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| Click for a bigger version |
The hole saw just fits over 1/2" threaded rod.
Looks like there is over an inch of room for the keel bolt to go into the hole saw.
$16.99
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Milwaukee to the Rescue?
Went to a tool store in Ajax, and they had a deep 5/8" Milwawkee hole saw:
The drill bit down the middle can come out.
The hole saw just fits over 1/2" threaded rod.
Looks like there is over an inch of room for the keel bolt to go into the hole saw.
$16.99
The hole saw just fits over 1/2" threaded rod.
Looks like there is over an inch of room for the keel bolt to go into the hole saw.
$16.99
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Dropping Keel NOT!!!
Got out to the club by about noon. Wanted to get the keel dropped.
Used some extra jack stands to jack the boat up and have the keel hanging free:
The keel would not drop! I went into the boat, and removed the stainless plate around the keel bolts and took as much of the Sifaflex off around the keel bolts as possible. John Scurr helped me, brought a large "drift" and we pounded on the bolts to free them. Would not budge!
I think I screwed myself last spring. I had epoxied and glassed around the keel bolts. They will not budge!
Used some extra jack stands to jack the boat up and have the keel hanging free:
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| 800 lbs hanging free |
I had fashoned some wedges from hardward on the table saw the night before. I took my sawsall and opened up the two ends of the keel, and drove wedges into the gap.
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| That is daylight near the front!! |
The keel would not drop! I went into the boat, and removed the stainless plate around the keel bolts and took as much of the Sifaflex off around the keel bolts as possible. John Scurr helped me, brought a large "drift" and we pounded on the bolts to free them. Would not budge!
I think I screwed myself last spring. I had epoxied and glassed around the keel bolts. They will not budge!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Threaded Rod
Had some galvanized 1/2" and 5/8" threaded rod left over from another project to compare sizes
Definitely go with 5/8" stainless
Definitely go with 5/8" stainless
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Scaping Complete
After the Newcastle AGM, I was able to get out to Still Time by 2pm.
The goal was to finish scraping the bottom.
I went over to the cradle "boneyard" and found some jack stands. Used them to scrape underneath the cradle pads. Also sanded beneath a couple of them.
NOTE: the keel will be cleaned up when it is dropped. I plan on using a rotary wire bush on a grinder to do this. Richard also suggested renting a portable sandblaster. Since the keel is cast iron, it has to be coated with a rust/epoxy paint immediately after to prevent it from rusting.
I will NOT be putting the Interprotect 2000E on until the spring. It has to be above 10 degrees Celcius overnight for it to stick, and the strings holding the shrink wrap are in the way.
The Dewalt sander I borrowed from Ian did not work well. The peel and stick pads fell off in a minute or so of sanding under the one pad. Richard is going to lend me his Porter Cable one with hook and loop fasteners.
Spent 3 hours completing the scaping just before I lost light.
That is a total of 10 hours to scape the bottom of the hull.
Thinking that the sanding/fairing will take double that.
The jack stands had the name "Loretta Dawn" on them; Bob Nunny confirmed that this was a powerboat that had been sold four or five years ago. These are the right height to perhaps drop the keel.
Want to have the keel dropped this coming weekend.
The goal was to finish scraping the bottom.
I went over to the cradle "boneyard" and found some jack stands. Used them to scrape underneath the cradle pads. Also sanded beneath a couple of them.
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| Port aft You can see where I sanded under the pad |
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| Port forward You can also see where I sanded under the pad |
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| Starboard aft |
NOTE: the keel will be cleaned up when it is dropped. I plan on using a rotary wire bush on a grinder to do this. Richard also suggested renting a portable sandblaster. Since the keel is cast iron, it has to be coated with a rust/epoxy paint immediately after to prevent it from rusting.
I will NOT be putting the Interprotect 2000E on until the spring. It has to be above 10 degrees Celcius overnight for it to stick, and the strings holding the shrink wrap are in the way.
