[SeaStar58]

Go to Catalina Direct and they tell why the keel bolts can be in such rough shape on the Catalina and its because they put Inferior Grade nuts and washers on the High Grade J-Bolts they cast into the keels. Now that the damage is done you need to clean the corrosion off as best you can with a rotary wire brush, coat the parts with a protectant, refit new high grade nuts and washers on the keel bolts and seal with a marine grade thread locker every few years since to the damage that was done using the wrong nuts is going to keep coming back on you. Plus on certain models where Catalina cored the keel trunk with plywood you need to remove the keel, chisel/grind out the plywood and lay up solid fiberglass to replace the rotting plywood reinstalling the keel afterwards. Just because Catalina took over Charlie Morgans boat yard in Largo Florida it does not mean they are built like a Morgan.

The local boat repairmen here where all three companies (Catalina/Hake/Com-Pac) operate (Clearwater/Largo Florida) are pretty much in agreement when they say Hake builds a better larger boat and Com-Pac a better small to medium boat than Catalina or Marlow Hunter 170 miles away over in Alachua Florida. I have to take their word for it since they see hundreds of boats that need repair and are much more familiar with their weaknesses along with what needs to be done to overcome them than I am.