CATALINA 25 SWING KEEL CABLE AND KEEL BOLT REPLACEMENT 

I owe you a beer! We just got a 1971 Balboa 20 ft with swing keel and this is this first video I’ve found that even comes close to showing us what we need to know for service and maintenance. Thank you!

You have got this figured out, sir. Thank you so much for this! Anyone that ever owns one of these boats owes you a beer.

Thank you for your time. I'm looking to possibly buy a swing keel trailer boat and was hoping to see how the other end of the cable attached to the keel, and I would like to see a video of you changing those bolts. Maybe you would do that when you change the bolts again.

Thanks for showing how to do this. My son is getting a 1984 Catalina 25 swing keel and was told the keel cable and bolts had just been replaced. Good to know this is an annual maintenance item. We're both very handy with fixing and making stuff (I'm a woodworker), so knowing what needs to be done is 95% of the solution. We can definitely do the other 5% of labor needed to get the work done.

Exactly what I needed to see! My Luger 30' has a very similar, HEAVY (Steele), swing keel. Pinned fore and lifted aft with a cable wench. Your through-hull breakdown was excellent. The PVC cable guard is a great idea. Structural stair support for the wench and cable tensioning is crucial for reliable operation and boat safety. I'm building a brand new stairstep and checking the keel bolts for corrosion/possible replacement. Thanks so much.

Just a damned good video. You've saved someone a lot of grief. I suspect much of this knowledge transfers to other makes or models. Well done.

At the marina we used to just lower the tongue of the trailer as far as we could, put the two rear jackstands in, and then raise the tongue all the way up. It'll lift the boat right off the rollers. If you have the ability to lift the bow (we had a forklift) you can roll the trailer right out from under it. Then place front jackstands.

On the Catalina 22 the volcano is about 5 inches below the water line. I measured it with a water level when I had the boat up on blocks and the water line was level. I don't know how that translates to the C25. I think the value for those bolts in about keel bolts 144 inch pounds (12 foot pounds) See Stingy Sailor. Nicely done.

Thanks for the great video! I have a Catalina 25 swing keel with a near identical trailer. I will be performing the same maintenance/service on my boat. What size boat stands did you use?

It would have been nice if you had shown us how to detach the old cable from the keel, and then attach the new cable in it's place. I know it's off topic but how did you remove and transport the keel for sandblasting?

What's the siren in the background. Hope everything is ok!

no cat 25 videos? still got it?