Oyster 16 Bilge Keels

[BrianSTM]

I've recently bought an old Oyster 16. The previous owner removed the bilge keels, replacing them with stainless steel strips. He gave me the bilge keels with the boat and I'd like to put them back on. Can anybody help me with the following information?
The boat now has 7 equally spaced holes in the bilges where the keels should fit. The bilge keels only have 5 holes.
Am I right in assuming that the keels should use the 5 central holes, i.e. the steel keels should be at the mid-point of the bilges?
The bilge keels themselves are deeper at one end than the other. Should the deeper part goes towards the stern?
The flanges to bolt the bilge keels to the bilges are not symmetrical. Are the keels fitted with the flange pointing outwards-and-upwards (so you can see the bolts from the side) or inwards-and-downwards (so you could see the bolts from underneath.)
If anybody can provide me with a photo of the bilges of their own (or another) Oyster 16, that should answer all the questions! Thank you!!

 

[Lakesailor]

I have sent you an PM (top left of page in the dark blue band) with details of a guy who used to build them.

 

[BrianSTM]

Thanks Lakesailor. You're a star!

 

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Starboard bilge keel, not an Oyster 16, but a YM 3-Tonner (if it helps) --

For plugging any holes you won't be using, see this thread -- http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?405130-Transom-pintle-repair

Mike

 

[William_H]

I don't know the boat but just guessing... The keel is the centre of lateral ressitance to sideways drift. A keel on a typical sloop rig is mounted with the centre of the keel aft of the mast by I would guess 40 cms. This should help you to decide which holes to use. The question of flange outside or insdide will dictate just how far away from centre line the keels are. The wider spacing flange on the inside giving more stability when sitting on sand. I reckon it might become obvious which is right. good luck with the new boat olewill.

 

[BrianSTM]

Thanks for the photo. If the flanges on your keels are just at the top, that's a good indication of how mine should go assuming the section is an L and not a T with the flange is both sides....

 

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Given that your bilge keels have a single mounting flange and a choice of pre-drilled mounting holes, I think some scale drawing might be in order. I assume you expect the bilge keels to allow the boat to take the ground upright? If so, then in end elevation you want the bottom of the bilge keels to be marginally (say 1") higher than the keel itself; and in side elevation you want the lower edges to be either parallel to the keel, or if this is not possible, to cock the stern a little higher (rather than the bow).

All mounting bolts should be going through an internal stringer to spread the grounding loads, and I'm assuming this boat is built that way. So if most of the available holes do this but a couple don't, then the ones that don't were probably drilled for the stainless straps and could therefore can be ignored.

My guess would be that the flanges would go on the outside, which would have the effect of keeping the bilge keels a little more vertical and closer to the main keel than if you put them the other way round -- not quite as stable, but stronger.

Also, unless the holes are spaced absolutely equidistantly from each other, their spacing might give you a clue as to which are the right holes to use.

Finally, if one end of the bilge keel is raked and the other not, as in the photo, then the raked end is the forward one. (I myself would prefer both ends to be raked to better help avoid snagging mooring lines, and yours may be.)

Mike

 

[BrianSTM]

Thanks Mike. Most useful. I'll go and "offer up" the Bilge keels and make some measurements. Cheers!