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lead keel or iron keel?

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frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/02/2011 : 20:03:48

How do I find out what the keel is made of on my '83?

Edited by - on

blanik
Navigator

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Canada
210 Posts

Response Posted - 11/02/2011 : 20:15:35

i guess a magnet would answer that

Edited by - on

Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 05:46:48

If it is a swing keel it is steel. I think the fixed keel is lead. Someone I am sure can weigh in on the fixed keel to give you a defininate.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 06:44:41

Hmmm... '83 was about the time of the changeover from the iron fin to encapsulated lead (maybe '84). If you don't have any rust, it almost has to be lead. And if you tap it with a hammer and it goes " ", it's lead. The encapsulation is a thick layer of fibrous material--not ordinary fiberglass. BTW, the swing keel is cast iron, not steel.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 11/03/2011 06:45:20

Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 07:22:38

Is that cast iron fixed keel somehow encapsulated?
I have a little rust spot on the bottom of the keel but as it now sits on the trailer, I'm not able to check.

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 08:38:37

I believe the cast iron fixed keels were attached with non-stainless steel bolts and they switched over to stainless steel bolts when the switched to a lead keel. If your studs/nuts resemble a pile of rust you probably have a cast iron keel. There may have been some cast iron keels installed with s/s hardware or lead keels with non s/s hardware but I have never heard anyone mention having those configurations. Others can chime in if my assumption is wrong. Check the studs with a magnet. S/S is nonmagnetic.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 13:40:42

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sloop Smitten
 I believe the cast iron fixed keels were attached with non-stainless steel bolts and they switched over to stainless steel bolts when the switched to a lead keel.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">True.

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 15:11:38

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Is that cast iron fixed keel somehow encapsulated?
I have a little rust spot on the bottom of the keel but as it now sits on the trailer, I'm not able to check.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Tomas,
I also have a 1978 fin keel and mine is not encapsulated. When I had mine pulled this year for a bottom paint job I had a little rust and growth at the very bottom of the keel but was remarkably amazed at the general overall good condition of a 33 year old keel that has been in salt water continuously. I took a wire wheel to the rusted ares and coated them with Hammerite Rust Cap Paint (had a quart in my garage). They painted over that the next day and she is back in the water so I can appraise it in another 4 or 5 years. If all you have is a little rust on the bottom of a 33 year old keel I think you have very little need for concern. At the very least it is something you can address the next time she is pulled. I do not know if Catalina offered encapsulation of the fin keel for that vintage boat. I would expect those that have encapsulated hulls took it upon themselves.

Edited by - Sloop Smitten on 11/03/2011 15:21:16

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 18:17:00

I think the lead keel was encapsulated to keep its dimensions the same with the denser lead.

Edited by - Dave5041 on 11/03/2011 18:17:24

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2011 : 20:23:14

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave5041
 I think the lead keel was encapsulated to keep its dimensions the same with the denser lead.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Agree. That would explain the thickness of the encapsulation, which would not be there for performance purposes. I've seen a couple of damaged encapsulated C-25 keels, and there's a lot of "stuff" on there.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 11/03/2011 20:23:43

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2011 : 06:04:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave5041
 I think the lead keel was encapsulated to keep its dimensions the same with the denser lead.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Agree. That would explain the thickness of the encapsulation, which would not be there for performance purposes. I've seen a couple of damaged encapsulated C-25 keels, and there's a lot of "stuff" on there.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yep...

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2011 : 07:50:23

Yup--that's the stuff... I got into trouble here once suggesting that the "stuff" seemed almost identical in texture to the molded asbestos "blanket" on an old furnace I once had. I still suspect that's what it was, although perhaps done with chopped glass fibers instead of asbestos. (That turns out to be almost as dangerous.)

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 11/04/2011 07:53:09

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2011 : 11:04:08

I have a bad habit of overstating the obvious . . .

So how do you evacuate all of the moisture once it has entered the above?

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2011 : 12:11:54

A chopper gun seems a likely technique.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2011 : 13:16:43

OJ - let it sit for a few months, then send to boatyard for repair. Indoor storage helps. They grind back to beyond the damaged area and repair.

Get out chequebook and bend over.

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frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 11/11/2011 : 16:22:50

Thank you all!

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frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2011 : 16:06:05

yep, sure did :-D<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by blanik
 i guess a magnet would answer that
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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