keel bolt removal

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ray275

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very new to this game have aquired a 1938 35' pitch pine on oak ketch? have stripped one side - refixed planking (carvel) with bronze screws (what a price!) recaulked with cotton ( a little squirt of linseed oil) and finished with Marineflex (similiar to Sikaflex) Some wise old salt advised to remove a Keel bolt to inspect - managed to remove nut and the screw thread is in good condition but how do I force the bolt down to remove it ? All advice appreciated. The lovely little boat has stood in a boat yard for about 4 years but is under an oak tree which has given a little shelter from rain water -I intend to refurbish the deck and cabin and overhaul the BMC 1.5 deisel lump. I am in my sixties but hope I can some day get the old lady back inthe briny. :
 
hello there,
i recently removed 16 wrought iron keelbolts from my old kestrel, they had been in for over 40 years and were really difficult to remove, in the end, after advice from a professional, some came out in one piece with the aid of a huge 9lb lump hammer (a shortened sawn off sledge hammer in fact, they were struck from above with good support beneath the keel to stop it springing!) others we had to cut into pieces and knock these pieces out when the keel was removed later. perseverance and brute force seemed to be the key to success. hope this helps, don't despair if they dont initially shift, keep at it. cheers
 
Having just done this during the winter, I wish you good fortune. We found it of assistance to clean out the head (in the underside of the keel) as much as possible. My bolts were in fact studs with nuts on either end and it was helpful to have a long socket bar on the bottom nut and get it turning. Also it paid not to burr over the end of the inside end we were driving so that the burred end itself did not bind in the hole. Once you have movement inside, check to see that you have movement underneath. Not as daft as it sounds. If the bolt has parted company inside, you could be driving it down and jamming it over the bottom part which is not moving. If you have movement at the top but not the bottom don't keep going of the whole lot will jam solid. With the one that had gone, I was lucky that turning it from underneath drew it down and out! Done this on two boats now and it was as bad as I feared although it needed care, patience and a heavy lump hammer!

Bon chance.
 
agree with tillergirl. mine had a bolt on each end but the bolt head underneath was corroded and a socket would not fit. so managed to get a socket on the top. 38mm as it happened. undid and gave it a smack with a lump. had my lad underneath to see if it moved. had little room underneath so had to grind off 6 inches at a time. which was a pity because the bolts were perfect. i found putting new ones back in much more stressful. not sure how tight to get them but got a bar underneath and a bar on top and got them as tight as i could. it wasnt a fun job but not as terrible as i thought it might be.
 
Hi, good luck with getting her back in the water.

If you just want to inspect the bolts, it might be worth getting an x-ray inspection done rather than pulling them for the sake of a look-see. It is all extra money, but the cost should be well worth it if the bolts are sound and dont need pulling. YBDSA should be able to put you in touch with a local surveyor with this kit.

Perhaps not as good as having the actual bolt in your hand, but you will know the general condition of all of them rather than a sample, without the heartache and broken fingers.

Just a thought.
 
to all of the wonderful advice that has been given I thank you Have been fixing planks with bronze screws 125 acheived today (Sunday ) also had time to glue plugs home made- with wonderful "Wudcare" glue its a poly glue that is everything proof even seawater! Found it a wood working store.
 
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