Keel removal - Lefkada\Prevaza area

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Adashofsalt

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Hello all!

We have just purchased a Moody Eclipse 33 in the Lefkada area, in need of a lot of love and tlc to get her back to a sea worthy state. The first big job we need to do (recommended by our surveyer) is to have the keel removed, grit blasted and re attached with new bolts and bedding sealer. Does anyone have any recommendations in this area of people who can do this work? Our boat is currently not in the water, but the yard are fine with outside workers coming to work on boats as long as they have insurance.

Thanks in advance, all hints and tips greatly appreciated!
 
Welcome to the forum.
Which yard is your boat in at the moment? The work you’re proposing on the keel falls into two parts; keel removal and refitting and grit blasting. The yard will be best placed to do then removal/refit as they own the necessary gear to lift and prop the hull and keel. Not got a good feel for who could do the grit blasting: the only chap I know works in Corfu and doesn’t work on the mainland.
Before you go ahead, I know the surveyor has recommended you do this but what problem are you trying to cure with the work? If you’re just looking to clean the keel up, then the grit blasting can easily be done without the added work of removing the keel.
 
I guess you’re in Aktio Yard?
Speak to Les Wood- great guy. The yard will have his contact details. He’ll probably get the yard to remove and grit blast the keel and he’ll epoxy coat and do whatever else in needed. He’s an expert in copper coat if you decide to go down that route.

John
 
Surveyors have a habit of recommending keel bolts being replaced when it is entirely unnecessary. Moodys have mild steel studs with mild steel nuts and invariably look awful because of water in the bilge. Suggest you dry the bilge, clean off the nuts and inspect the big plates underneath them. If the nuts and plates are sound then apply a rust converter and paint. It is most unlikely there is any actual corrosion of the studs through the hull and into the keel. The telltale signs are streaks of rust from the seal between the keel and hull in line with where the studs are.

If there is no sign then clean out the old sealant and replace it. You can clean the keel by using an angle grinder enough to put on a couple of coats of Primocon or Jotun Vyniguard then antifoul that will enable you to get sailing. Then you can find someone to blast the keel if you wish for a more long lasting solution.

Worth joining the Moody Owners Association as there is a wealth of technical advice available from there.

Hope this helps.

PS Just seen the new post. Sounds like a good contact. Maybe worth getting him to look at the boat before you do any drastic work.
 
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Thanks so much John, this is super useful! We are actually at Margarona yard on the other side of the tunnel, but have managed by the powers of google to find Les’s details and going to give him a bell now. Appreciate the help and recommendation
 
Duncan, thanks for this-particularly the explanation of how the work will be done-saves us chasing our tail to work this out! We are at Margarona as this is where the boat was when we bought her -so next step talk to them about the heavy lifting part...
 
Again, more thanks! Very pleased to have been recommended the forum! Invaluable guys. We have actually already joined the moody owners association, and as you say, a wealth of knowledge.

On the keel, I suspect you are right about the integrity- none of the tell tale signs you have mentioned are present and it’s probable we could just clean etc - however our insurers have now said the work needs to be done before she is in the water, and we have a lot of other things to do so if we can find someone to do round here it’s probably easiest. Will let you all know how we get on!
 
Oh - ps - thanks on the copper coat comment that was next on our list and we weren’t sure if we could get done out here but wanted to!
 
Don't know who your surveyor was and I understand that on your surveyor say so your Insurance what the work done , but it maybe worth your while and save you some money and time to ask Kevan you find him in lefkas marina to take a look and if he thing it's not that bad to pay him to write a report on the keel for your insurance company .
Kevan is well known I sure someone here will be back with his details soon .
Of cause if it wasn't him who surveyed the boat in the first place ,
 
I fully agree with the others that dropping the keel is almost certainly unnecessary but if you have the money it will satisfy the insurance company with no further hassle. It would be very useful to many of us if you made a pictorial record of the process.
 
Adashofsalt said:
Again, more thanks! Very pleased to have been recommended the forum! Invaluable guys. We have actually already joined the moody owners association, and as you say, a wealth of knowledge.

On the keel, I suspect you are right about the integrity- none of the tell tale signs you have mentioned are present and it’s probable we could just clean etc - however our insurers have now said the work needs to be done before she is in the water, and we have a lot of other things to do so if we can find someone to do round here it’s probably easiest. Will let you all know how we get on!
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You may well reconsider when you see the cost of doing it - plus the potential risk that you may have worse problems when it is reinstalled.

Second opinion well worth it and then perhaps withdraw one stud to show that it is perfect. Insurers are not experts on boats and it is your boat, not their's!
 
macd said:
Kevan Whittle, the surveyor mentioned by Vic, can be reached at: orion361@yahoo.com

I agree that a second opinion (assuming Kev didn't give the first) might well be worthwhile. Unless he's away sailing, Kev gets up to Preveza regularly from his base in Levkas marina.
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It wasn’t Kev who did the original survey-we actually tried to get him but he was off Sailing for 6 weeks when we wanted it done :( good idea on a second opinion though, it’s very tempting. Will keep you all updated on where we get to.... watch this space!
 
I agree about Kevan to comment on your keel bolts before going to all the hassle and expense of dropping the keel. Even before that, or maybe after chatting to him, draw a stud yourself and have a look. It will almost certainly be in good condition, apart from superficial corrosion around the nut and backing plate, and a picture sent to your insurance company, possibly with a brief letter from Kevan, should remove the need to drop the keel. Most surveyors fill their reports with CYS caveats that lead to lots of unnecessary work at sale time due to their lack of knowledge. Fortunately Kev is not one of those type of surveyors
My boat was in Aktio yard before I bought it and the person who looked after it for the previous owner persuaded him to drop the keel and replace studs due to corrosion. Of course all the studs were in perfect condition and the whole job was unnecessary. Side benefit was that I got a boat with brand new studs.
 
Hello,

Thank you again for all of your help! We have now had a second opinion on the keel from Kevan, who has advised that he agrees with all of you, and is confident that there are no issues with the bolts - he has recommended that we don't even remove them to take a look. We will be submitting this follow up to the insurance company, so can't see how they will have a problem; based on this experience, and the comments above, if anyone else is has had a similar survey report I would highly recommend a second opinion before you proceed with expensive and potentially extensive work.

Thanks again all - and sorry not to be able to provide a pictorial record of the process , I was looking forward to that!
 
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