So I hit this rock... again... and again

deckhanddave · #1 (**permalink**) 11-20-2006

I finally got my boat out of the water this past weekend and it confirmed my fears. Not only had the starboard side been hit by seawall, but the keel had impacted as well. The T30 has an all lead keel and I'm wondering if this is what saved her. I'm saying saved because even though it looks like someone took a giant claw hammer to the keel, none of the stringers are broken inside, the keel lines up with the mast and the centerline of the boat, all of the bolts *appear* to be ok, and the only damage below waterline is the minor cracking of the fairing putty that is put on the hull/keel line. The bolts were serviced by the previous owners 4 years ago (full drop, clean, rebed, retighten) and after the accident she stayed at her mooring for 3 weeks taking water from the prop shaft packing and a missing hatch in a rain storm. So am I just lucky or is there really something to my lead absorbing the impact theory.

morganmike · #2 (**permalink**) 11-20-2006

Don Casey, among others, has written positively about the shock absorbing ability of lead. Makes sense from a physics perspective; the soft lead can deform and inelastically absorb most of the impact energy from the unyielding concrete.

BUT, if the boat was left in a position where she could slam repeatedly against a seawall AND a hatch was open for an extended period, and the boat didn't sink or do extensive damage to herself then, yes, you were lucky.

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 11-20-2006

You are very lucky... even a lead keel will transmit some of the shock from repeated impacts. You should definitely get the whole keel and keel support structure checked out very thouroughly..

sailaway21 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-21-2006

Ah, Dave. A minor point in semantics. Seawalls don't hit anything. By their very design nature they are relatively immovable; one of their endearing features is that they are right where you left them upon returning from sea. Boats, on the other hand, have been known to hit almost anything available. (LOL)

deckhanddave · #5 (**permalink**) 11-21-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailaway21

Ah, Dave. A minor point in semantics. Seawalls don't hit anything. By their very design nature they are relatively immovable; one of their endearing features is that they are right where you left them upon returning from sea. Boats, on the other hand, have been known to hit almost anything available. (LOL)

Arg! Foiled in my attempt to share the fearful truth about the secret lives of seawalls.