Swing Keel Question

LONG_KEELER

LONG_KEELER

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My 18' GRP trailer sailor is leaking at the pivot bolt.

The pivot bolt is 19mm and of stainless steel.

I intend chocking the keel from below and drifting out the bolt .

I cannot seem to find the best material for the replacement washers .

Any thoughts would be welcome as to type and availablity. It's hard to see what type is already there as they are covered in sealant. It would be nice to do the job in one hit.

The keel box has a stainless bracket over and to the sides . The pivot bolt goes through this bracket. The studding pivot bolt, then rubber ? washer, then stainless bracket then stainless nut.

Many Thanks
 
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A problem with pivoted lifting plates is the ' jiggling motion ' on the boat by waves even at her mooring which will wear the pivot pin and elongate the pivot and lift wire holes in the keel plate.

My boats' lift keel is more of a vertical daggerboard but requieres annual maintenence so I keep her on high trestles with the keel down over winter.

I offer the DIY trestle plans for free and several other designs use them, if you can get the boat hoisted on and off them at your club or yard.

I am not very well at the moment so please don't think me rude if there's a delay if you PM me.

Andy
 
If you measure it at 19mm, then likely it is 3/4 inch, with imperial threads. Depending on what you find when it is out, then make your choice. If re-usable, probably rubber washers under the ss washers and some more PU mastic.
As Seajet says, likely there is elongation in the plate/swing keel and whatever lifting mechanism needs a careful look.
When chocking, if you can get a screw jack (or scissor type) under the pivot point and check how much slack there is by seeing how much you can move it up and down before it tries to lift the boat or the jack goes light. If the pivot is grooved then towards the upper limit will help with drifting it out.
 
With ALL lift keelers - and it becomes a real pain and serious engineering exercise with boats over about 26' - to design or maintain - I always say ' beating off a lee shore in the dark with your young family aboard is NOT the time to start wondering ' have I looked after the keel, is it going to stay attached ?! '
 
Thanks for the tips lads.

The lifting mechanism is a worm drive . There is an inspection hatch inside the boat to maintain/grease
the gubbins so not too bad. The threads look in good nick. It takes 45 turns to lift/lower. I have come out of the water to do this job . If the worst happens, I could still have the boat lowered onto the keel.

I may have to make my own rubber washers as they look square shaped . I will see what comes out and perhaps nitrile rubber might work which is available locally .
 
Seajet said:
With ALL lift keelers - and it becomes a real pain and serious engineering exercise with boats over about 26' - to design or maintain - I always say ' beating off a lee shore in the dark with your young family aboard is NOT the time to start wondering ' have I looked after the keel, is it going to stay attached ?! '
Click to expand...

Suggest a REAL sailor (and parent) would NEVER get into a situation where s/he had to beat off a lee shore in a small lift keel boat!
 
Seajet said:
Why different to a novice in any other keeled boat ?

At least it would perform better than some lard-arsed short keel types ( and their boats :) ) ,
Click to expand...

You have totally missed the point. The need to claw off a lee shore in the dark in a small swing keel boat (or any other small boat) with two children on board suggests total incompetence on behalf of the skipper for getting into that situation in the first place - and a very unlikely scenario.

Why do you have to use such dramatic and implausible scenarios to illustrate what is a perfectly valid point - in this case the wisdom of checking the pivot?

The OP is specifically going to do this - that is why he is asking for advice on how to do it.
 
Seajet said:
I suggested the engineering / seamanship point of checking swing keels - which BTW I haven't got - but as is usual you went on the attack and as usual I ' replied 10 + ' :)
Click to expand...


The problem with your reply (as is often the case) is that you ruin your credibility by overdramatising consequences.

The advice may be sound, but why add that bit about "clawing off a lee shore" as if this is a "normal" thing to worry about.

Not "attacking" just highlighting how you add unnecessary bits to your advice that actually reduces the value.
 
Tranona said:
The problem with your reply (as is often the case) is that you ruin your credibility by overdramatising consequences.

The advice may be sound, but why add that bit about "clawing off a lee shore" as if this is a "normal" thing to worry about.

Not "attacking" just highlighting how you add unnecessary bits to your advice that actually reduces the value.
Click to expand...

You always attack while I try to add useful info,

OUT
 
Follow Up

Good news. Things went better than expected today. Job done.

After chocking the lifting keel. The nuts on the pivot bolt came off fairly easily . They were not threaded
all the way and managed to get a stilson wrench to stop the bolt spinning. The saddle bracket widened
as the nuts came undone so access to the duff washers and sealant was possible. There was now just enough room to remoce the old washers and clean up the area.

A real stroke of luck . The yard mechanic made up the two rubber washers and was able to stamp them out to 18mm ID - 1mm less so they would be a good fit. The local rubber dealer in town has closed .

Managed to replace the pivot bolt washers and sealant with care. As long as one of the two holes had the
pivot bolt captive you could wiggle the new washers and sealant in place. This did mean a second helper to jiggle the keel from below to line the holes up. Fiddly but ok. The keel weighs over 400lbs and the worm drive certainly helped to take the strain.

Many Thanks to all.
 
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