Keel J bolt replacement in lead keel

[funjohnson]

Need some help.

We are on the hard in St Augustine FL after a grounding coming in the inlet. We took the keel off to rebed, but now see that 6 of the 8 keel bolts have corrosion, with one being half eaten through. We need to replace these, but unfortunately, nobody around here knows of anyone that does this type of repair. I have found a guy from California that does the repair and will travel here to do it, but just like anything, I would like to get a second quote on getting this done as I'm paying for this part of the repair.

Anyone here know of someone that does this repair? Or anyone to call that may know of where it can be done. I'm trying to avoid sending the keel to Mars in Toronto.

Thanks,

Matt

[Maine Sail]

I. Broomfield & Sons in RI does it. Drop it on a pallet and ship it to I. Broomfield...

Mars Keel in Canada does it.

Both of these companies to stellar work..


This is why keels need to be dropped and re-bed every so often ESPECIALLY when keel smiles appear or "weeping" of the keel joint appears when hauled...

[funjohnson]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

I. Broomfield & Sons in RI does it. Drop it on a pallet and ship it to I. Broomfield...

Mars Keel in Canada does it.

Both of these companies to stellar work..


This is why keels need to be dropped and re-bed every so often ESPECIALLY when keel smiles appear or "weeping" of the keel joint appears when hauled...

Just who I wanted to hear from!

Unfortunately, It wasn't where the bolts went through the keel stub, it was under the nuts. I loosened the nuts each year to torque the bolts, but never pulled them all the way off. The nuts torqued down tight each time, but the threads where they tighten down are gone on a few and badly pitted on a few others.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Just who I wanted to hear from!

Unfortunately, It wasn't where the bolts went through the keel stub, it was under the nuts. I loosened the nuts each year to torque the bolts, but never pulled them all the way off. The nuts torqued down tight each time, but the threads where they tighten down are gone on a few and badly pitted on a few others.

I've seen that too.. Good to know your hull/keel joint was intact though...

[eherlihy]

To give you an idea of what I Broomfield does, read this post.

[Freerider]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Just who I wanted to hear from!

Unfortunately, It wasn't where the bolts went through the keel stub, it was under the nuts. I loosened the nuts each year to torque the bolts, but never pulled them all the way off. The nuts torqued down tight each time, but the threads where they tighten down are gone on a few and badly pitted on a few others.

Any chance of seeing a picture of these bolts close up?

This is the sort of project that many of us can learn from. I'm thinking of dropping my keel as well for inspection purposes.



I wish you good luck on this project, I just read your entire blog and really enjoyed it. Hope you get back out there soon!!

[funjohnson]

Here are some photos of the damage:

[SloopJonB]

Considering how many boat were and are built in Florida, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a foundry or two closer than Rhode Island or Canada that could do this job.

I'd ask around the Fla. boatbuilders as to where they get their keels poured.

[funjohnson]

Yeah. The marina I'm at used to be a Hunter factory. A lot of the employees came from there, but none did keels. Seems even Hunter had their keels made by Mars. Sabre was I Broomfield, and they are $450 a bolt apparently (still waiting on a call back).

[Freerider]

I'm far from an expert, but with the exception of 1, they don't seem to be in that terrible of shape. They look great at the keel to hull joint.

Is you water in your bilge salt or fresh?