Really nice job! Will try to do it. Where and What should i look for if i want to reinforce with kevlar too? Also do you wrap it around and then put epoxy on it? Can you describe a bit more the kevlar application step, please?
If I understand this correctly, this hole would have to be drilled when the keel is down? Otherwise you would have to also drill through the actual keel metal? Or am I missing something? Thanks (brand new siren owner)
Unless it was plugged by a previous owner (which happens sometimes for convenience….), the keel lock hole should already be drilled in your keel trunk.
My south coast does not have a hole in the keel itself but rather a notch on the trailing end of the upper keel just above the pivot bolt that allows the retaining pin to be installed after you lower the keel but does not require you to line up the holes that you can't see just to get the pin in. Has a little play between the pin and the keel but seems to work well with a solid SS pin. I would not use aluminum or plastic for fear of either snapping during a turn up. My keel is over 600lbs and could smash through the keel trunk if it slams shut on me.
Man, this SO reminds me of the water intrusion issue with the O'Day DS2! The uphaul cable passes through the CB trunk forward into the cuddy. There is a gap between the trunk and the cuddy pan, which was filled with some kind of goop during mfg. Over time that stuff breaks down and falls out, leaving a gaping hole for water to be shoved through that hole like a firehose when the board is down and sailing fast. And that water goes straight into the bilge. Not good! The fix is not that different than your solution Thierry, involving a short piece of threaded pipe inserted and sealed between the cuddy and trunk interior, and the same care must be taken as well to ensure that it does not penetrate too far into the trunk. A bit of water still gets squirted into the cuddy, but better there than the bilge!
