Hello everybody.

This is my first post on the forum and I hope there will be many more if things go to plan.[:)]

I'm looking at a Seal 22 for sale up here in Shetland. She's in basically good shape but needs a bit of fettling here and there. She's on the water and was bought by the current owner last year to learn a bit about sailing.

She has been left in the water with the centreplate in the down position by the previous owner and the present owner had a couple of attempts at raising it and then gave up.... The gear winds, the plate comes up a little and then feels to meet increasing resistance before coming to a complete jam.

The current thinking is that the plate is heavily fouled from being left down for God knows how long and is binding on the casings. Sounds sensible to me as the mechanism appears to be working fine - anyone got any thoughts? Is this a common occurrence with neglected plates?

History wise, the owner (a Hungarian chap who is a contractor at the Sullom Voe gas plant build) know nothing about her. However, she is called (in fairly weather worn lettering) 'Sprite' and has 'RTYC' on the transom. Royal Tay YC?

Any thoughts or info would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

Klanky.

Hello Klanky

Since the boat is in the water, and you can't look at the outside of the keel very easily [:D], rather than trying to second guess external causes such as weed, or worse-barnacles, why not start by getting the owner to agree to unscrewing the table top?

It's not a difficult job, and then you can at least have a look at the lifting gear, the inside of the keel casing and the top of the keel itself.

If all seems well internally, then, if it were me, I'd ask the owner to let you see the boat in slings with the keel down...

Good luck!

Geoff Sheddick
Parker 27/146 "Stroller'

---