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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Swing Keel Instructions

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goray
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/05/2011 : 08:21:40

I just bought a 1983 cat 25 swing keel. I need instructions on how to let the swing keel down. I went on the previous owners word that it worked. Moving clockwise goes up but how do you release so it will go down? It is on a lift and I want to make sure everything is ok before i go out. By the way this forum is wonderful.

Ray Carter

Edited by - on

pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 09:17:56

The winch, assuming it is original, has a friction brake. You simply turn the crank counter-clockwise to lower. Let me be the first of many to suggest (urge) you to get the Catalina Direct lifting maintenance kit http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1624&ParentCat=108

This is a routine maintenance item which should be inspected annually and changed at least every 2 or 3 years. The boat must be on the hard to do this job, so now is the time to do it.

Edited by - on

goray
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 09:23:13

Thank You

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 09:23:57

The swing keel winch is equipped with an automatic brake that is supposed to work in both directions. It is designed to hold the keel in whatever position it is in when you stop turning the handle. Therefore all you should have to do is turn the handle in the opposite direction to lower the keel. Even though you are dealing with 1500 lbs of cast iron, it should turn easily in either direction.

Edited by - dmpilc on 09/05/2011 09:25:41

goray
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 09:30:04

Thank You

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goray
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 09:43:37

Thank You

Edited by - on

goray
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 09:45:57

Thank You

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 11:49:41

I completely forgot to say -- WELCOME!, so welcome to the Association and the world of C-25 sailing, Ray.
This forum is one of the best things about having a C-25. The folks here are wonderful and we all enjoy helping you make the most out of your sailing experience. BTW, if you don't have the Catalina Direct parts book, it's well worth purchasing. And please be sure to join the Association - another great bargain!

Edited by - on

Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
465 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2011 : 19:58:10

Ray, I don't feel Pat was sufficiently emphatic when he said that changing-out the keel cable "should" be done periodically. As one who has seen it first-hand, I'll tell you that it's a sobering event when that cable fails - and they DO fail! When I bought mine I insisted on having the PO load it onto the trailer before I took possession, and sure enough, it snapped as the boat was partly onto the trailer. When it happens in deep water, the momentum of the falling keel drives the upper portion back through the aft end of the keel trunk and the resulting leak can quickly sink the boat.

This is not meant to make you fearful, or to cause you to worry about the prudence of having a swing keel in the first place; I fly in airplanes regularly but I would not go up in one that I had reason to believe wasn't properly maintained, and changing the keel cable on a Cat-25 swinger is about as critical as maintaining the motor on a plane. The frequency of replacement is somewhat flexible: a dry-sailed lake boat probably doesn't need it done as often as a boat berthed in warm Florida salt water. But there's no reliable way to determine when that cable is ready to go, so it's wise to simply do it on a regular basis. Most opinions I've read range between one and three years. Check the connection between the cable and the keel as well, and upgrade it if it's still the original fixed unit.

You're smart to check everything over before going out. Work the valves on the through-hulls and check the hoses. Play with the rudder and look for looseness in the gudgeons and pintles. Deploy the sails on a calm day or evening, and check the lines - halyards and sheets - and the hardware they run through. Run the motor for awhile at the dock and make sure it doesn't stall while you're still in the marina (with fenders out). Check the radio and any navigational electronics, as well as the compass. Inspect the PFD's for worn straps. Make certain that the anchor rode isn't tangled and the shackles are tight. Have a haul-line and a throw line ready, as well as throwable flotation, and give some thought to how you or your crew would try to climb back aboard with heavy saturated clothing. Be prepared to be stuck out after dark.

There's (at least) one more thing to consider changing, and to be cautious about until then: the standing rigging (the stays and shrouds that hold the mast up) should be changed periodically, especially if the boat lives in a salt environment. Prevailing wisdom is to replace it all on a saltwater boat (including those old factory-issue enclosed turnbuckles) as often as once a decade or so. Again, a set of cables on a vessel kept in a less corrosive environment might last much longer, but if you ever get to hear the little "pinging" sound when a single wire parts - without simultaneously losing the entire rig - you'll become a believer real fast (I'm speaking, again, from first-hand experience). Find out when it was last changed - on the Florida coast it would be like playing Russian Roulette to continue to sail an '83 with its original rig.

So, after checking the vessel thoroughly, there's only one thing left to do: take 'er out and sail her. There's a big difference between blissful ignorance and the peace of mind earned through careful preparation, and so much of the joy of sailing is about peace of mind. You're off to a great start - you bought an excellent sailboat and you found your way to this forum.

- Lee

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pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2011 : 08:32:11

Lee - well said! Let me also suggest that you carefully inspect the "volcano" - the part of the hull through which the keel lifting cable passes. The prior owner of my boat (my father-in-law) did not replace the keel cable in the first 20 years of the boat's life. The turning ball seized and the sawing motion of the cable running over the turning ball ultimately caused the volcano to break. Fortunately, he was able to get back to the marina and get the boat in the lift before it sank.

There are thousands of SK boats still sailing, so you do not need to be worried about your purchase - just prudent.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2011 : 16:19:13

Amazing, all good, sound advice and nobody took a shot at swingers.

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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.