Keel Bolts?

[poter]

Having put down a deposit on a Moody 30 & still waiting for the the survey with a bottle ready in the fridge. I have been looking at some costs for upgrading the Yacht......... most items like standing & running rigging engine overhaul etc. I do not have a problem with and can probably do a lot of the work myself, however as we intend to sail her over to France etc. next year The thought of the keel droping off mid channel is driving me to swig more beer!
Ok So .... she will be on a set of cradles locally, & I will have access to some heavy duty lifting gear etc.
How difficult is it to drop her keel and replace the bolts? & I understand that moody's use mild steel rod and bolts, would it be better to replace the rod & nuts etc. to stainless?
Last but not least, what solution do you use to seal between the keel and the boat???

Also does anyone know if PBO have done an article on the subject so I can get a copy, I have done several search's with no result.

poter

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[frilaens]

I suggest searching the forum with "keel bolts" in the last 3 months and you will find a lot of you questions have been answered already (several times!)

Andy

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[poter]

Thanks but I already did that (lots of bolts etc into Oak!!!) ..... I was after some very specific answers

a/ Is it better to use steel (which I think Moody use) or stainless
b/ What do you put between keel and boat
c/ Anyone who has done this on a Moody?

thanks

poter.

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[andy_wilson]

Why do they need replacing?

Leeks around the nuts on the inside are traditionally fixed with caulking cotton and mastic underneath the washers, and can be done one by one whilst dried out alongside.

Likewise you could draw every other one if you insist, just to look see.

As far as dropping the keel, it is a major undertaking. For a start you will have to book the crane / hoist for as long as it takes to persuade the sealant to part once the bolts are drawn and the boat lifted. A good bonding sealant may not want to let go.

Secondly you need a purpose made (or adjustable) cradle to support the keel.

I suggest contacting the Moody owners association before you head down this route to see if a problem is likely to insist.

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[poter]

Thanks Andy......... good idea re the owners association.... will do.

I do not know if they are in bad shape or otherwise I am just planning (My job is planning and programming.... oh hum! got to stop it and relax, now I'm almost back on the water!!!) the next few months work, so that I can get her back in the water ASAP and sail her, before the BP goes right off the scale.

thanks

poter,.

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[Chris_Stannard]

Dependent on the age of the boat, you should have a bolt withdrawn for examination as part of the survey. If the bolt is sound then you have no need to do anything.
From my own experience, I had a Sigma 362 also built by Marine Projects at Plymouth as Moodys are, and I had a bolt taken out after 12 years. There was no problem so no need to do anything. If the keel bolts are in need of replacement it sounds like a re-negotiation on the price is in order because I think its a boat yard job.

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[poter]

thanks Chris..

good point re removing bolt I will request that its done by the surveyor.

poter

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[MainlySteam]

Am totally unfamiliar with the particular vessel type, but dropping a keel can end up being a very expensive business. I saw one approx 35 footer (frp construction) which took 2 men in a good yard 2 days to get all the keel bolts out and the keel free. It was in the yard because it had run into a rock with the keel so had already had a big loosening belt and was leaking.

Drawing a bolt can prove expensive also (on top of the cost of the lift) but even though keels falling off non race vessels is a rare occurance it is in my opinion wise to check if there is any concern through age or other signs. Here, for commercial yachts, the surveyor would typically require bolts drawn during the vessel's periodic survey if there was any opportunity whatever for questioning their integrity, frequently choosing different bolts each successive survey if concerns were developing.

As Chris says, you should have this done as part of your pre-purchase survey if any likelihood of corrosion exists at all. If the bolts have to be replaced, then make sure that you negotiate a big (enough) discount off the purchase price appropriate to the likely cost of replacement.

John

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[owen]

you will find an answer on the moody ownwers assoc website. someone withdrew and replaced his keelbolts on a m 31 and although satisfied with nthe job found the originals to be in excellent condition.

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[beneteau_305_553]

I had the yard replace the keel bolts on my beneteau when I bought it.

The heads had rusted but the bolts were actually fine but went ahead and changed them anyway.

Mast was removed to stop boat being top heavy.
Hammered the heads with a very heavy hammer to give them " a wake-up call"
Placed two jacks under keel and proped sides of keel
Hammered old socket onto the rusty bolt head to remove old bolts.
dropped keel 200 mm.
cleaned off all old sealant
rotary wire brushed top and sides of keel.
Painted with zinc rich paint and left to dry
masked off sides of keel
jacked up keel to 50 mm of hull
put new Zinc plated bolts into keel
(Zinc plated to avoid electrolytic corrosion)
pumped loads of polyurethane sealant (sikaflex) onto middle of top of keel trying to avoid any air pockets
jacked up keel to 20 mm of hull
pulled up bolts in sequence tilll keel up to hull and bolts tight. weight of keel supported by hull
removed masking and cleaned off surplus pu.
left for a few days for the pu to cure.
paint with antifouling
add annode to both sides of hull and bond with earth cable to keel.

good luck




<hr width=100% size=1>Richard