The Dewalt sander I borrowed from Ian did not work well. The peel and stick pads fell off in a minute or so of sanding under the one pad. Richard is going to lend me his Porter Cable one with hook and loop fasteners.
Spent 3 hours completing the scaping just before I lost light.
That is a total of 10 hours to scape the bottom of the hull.
Thinking that the sanding/fairing will take double that.
The jack stands had the name "Loretta Dawn" on them; Bob Nunny confirmed that this was a powerboat that had been sold four or five years ago. These are the right height to perhaps drop the keel.
Want to have the keel dropped this coming weekend.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Bottom Scrape
Over 3/4 done
Ran out of Light
4 hours effort
Another hour should do it.
Then onto sanding.
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| Port side |
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| Starboard side DONE |
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Shrink Wrap
8 of us got together to shrink wrap our boats
Just finished now in the dark
Too dark to take final photos after using the heat gun.
Just finished now in the dark
Too dark to take final photos after using the heat gun.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Lee Valley Scrapers
Ian lent me his Lee Valley scrapers for stripping my bottom.
I picked up some replacement blades today at lunch
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=20094&cat=1,43456,43390
I tried using some Stanley scrapers I had at home with little success.
These take the bottom paint right off!
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=20094&cat=1,43456,43390
I tried using some Stanley scrapers I had at home with little success.
These take the bottom paint right off!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Catalina Responds
Bart,
Have you put a magnet up against your keel to figure out if it is cast iron or lead? If it is lead then you can reinforce it the keel fasteners with 1/2" x 10" lag bolts, pre-drilling with a 27/64" drill bit. If it is cast iron, then drilling and tapping for the 1/2" mild all thread is the way to go. Installing 4 lag bolts / all thread rod would help reinforce the keel joint. I would not recommend trying to weld stainless to the mild keel bolt as you will still get electrolysis at the weld and it will most likely fail again. Attached is the installation drawing for the keels should you decide to remove your keel and reinstall it. All of the people I have talked to have said that even with the keel bolt nuts backed off and the boat in the air, they have had to used wedges and sledge hammers to break the keel loose, so it is on there really well. However, since your keel is canted to one side it might be worth the effort to remove and reinstall it.
Good Sailing,
Kent Nelson Engineering Department
Catalina Yachts
21200 Victory Blvd.
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
(818) 884-7700 ext. 237
(818) 884-3810 Fax
kent@catalinayachts.com
www.catalinayachts.com
Looks like this might be an easier fix that I originally thought.
I will first drill and tap for a 1/2" threaded rod just forward of the broken keel bolt.
Will probably need a right angle drill to perform this.
I will then drop the keel, and re-bed it, filling the broken bolt hole with epoxy.
Want to do this sooner than later.
I don't want to be rushing this before launch next year.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Scraping Bottom
Ian lent me some professional grade carbide tipped scrapers from Lee Valley Tools.
Lee Valley is NOT open on Sundays to get some replacement blades, so I had to use the smaller scraper. Will get some tomorrow.
Man, this little scraper worked EXCELLENTLY! Spent about 1 1/2 hours scraping and got about 1/4 of the boat done to the gel coat.
I wore a coveralls, gloves, dust mask, and googles, and the stuff still got everywhere!.
Put down some 6mil plastic to catch the scrapings. Dumped the scapings into a bucket. Its is amazing how much came off the boat.
In the morning, I fashioned up a 2x6 with pintles from 3/8" bolts to fit in the gungions. The mast rests on the bow pulpit and this board. Will have to extend it slightly higher, and add a mid support at the mast step.
Need to be ready for shrink wrap next weekend. Will add a couple of arches at the stantions.
Lee Valley is NOT open on Sundays to get some replacement blades, so I had to use the smaller scraper. Will get some tomorrow.
Man, this little scraper worked EXCELLENTLY! Spent about 1 1/2 hours scraping and got about 1/4 of the boat done to the gel coat.
I wore a coveralls, gloves, dust mask, and googles, and the stuff still got everywhere!.
Put down some 6mil plastic to catch the scrapings. Dumped the scapings into a bucket. Its is amazing how much came off the boat.
