Beneteau 345 keel bolts

brummytezza · #1 (**permalink**) 02-13-2011

OK be gentle with me - as I'm bound to have broken some rules as a new member!

I've been looking at my 1985 Beneteau 345's keel bolts which seem less than perfect. I think that somewhere buried in the vast mine of knowledge on this site - possibly from svHyLyte - there is some good advice on how to proceed.

It seems I can't PM svHyLyte as I've not sent enough posts!

The fixings do look like bolts rather than studs.

Many thanks

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 02-13-2011

Well, if the bolts haven't been inspected, it is about time you did so. The bolts can be suffering from crevice corrosion and may be seriously weakened, even if the tops look fine. Here's a good thread to read:

LINK

You'll need 10 posts or so to be able to PM...so go over to the SONG THREAD in the OFF TOPIC forums and post there a bunch of times.

Also, read the POST in my signature to help you get the most out of your time here.

brummytezza · #3 (**permalink**) 02-13-2011

Many thanks - have taken your good advice on the postings - and maybe I need to think hard about the advice on the keel bolts. A messy job that includes surgery to the cabin sole and removing the mast - Ah the joys of ownership!

eherlihy · #4 (**permalink**) 02-13-2011

IIRC, on a Beneteau, the keel bolts are run from the bilge into threaded fastners set into the keel. On many boats it is the other way around (my O'day for example). Replacing the bolts is actually a much simpler task for you. Remove one bolt, treat the replacement with anti-galling lubricant, replace the bolt, move on to the next.

Again, IIRC, there was an article in a Cruising World a couple of years back that featured someone that just replaced all their bolts on a Beneteau.

If you're interested in what prompted some boats (including mine) to go through for a keel bolt replacement, there is a good thread on it here.

svHyLyte · #5 (**permalink**) 02-13-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by brummytezza

OK be gentle with me - as I'm bound to have broken some rules as a new member!

I've been looking at my 1985 Beneteau 345's keel bolts which seem less than perfect. I think that somewhere buried in the vast mine of knowledge on this site - possibly from svHyLyte - there is some good advice on how to proceed.

It seems I can't PM svHyLyte as I've not sent enough posts!

The fixings do look like bolts rather than studs.

Many thanks

Terry--

Check your PM's and email.

brummytezza · #6 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012

Hi all - thanks for the help. I can now answer my own question. There are 14 number 20mm bolts holding my 345 keel on. They looked awful from a visual inspection of each each bolt head. They are not stainless steel and salt water had got under the sealant covering the bolts and they looked as if half the head had corroded away. However, on cleaning all of the sealant off they looked in much better condition than I (and the boatyard) thought. All were checked for tightness - which they were and there is no sign of seepage at the keel joint. I struggled to remove a bolt for inspection, but when I managed this (I had a 1 meter long socket bar) the bolt was found to be in as new condition.

I cleaned up all of the heads and have covered them in clear epoxy.

svHyLyte · #7 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by brummytezza

Hi all - thanks for the help. I can now answer my own question. There are 14 number 20mm bolts holding my 345 keel on. They looked awful from a visual inspection of each each bolt head. They are not stainless steel and salt water had got under the sealant covering the bolts and they looked as if half the head had corroded away. However, on cleaning all of the sealant off they looked in much better condition than I (and the boatyard) thought. All were checked for tightness - which they were and there is no sign of seepage at the keel joint. I struggled to remove a bolt for inspection, but when I managed this (I had a 1 meter long socket bar) the bolt was found to be in as new condition.

I cleaned up all of the heads and have covered them in clear epoxy.

Good News and Good for You!

The trick for longevity is to keep the bolts as free from exposure to salt (or any) water as possible. Keep an eye on the epoxy. I just replace 8 of 16 keel bolts (20mm x 70mm and darned expensive!!!) with corroded heads and all proved fine once extracted (which required a 4' breaker bar!). I coated the new bolts with 4 coats of Petit "Rust-Lock" epoxy primer and shall be more diligent about keeping them dry in future.

For those confronted with similar needs on Bene's, if there is no evidence of water penetration once the old bolts are extracted, the new bolts screw in dry with a tad of sealant around the shaft under the heads and, if the galvanized bolts, which are preferred, should be torqued to an average of 145 foot lbs (but no less than 95 ft lbs for bolts in awkward locations).

FWIW...