I was up in Midland taking e cover off Capers yesterday and getting her ready to launch and noticed seepage in one spot on the starboard side near the stern end of the keel. I will be going back up tomorrow, weather permitting, to get more pictures and do some more investigating but would appreciate any thoughts that any of you might have.
Thanks.
Jim Lorriman
Capers, N26C
Bay Port Yachting Center
Midland, Ontario
I’m wrapping up a keel joint refresh. Mine ( see HERE ) started with a similar look. I sailed with it for a season, and this spring ground it down and am refreshing it.
It was only leaking in the one spot after haul-out but the bedding compound was pretty shot over the entire length of the keel. The was a distinct crack showing over the length of the keel joint.
Check to see if you have water in the bilge over the area where a keel bolt is. Also, a good time to inspect and re-torque your keel bolts ( here and a nut ) and ( washer ) that were due for replacement.
I’ve got about 30 hours into it so far.
Rob Cohen
s/v SOAVE
NS33 #009
Cedar Point YC
Westport, CT
Hi Jim, it all depends where the seepage is coming from. If you merely have water coming into the joint between the keel and hull, this is common and you can redo the joint if you wish. The joint will invariably crack again because of the keel to hull motion. I haven’t bothered to repair that crack fyi.
If on the other hand the water’s coming from inside the boat, that may be more of a concern because that means one of your keel bolts is leaking. The only way to know this is by monitoring your bilge water around the bolts once you’ve launched.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Ron
If it is not actively dripping now and your bilge is dry over that spot, there is something you should try before you launch. Pour a bucket of water in the bilge and see if it starts weeping again, and if so, how quickly. That way you can see if its coming from inside and assess the gravity of the leak (what goes out must come in).
Good luck,
Jon Lewit
N26C - Inua - Kingston, NY
Hi,
When we purchased our boat in 2008 we could see the joint line but no water seepage. We had the joint refilled and faired, then the fairing from hull to keel redone.
No issues since and the only way to find the joint is by tapping to find the transition from fibreglass to lead.
Rob Powers,
Respite 26C #50
Sidney BC
Rob,
On Respite, when they refilled the keel joint did they drop the keel and replace the old bedding compound or did they grind the outer edge and and refill the void ?
Curious because on Soave I’m doing the grind and fill approach and did a lot of sanding to avoid having a fairing bump at the joint.
Also do you remember what they used as a bonding layer to the exposed lead ? I’m sanding out the oxidized lead and then coating it with thin epoxy.
Rob Cohen
s/v SOAVE
NS33 #009
Cedar Point YC
Westport, CT
I used to sand down, fill and fair my keel joint crack every spring. About 5 or 6 years ago I got fed up, dropped the keel (lifted the boat), and cleaned out all the old filler (it looked and behaved like 5200). The keel came away easily, just a little wiggling and slicing the 5200. There was a lot of mushy lead oxide between the keel and the hull. I ground the keel and hull flush, and replaced the filler with G-FLEX thickened epoxy. I coated the keel bolts in a liberal glooping of G-FLEX. When I set the boat back down G-FLEX squished up through the keel bolt holes into the bilge. I then removed the excess around the keel joint before it hardened and ground a 5" strip to recess the entire joint about 3/16". This removed the various materials used in previous repair attempts. I covered the joint in two layers of 6" woven glass tape wetted with G-FLEX and sanded it flush. (sanding the G-Flex was the hardest part). The joint has remained invisible since then and I have not had to do any work on my keel joint. I believe 5200 was too soft and allowed the keel to torque side to side over time, deforming the lead, cracking the paint and filler and allowing the lead to oxidize. There are many theories why keel joints open up but I am convinced the tremendous loads generated when heeled over and pounding through heavy seas deform the keel where it meets the hull. It gets wiggly. Water gets in and the keel oxidizes. Freezing might accelerate this. Once it gets to a certain point no amount of tightening the keel bolts will help.
P.S. someday someone is going to curse me when they try to salvage the lead from my boat.
Bruce Flinn
PATIENCE
30U399
Chester NS Canada
We did not drop the keel. Filled and faired. Nothing to indicate a need to drop the keel. The work was done in 2008 and no issues.
I did not see the work while it was done but I have just stopped the keel below the joint and applied epoxy to ensure the bottom paint will adhere.
Rob Powers
Respite 26C #50
Sidney BC
