Hi all
Ive recently bought a cole23 that is in need of a new swing keel. The specs I could find indicated the ballast weight should be 370kg. Should all that weight be in the keel, or is some distributed elsewhere? 370kg seems like a lot to hang off a 22mm bolt (which also has to be secured into the keel slot). I haven't got a good scaled plan, but from what I have got, I don't think the old keel had 370kg in it, as its not quite big enough. Has anyone got a cole23 or similar they can comment on ?
Thanks
370kg isnt a lot of lead to have in a swing keel ...... if u still have ur old keel just weight it ... get a new stainless steel bolt and off u go ....im gussing swing keels are pritty old and so would the boat .. so grind back the paint from the area were the bolt is and lay up some more glass to reinforce .....
and mabey drill a bigger hole and use a 30mm solid piece of stainless bar if u are still woried
Hi wiska,
My Careel 22 has (from memory) just under 300 kg swinging off a bolt about that diameter. The previous owner had it pulled out, keel glassed over and pin redone with a s/s threaded bolt exiting the keelcase and fastened with s/s nuts either side so it's plainly visible. A thing of beauty and solid as a rock. Really 300 kg is not all that much... your 1/8" standing rigging has a breaking strain in the order of 3 or 4 times the weight of your keel so the 1" solid pin should be able to take quite a bit.
I think that as long as there are no lateral twisting forces on the pin then all is well. That means that the keel needs to be fairly tight in its case. Once the pin, hole or keelcase get a bit worn and sloppy and the keel can get the slightest bit of twist in its case then you're on the slippery slope to major maintenance.
