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.
I'm going to haul out my boat to my trailer this coming spring to check and redo the bottom anti-fouling and fix whatever else I might find. In an attempt to be prepared, I'm looking at ways to lower the entire swing keel just in case it needs to be ground and new barrier coat applied. I've seen some pictures of supports and cradles made out of wood to hold the swing keel in place while lowering with a hydraulic car jack. I've also read about using long threaded rods but no pictures or thorough explanation of how this works. Is anyone familiar with the long threaded rod method?
I assume you replace the hanger bolts one at a time with 2'-3' threaded rods and then back off the nuts in turn until the keel is fully exposed. That sounds like a good way to lower it but I'll still need some kind of support/cradle to lower the keel into so that I can disconnect and replace the cable and hinge pin.
I used the all thread rod several times and it works great . I made a form that allowed the keel to slide into and held it upright . A jack could help especially peace of mind . The wooden form is almost a must, you don' want a 1500 lb keel falling sidewise on you!!!
Great. It's good to know that the all thread method does work. I'll definitely build a wooden frame to hold it upright while I inspect/redo the top half of the keel and the trunk area.
...you don't want a 1500 lb keel falling sidewise on you!!!
...or even just ending up flat on the ground.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
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.