The video does not show much of the process of replacing the keel bolts. When and how were the new bolts attached to the keel ? All I see are threaded rods and removal of the sealant between hull and keel. These threaded rods are screwed into - I take it- large stainless steel bolts attached under steel plates in the keel thereby not forgetting galvanic corrosion. How about showing the bolts in the bilde ? How much torque is applied to the threaded rods and bolts ?
I’m planning to cut the keel off about 16” from the hull to keep the stability as she won’t sail again … but never thought about the seals between keel and hull !!!! Thank you
Dropping the keel can be a nightmare project. This video doesn't show much of the process. Best bet is to get a boat where the keel is integral to the hull. No bolts to worry about. Older style boats with slack-bilges, full keels and cutaway forefoot designs are tougher and you never have to deal with all this.
Im surpised they haven't jumped all over you to tell you how terrible full keel boats sail. This, on the other hand, looks pretty terrible to me. It can get a lot worse than what we saw here it seems. I guess boats are no picnic no matter what.
@@autonomousindividual7780You don't have to go full keel. You can have a cutaway forefoot and, maybe, a so-called Brewer bite towards the stern. Still fully encapsulated ballast in the keel is a good way to avoid the headaches. It should be pointed out that later design/build boats with fin keels don't necessarily have this problem. I've known more than a few sailors with fin- or modified fin -keel boats who have taken some hard grounding and never had an issue with keel separation. It's a favorite subject of conversation around the ol' watering hole.
@@autonomousindividual7780 The full keel sails pretty well downwind in a big sea. Try a North Atlantic gale with a full keel. I suspect your opinion would change and you may drop the word " terrible " from your description.
But what CANNOT be trusted Is the word of a boat seller as to Thame status of the bolts. Best buy a full keel...many of us certainly will never trust keel bolts as it's simply a poor design that can contribute to major damage being undetected and leading to fatal consequences for many. Even new boats could have sustained damage to their structure during transport that can and has remained concealed
Personally I'd prefer an iron/steel keel secured with strong steel bolts to a GRP shell full of lead which can fracture and spill its ballast after impact with no internal indication of what's going on. And full keels are sloooooow and don't point so there's a much higher risk of being caught in weather or being fatally embayed on a lee shore, as happened to Dream Catcher, a long keeled Golden Globe entrant driven ashore in a gale whilst a fleet of fin keelers managed to beat to safety.
I'd like to see keels that are built with soda can aluminum all the way to the bottom, where it would meet with a lead weight shaped to deform in bottom strikes and groundings. Entirely iron keels have too much extra weight high up.
