, don't know if he does either.
 
Plevier said:
Drumm - if you PM me an email address I can send you a Jeanneau drawing of the keel arrangement.
I got it from forumite Stoshak. You may get comments from him but I've lost touch and no longer have the SO32, don't know if he does either.
Click to expand...

Thanks Plevier, I have PM'd you.
 
Drumm said:
Hello, I'm resurrecting this thread as I've just purchased a 2005 SO32 with lifting keel. The boat is in excellent condition but the surveyor did recommend that I changed the lower Dyneema strop and the bushes. My question is how do you access the bushes? From a diagram I have found and by taking photos inside the keel box they look to be bolted on. Do the bolts go through the keel box below with the bolt heads accessed below the saloon flooring? They look like large door stops to me :) Also, at the pivot point is it just friction rings that sit between the L shaped brackets and the keel? https://goo.gl/photos/feCTRpvtuFqQYypL8
Click to expand...

Please see my earlier post which explains the design, and note that the plate is not a ballast keel, it is a centreboard with little contribution to vessel stability but useful for leeway prevention.

The bolts shown in your photo - there are four of them- secure the L shaped brackets which locate the trunnion and bushes which support the plate. Two bolts further fwd support a pulley, part of the lifting mechanism.

I tend to remove my plate every three years, but have re bushed only once.

Please pm if you would like to chat. We are still very fond of the boat
 
Plevier,

your concerns are spot on.

With smaller lift keelers like my 22' one can simply raise the keel - with the ballast in the best place, on the end of it - BUT all lift keelers require maintenance to the keel plate.

As boats get over 25 -26' the engineering problems of a manual lift keel become a major consideration, so the easy way out is a ballast stub keel with a relatively light blade going through it just for grip going to windward.

On lifting keel boats, check the winch - including lowering brake and any evidence in the keelcase of going aground at high speed - thoroughly.

On pivoted centrboard boats, check for the above mentioned damage, also for oval wear on the keel pivot bolt and ' ovalling of the plate - the boat jiggling about on the mooring when one is absent can cause substantial wear.


I keep my boat on high trestles evey winter so as to maintain the keel plate - any lift keel boat no matter what size which the owner doesn't do something similar on requires a raised eyebrow and a good look if not full survey by someone who has the engineering knowledge re lift keelers.
 
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Drumm - Tried to pm you but your box is full!

The cylinders each side of the plate in the view inside the case are snubbers, to prevent sideways movement. I have not replaced them.
 
Stoshak - sorry, I have now emptied my box! Thanks for the information regarding the cylinders, it's good to know that you haven't needed to replace them. I am going to drop the keel next week and replace the Dyneema rope and"friction rings" (as Jeanneau refers to them) either side of the keel pivot. I'm sure all will be revealed on dismantling!
 
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