westerly centaur, leaking windows and rust drips from keel-hull joint

[nevertheless]

I just obtained a westerly centaur cheaply, that included some problems. Hopefully you can advise me how to approach the issues. I have not found exact what-to-do's yet, but I understand these topics are not unique for Centaurs. The boat is an early one, the previous owner says from 1976. Number 231. As such, it has the stays fitted above the front cabin windows. In both port and starboard windows under the stay, the metal edge shows rust and the windows leak. I can imagine that the stay deforms the hull around the window, creating a leak.

The boat is not out of the water standing on its bilge keels. It has been out of the water for about a year. Keels have been cleaned/sanded/painted by the previous owner. I now see lines of rusty moisture coming from the joint between keels and hull. I see this on both keels on both sides of each keel. About 2 - 4 lines of rust running down.
there is a bit of water in the bilge, but not so much. Keel bolts look clean from above.
I am afraid for having to loosen the keels from the boat: that might be a lengthy job (and a bit dangerous), building supports for the keels and supporting the boat itself. What would you advise here? Is the rust a sign of rusting keelbolts? Or of a rusting keel around the bolts? Or is there always expected to drip some rust from the top of the keel, as that connection to the hull moves a bit and can I guess maybe never get really painted well.

I would love to hear your advice. The more details, the better!. And my apologies for my english, I am actually dutch.

 

[Stemar]

Welcome to the forum. Your English is better than plenty of native speakers, so nothing to apologise for.

IIRC, Centaurs need to have the hull around the keels reinforced, but I'd expect that to have been done by now. Get someone who knows the boats to look at it.

Early Centaurs have the lower shrouds mounted above the window, which stresses the window, making it difficult to keep a seal, but rebedding the windows with butyl tape between the cabin and frame will help to keep a seal. Rubber seals around the Perspex go hard with age, I'd remove them, clean everything up and bed the Perspex in something like this Glazing Silicone.

The water in the bilges may be from the leaky windows, or could have some other source. Scatter cornstarch or talc around and tracks will show you where the water's coming from.

Do you know how old the standing rigging is? Most insurers want it replaced after about 15 years.

 

[Iliade]

The keel bolts were packed in a traditional manner, hence they will take up somewhat after launching. If you are concerned, perhaps draw one to see what condition it is in.
It is also pretty easy to repack them one at a time while dried out at low water.

 

[DinghyMan]

May be worth joining the Westerly Owners Association - 3153 WOA members worldwide as they have an active site and facebook group at Westerly Owners' Association | Facebook and Centaur Group at Westerly Centaur Group | Facebook

 

[Wansworth]

The keel bolts are in effect studs

 

[Tranona]

The weeping of the keel/hull joint is more likely to be a failure locally of the sealant, although if the lines of rust are in line with the keel bolts then the failure may have gone as far as the bolts. First thing to do is rake out the sealant along the joints, dry, then run a bed of new sealant, antifoul, launch and see how it is after a period in the water. The keel structure is OK if the boat is not constantly dried out particularly in mud as in tidal estuary moorings. The WOA will have details on reinforcing the hull around the keels, but it is a major job and if you do not intend drying out regularly not really worth doing.

 

[BarrytheViking]

The keel bolts were packed in a traditional manner, hence they will take up somewhat after launching. If you are concerned, perhaps draw one to see what condition it is in.
It is also pretty easy to repack them one at a time while dried out at low water.

 

[nevertheless]

The weeping of the keel/hull joint is more likely to be a failure locally of the sealant, although if the lines of rust are in line with the keel bolts then the failure may have gone as far as the bolts. First thing to do is rake out the sealant along the joints, dry, then run a bed of new sealant, antifoul, launch and see how it is after a period in the water. The keel structure is OK if the boat is not constantly dried out particularly in mud as in tidal estuary moorings. The WOA will have details on reinforcing the hull around the keels, but it is a major job and if you do not intend drying out regularly not really worth doing.

To clean out the old sealant, dry, and apply new, should for that the hull and keels be detached for a few centimeters? Or would you think that can be done while not loosening the keel bolts? I am especially concerned about how to dry the keel-hull joint without disconnecting

 

[Concerto]

These web pages will help you.

Centaur - Westerly-Wiki

https://wiki.westerly-owners.co.uk/images/f/f6/CENTAUR_PURCHASE_ADVICE.pdf

Re bedding Keels - Westerly-Wiki

You will certainly find joining the Westerly Owners Association worth while as we do have a number of members in Holland.

 

[ashtead]

If you have a centaur number 231 it’s way earlier than 1976 . By this time the number was around 1300 to 1400. If you have round portholes definitely not 1976 . I started sailing one then as a teenage around Solent and went to waterlooville factory as a youth. Do you have 2 sets of bow windows as that’s another clue to year but window in heads was an extra. The great thing is with centaurs given vast numbers produced most issues on keel splay and window leaks well aired . Which you all the best with your restoration but as said join WOA and you might find other Dutch owners.

 

[coopec]

I just obtained a westerly centaur cheaply, that included some problems. Hopefully you can advise me how to approach the issues. I have not found exact what-to-do's yet, but I understand these topics are not unique for Centaurs. The boat is an early one, the previous owner says from 1976. Number 231. As such, it has the stays fitted above the front cabin windows. In both port and starboard windows under the stay, the metal edge shows rust and the windows leak. I can imagine that the stay deforms the hull around the window, creating a leak.

The boat is not out of the water standing on its bilge keels. It has been out of the water for about a year. Keels have been cleaned/sanded/painted by the previous owner. I now see lines of rusty moisture coming from the joint between keels and hull. I see this on both keels on both sides of each keel. About 2 - 4 lines of rust running down.
there is a bit of water in the bilge, but not so much. Keel bolts look clean from above.
I am afraid for having to loosen the keels from the boat: that might be a lengthy job (and a bit dangerous), building supports for the keels and supporting the boat itself. What would you advise here? Is the rust a sign of rusting keelbolts? Or of a rusting keel around the bolts? Or is there always expected to drip some rust from the top of the keel, as that connection to the hull moves a bit and can I guess maybe never get really painted well.

I would love to hear your advice. The more details, the better!. And my apologies for my english, I am actually dutch.

I used Acrow props to support my yacht while it was "on the hard". In Australia they cost about $60 each