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| About 3" thick in the bucket. What do I do with this stuff? |
Need to be ready for shrink wrap next weekend. Will add a couple of arches at the stantions.
Broken Keel Bolt!!!
SHIT - the final stubborn keel bolt broke off inside the keel stump!
The bolt must have been rusted/weekened, because it broke off using a 1/2" racket.
The bolt must have been rusted/weekened, because it broke off using a 1/2" racket.
Really don't know what do to here, but I am thinking the keel has to be fully dropped and a keel bolt replaced. The other 5 bolts may be in the same state. The drawing I got from Catalina showed that the bolts are cast into the keel with a threaded rod with a J in it. Replacement keel bolt(s) will have to be threaded into the keel.
Catalina Direct makes a kit to put in new threaded keel bolts (almost $300): http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1071&ParentCat=19
Not much room in the forward dinette locker to work on this.
Hmmm, this kit is for five keel bolts, while my boat has six.
If I do completely remove the keel, I might as well get it sand blasted.
Thinking this might be an expensive repair.
Wonder if I can weld a stainless threaded keel bolt extension on the broken bolt?
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Keel Joint
On Saturday, I spent problably 4 hours power washing the hull and bottom. The power washer was taking off some of the bottom paint, so I kept going thinking it would be less to scrape off.
I can see four layers of bottom paint: blue, red, and two of black bottomcote XXX.
Port aft is where I think the leak is.
The Sikaflex 15LM sealant I quickly put in just before launch held up surprising well.
The keel also leans about 10 degrees to port. When I bought the boat in 2008, it came with a survey from 2003 that said the keel is canted to port, but "does not affact sailing" (what kind of survey is that!). I think a number of years ago the keel sump core was rotten, and the keel bolts were loose. The boat may have been put on the cradle off center, causing the keel to lean to port. When I dug out the core this spring these was evidence of epoxy around the keel bolts, sealant, and extra washers. The previous owner probably just bandaided it and tightened the bolts up.
On haulout this year, I purposely set her on the cradle non level to starboard. The keel cant is lessening.
Last night I took the keel bolts off. One of them was stubborn, so I will blast it with some liquid wrench tonight. The plan is to raise the boat in the cradle 2-3" and have the keel drop slightly. Cleanout the keel joint, and re-bed it with some Sikaflex/5200.
Debating if I should glass over the entire keel joint.
I can see four layers of bottom paint: blue, red, and two of black bottomcote XXX.
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| Here you can see some of the bottom paint coming off the hull |
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| Starboard aft |
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| Starboard forward |
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| Port forward |
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| Port aft |
Port aft is where I think the leak is.
The Sikaflex 15LM sealant I quickly put in just before launch held up surprising well.
The keel also leans about 10 degrees to port. When I bought the boat in 2008, it came with a survey from 2003 that said the keel is canted to port, but "does not affact sailing" (what kind of survey is that!). I think a number of years ago the keel sump core was rotten, and the keel bolts were loose. The boat may have been put on the cradle off center, causing the keel to lean to port. When I dug out the core this spring these was evidence of epoxy around the keel bolts, sealant, and extra washers. The previous owner probably just bandaided it and tightened the bolts up.
On haulout this year, I purposely set her on the cradle non level to starboard. The keel cant is lessening.
Last night I took the keel bolts off. One of them was stubborn, so I will blast it with some liquid wrench tonight. The plan is to raise the boat in the cradle 2-3" and have the keel drop slightly. Cleanout the keel joint, and re-bed it with some Sikaflex/5200.
Debating if I should glass over the entire keel joint.
Waterline Stains
Can't get rid of these gelcoat stains:
I have tried deck cleaner, VIM with bleach, and acetone.
Going to try some rudding compound.
Any other suggestions?
I have tried deck cleaner, VIM with bleach, and acetone.
Going to try some rudding compound.
Any other suggestions?
Chiole (C&C 115)
Here is a quick cell phone snap of the damage to the C&C 115 I kissed:
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| Estimate is $650 |
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