keel bolts

[meldrum]

I am currently doing a major refit on my YM MG waterwitch, she was built by hartwells in plymouth in 1964 and appeared at that years boatshow, as far as I know the keel bolts have never been replaced and as the nuts are now more mushroom than nut I thought it would be a good idea to replace them, there is also some rust streaking emanating from the keel deadwood joint. I am confident of doing the job and my next task is to remove one of the bolts to check it. What I would like to know is, (bearing in mind the fact that she has a long iron shallow draft keel approx 10 ft long, the hull despite being plywood is in sound condition ,a tribute to her builders who sheathed the hull with cascover sheathing, obviously not a friday job), Is if the hull is suspended by the strops of the boat lift aft and forard of the keel, would the deadwood be strong enogh to support her weight whilst the keel is removed. PS I intend to remove the keel bolts before lifting and replace five of them with 12mm threaded bar equipped with ball races and lower the keel using these once the she is suspended in the strops of the boat lift. or would it be best to remove the bolts from the keel before hand and just lift the boat away from the keel. (as it is only a shallow square section keel removing the bolts would have no significance regarding her stability whilst propped.
Thanks chaps for you assistance regarding my post about mcb,s (the reason i asked was i have access to a large quantity of these for nothing and anything to save money.

 

[tillergirl]

Are you intending to drop the keel because you need to resolve problems with the keel/keelson/deadwood joint or because you have studs as opposed to bolts holding on the keel?

I have done my keels bolts twice now: once to check, once to replace and I have watched a keel being removed on another boat. The latter experience prompts me to suggest you should leave the keel alone unless you have to do something with that joint.

If you have keel bolts, remove remains of nut and with boat properly and substantially chocked and with space underneath, drive out the old bolt for inspection. Two person job, one to watch for movement underneath, one stonking on hammer on top. Movement on top and none down below indicates a collapsing bolt and a rethink. I am lucky to have nuts countersunk into the underside of the keel and winding this nut on further helped to move the bolt in the early stages.

I am convinced from my experiences with two wooden boats that the rust streaks are indicative of at least the start of bolt wastage. If I am right you will be replacing the bolts as the cost of these is not that significant. If you have studs but if the top end that is clear is insufficient or too gruddy to get two new nuts on to wind out the studs, you are probably facing dropping the keel. But I suspect you'll have bolts rather than studs.

As to the deadwood strong enough to support the boat during removal of the keel; well yes probably when new!

I think it needs to be said this is not quick and you are not going to be popular hogging the boat lift nor will it be cheap.

 

[MasterofHera]

Very time consuming and expensive to remove in strops. Move boat (if poss) off concrete onto anything a bit softer.prop as required. Remove one nut. Go to local engineering shop....smile at storeman.. ..ask for a bolt and nut with same thread.....put £1 in the "biscuit tin" ....return to boat. put old nut back on half way down the thread....screw new nut up the new bolt all the way.....screw new bolt into the half of the old nut untill it bottoms out......screw down new nut until it locks against the old nut. Now you have a good solid base to beat "ten bells" out of the keel bolt without harming the thread. Do one at a time. As bolt appears out from the keel dig appropriate hole in ground. If little to no errosion replace using appropriate sealant. Move onto next bolt. If after 3 bolts (all found good) leave well alone. Worked fine for my Folkboat. I do hope that you do not have nuts under the keel this is a recipe for disaster. One day I will write a book entitled "Is you life hanging by a thread". The experts on the site will tell you about theaded bar under water....especially if you are using "stainless". A swaged end must be used under the keel. Good luck.