Forums General Discussion Keel Repairs Continue

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    • #221561

      My project to resuscitate Bead Game continues! I have a 3 foot long crack in the weak part of the keel about to be repaired. What layup have those of you who have repaired the keel gone with? How have you strengthened the weak area?

      We’re going to grind it out, and put in about 6 layers of biaxial to build it up, but I’m curious to how others have sorted it out.

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    • #221564
      kalinowski
      Participant
      Curious.  What hull number is Bead Game?  How did she get her keel crack?
      Dan Kalinowski
      Jolly Lama #135
      Keehi Lagoon, O’ahu

    • #221566
      RichCarter
      Participant

      Take a close look at the tabbing where the V-drive pan attaches to the hull and pan.  I had to repair that on my boat.  The photo you sent looks a bit suspicious.

       

      Rich

       

    • #221568
      ewanoleary
      Participant
      I believe she is hull #18.
      She fetched up on the Maine coast in a blow after some engine trouble a few years back. I have a photo from the newspaper somewhere.

      With humility and gratitude.

      Ewan
    • #221569
      ewanoleary
      Participant
      Thanks! I’ll do that. That’s where I’m mounting my electric motor unit, so it may need to change anyway.
      Ewan
    • #221574
      typhoontye
      Participant

      Blue Moon comes out of the water for bottom and topside paint in a couple of weeks. Where on the keel should I look for damage?  While cleaning the bottom I have noticed a straight line on the keel where the paint is cracked a bit. 

       

      David

       

    • #221575
      RichCarter
      Participant

      Keel damage can come from a few things other than running aground.  If you live in a cold climate and don’t drain the bilge in the fall or let water get in there, the water left will freeze.  When it expands, it can crack the keel, usually at the end.  If you haul the boat and don’t block it right, you can damage the keel.  Support blocks need to be placed under the forward half of the keel where it is solid.

       

      Rich

       

    • #221579
      Chuck Ruble
      Participant

      Bead Game, where is the crack? It isn’t evident in the photos you posted.
      As for why its cracked isn’t so important. It’s cracked, needs fixed.
      Open the photos in mspaint and add some arrows to show where the crack is.

      A key (if not first)component in the design of the boat is the keel. A keel should accommodate blocking at any location. You want to fix this right. Having a keel that can only be blocked in certain locations is another fix waiting to happen.

      I did a major repair to mine, if its in the same spot I can give you some tips on fixing it. If you search keel repair there lots in here including my posts. The photos may no longer as the links are stale. I can repost them if needed.

      Chuck

    • #221583
      Discoverie
      Participant
      Chuck,
      Setting up the keel so that it can be blocked anywhere sounds good. How is that accomplished? Does one partly fill in the lower bilge? 
      Tkx,
      Roger

    • #221585
      Chuck Ruble
      Participant

      The laminate at the bottom of the aft end is a spot that was hard to access during construction. It’s inherently weak. None the less when it was new it was strong enough to support the weight of the boat. A failed repair or unprepared damage will not tolerate a load especially if water has migrated into the laminate.
      The simple fix is to take a sawzall to the aft end above the damage and cut parallel to the bottom of the keel till you reach the encapsulated portion.
      You want to be cutting clean laminate. The secondary bond needs clean, uncontaminated laminate to bond too.
      Make a template by tracing the outline of the remaining keel on cardboard. Use this to create a laminate stack that matches what you cut off. Using screw and glue method epoxy it to the bottom. You’ll need to add some cleats to screw it to. These can be glassed to the inner hull. Easy place to work when it’s opened.
      Garolite would be the best material to create the stack with.
      Grind it to match and wrap a few layers of glass around it using a vacuum bag.
      It will be rock solid.
      I’m told Mr. Shaw had the plug available as a kit at one point.
      Chuck

    • #221683

      All – keel repairs continue!

      Some photos of the bilge now. 15 layers of biaxial and epoxy on the inside. We’re grinding out the outside and putting in a lot more biaxial and epoxy over the next couple of days.

      Making progress. I was thinking of glassing in a couple of bulkheads to stiffen and strengthen the keel further.

      Any comments?

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      Attachments:
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    • #221686
      Ken Page
      Participant
      Looks excellent, I didn't get many layers on in the inside, maybe 5, I managed about 8 on the outside. Hindsight, easier to lay up the inside (gravity) although we were  living aboard on the hard and a cold cold winter in North Florida. If I ever go in there again I'm going to lay 2 or 3 more biaxial layers vertically up the sides of the keel about 18″ or more along with a few more on the bottom. My fear is, if aground on a reef with the seas pounding the boat on it's side those sides of the keel will be exposed to coral heads. I examined a Hans Christian that went hard aground in St Croix similar to that I described and the boat got dragged fully over the reef and recovered, there was heavy gouging and scraping up to 10″ 15″ on it's side. Bulkheads might not be a bad idea.

      Ken

      Taking what comes as I get it, using it all as much as I can and trying hard to leave all the shit behind.

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