Tightening Keel Bolts

[Tartan34C]

Originally Posted by Idiens

Why mess with keel bolts? Well, one piece of advice often seen in yachting magazines is to check the status of keel bolts regularly. I've seen one article recommending pulling one bolt per year in turn. That's not my advice. But it depends on the keel, its bolts and the surrounding structure, I suppose.

I always thought that was good advice but its fallen out of favor today. I think in wood boat days corrosion in keel bolts was a problem but today that’s not as much of a problem. In fact it’s the really old boats where you see a surveyor recommending pulling a bolt. That begs the question, how old does a boat need to be before she is really old?
All the best,
Robert Gainer

[Ladyhawke2]

I noticed a hairline crack where the keel meets the hull. Not sure if this is normal flexing or a keel bolt problem. I thought I would deal with it by tightening the bolts then repair the crack


"Sailaway21 raises a good question. Why are you looking at the keel bolts? Unless you have a reason it may be best to adopt the attitude of “if it’s not broken don’t fix it.”

[Idiens]

Originally Posted by Ladyhawke2

I noticed a hairline crack where the keel meets the hull. Not sure if this is normal flexing or a keel bolt problem. I thought I would deal with it by tightening the bolts then repair the crack.

If the boat is out of the water, try slackening the backstay tensioner. The crack may close.

[Gary M]

Ladyhawke I believe you are correct to check the bolts torque. That is the only way you will know if they are torqued properly. I have retorgued the bolts on two boats that I have owned and found them to be significantly below the manufactures specs. I don't know why but they were.

It may correct the flexing that leads to the hairline crack at he keel hull joint and it may not but you will know your keel nuts are prperly tightened.