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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Swing Keel Thunk?

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doublereefed
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167 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/19/2018 : 10:02:55

Greetings,

I've never noticed this before, maybe it hasn't occured before and I have a problem?

While floating in the middle of the lake, sails were down, we were just drifting, big wakesurf boat wakes would pass through. As we pitched fore and aft the swing keel would bang in the trunk. At first I thought it might just be a really strong hull "slap", but I went down and listened and it was the keel.

Is this normal, or do I have a problem? One additional bit of detail, I can only lift the keel half way with the lifting tackle. I'm on a mooring now, but in the last years the keel was up enough to not drag on the ramp and contact with the trailer pushed to keel up into the trunk.

Thoughts? Thanks!

Richard
Midway, UT

'95 C250 WB #61
Midway, UT

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2018 : 14:13:18

Sounds like your boat is trying to tell you something. When was the last time any maintenance was done on the keel?

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

doublereefed
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Response Posted - 08/19/2018 : 16:31:48

1995, I'm sure.

'95 C250 WB #61
Midway, UT

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2018 : 20:22:34

1) Banging in the trunk while pitching fore and aft would indicate that your up-haul cable is not secured . This could cause damage to the trunk, seal of your water-ballast tank, undue strain on your centerboard mounting pin as well as the suspension and the up-haul cable

In addition you may wish to add spacers on both sides of the centerboard to eliminate that super annoying (sideways) clunking.

Best way to measure the thickness of the spacers is by feeding, a 1/4 x 3" or whatever thickness is required, up the trunk...

Place the spacers in the Catalina recommended position. (by the way you can make wood spacers and epoxy them into place)

2) Your brass up-haul turning ball may have corroded on the stainless steel mounting pin fiber-glassed into the hull. It is possible that the ball by not turning has grooves gouged into the ball while not turning.

Catalina Direct sells a insert replacement kit but... to install the kit you will have to remove the existing turning ball which is not an easy thing to do.
As a way around this problem we used the launching ramp to nudge it up.

(photos are taken from the hull of "seabear", formerly owned by Peter Holdack)

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.