Replacement 21 keel (Macgregor)

[CharlieCobra]

Google it. I recall a photo essay of the process by a poster over at sailboatowners when he did his swing keel. Mine is non glassed and rusty but still in good shape.

[sailormac2]

Yeah, done a lot of webcrawling and did find some interesting approaches that different Venture owners have used. Main challenge is getting the keel off and putting it back on! Most of the DYI guys had lots of space to build overhead slings or put the boat on blocks. Unfortunately I do not have the room for that so I may just have to take it to the dreaded shipyard with a travel lift. I'm getting a quote from a local yard tomorrow..should be interesting. Anyway thanks for the response, btw your link is not active, did you sell the boat already?

[dangh]

Dear Woodenu,
I have a 1969 Mac Venture 17 with a swing keel. I'm interested in the process you used to repair yours. How did you remold the fiberglass resin around the metal keel? Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Dan

[Gorlog]

You might be able to go to a foundry (if you can find one fairly localy)and get a cast iron duplicate for cheaper than you may first think, I suppose it would then have to be drilled and reamed to size, or even have bushings installed where it's pivot point is. Finishing it with a Zinc Chromate Primer, follwed by an Acrylic high soilds paint coating, followed by an an acrylic finish paint and finaly a clear coat. At least thats my vision of it. I cant say I'm looking forward to one of the many impending disasters which aparently await the keel on my 21' Venture either, when I get her sailing that is, mabey I go ahead and repaint it now, mabey not, well whatever you do - Goodluck

[dangh]

Thanks for your reply, Gorlog. I talked to the folks @ Interlux & they said I could put the West Marine 105 directly on the metal, once the metal is cleaned to a bright finish. I did the best I could, as there were pockets of rust on the steel part of the keel that attaches to the lead portion. Will coat with a couple more coats, then glass, bondo, fair, seal, prime & paint. Hope it works.
Thanks again for yur input,
Dan

[chrisrohrer]

I have done this repair on my Mac with great results... I stripped the keel down, used a two part etching primer to prime it. The next step was epoxy the whole thing once over, then onto the 2 part foam to fill and fair. Last was several coats of epoxy and glass, with sanding in between... A bit of bottom paint, and presto, back into the boat... Check out my pictures here..
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ventur...67636/pic/list

[sophie14]

hello guys. I'm parting out a mac/venture 22. I have keel and all other hard parts including trailer, mast and boom, spinnaker pole, and pop top. all are for sale for decent offers. call mark at 4407770375 between 10am and 10pm EST. P.s. If you have a damaged hull call me also.