In the Boat Maintenance section of the website, Chris Turner describes his modification of the Super Seal 26 lifting keel so that it can easily be lifted right up, and the supporting pin inserted. Has anyone else made a similar modification, and, if so, do you have details - ideally, dimensioned drawings - and/or a recommendation of a craftsman in the Solent area who could make us something suitable for our Super Seal Miss Fidget?

Many thanks

Gilliane

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Hi Gilliane - I cant help you, but I am in Keyhaven and I am interested as well!

If you get any information, I would be interested.
Richard

Claudia Jean, SS 26 - No100, Keyhaven

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Gilliane/Richard, attached, hopefully, a photo of the crude plywood first try at the lift keel system. Worked ... but not really man enough.
If you would like to borrow it as a 'model'( not sure how we get it to you from IOW) you are welcome to it.
Chris.

Gilliane

I have found the ad for a 26 I sold on the web site which had the statement Keel adapted so that it fully retracts that you referred to in your earlier email to me.

It was Superseal no 41 sold by John Margarson (I have no record who he sold it to), However, I suggest you contact John for details of the mod. If you do get the details can I suggest you let me have the info for the Maintenance page of the PSSA web site at http://www.sealasc.org.uk/maintenance.htm  for the benefit of others? (You'll see an entry from Chris there on this very subject)

John can be reached on 01702294864. I can let you have his e-mail if you need it. Drop me an email as I do not like posting people's email addresses on the web. Anyway - I suggest a phone call might be better.

Regards
Don Harvey
Web Master
Parker 325 'Calypso'

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Dear Don and Chris

Many thanks to you both for your helpful replies. I'll try to phone John Margarson and will post the conclusions of my discussion with him on this forum, and will also let you, Don, have any detailed information that he gives me. If this draws a blank, Chris, I'd very much like to borrow your plywood model - we could cross the Solent to pick it up - and I then know someone locally (i.e., in Oxford) who might well be able to make something similar in stainless steel, and this specification could then go on the Maintenance page of the website.


Best wishes

Gilliane


Miss Fidget, Super Seal 26, no. 69

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Gilliane, I will mail you directly re picking up the crude 'model'.
You will need to make sure it fits. I'm not sure how consistent the super seal 26 moulds were. Elsa is the later Parker version.
You will notice on the photo that there are short 'lugs' both fore and aft that slot down into the keel housing (where it is just marginally wider at the top). This is to stop the the fitting moving about.
The other critical measurement will be the width of the keel at the top. Hopefully that will be the same so it can squeeze between the blocks.
The blocks should be in the correct position fore and aft so long as you drill the new lower hole for the rope on the parallel line (with the keel edge) down the keel below the old upper hole.
You will notice that the reinforcement in my 'model' has a slot cut out of it (rather negating it's original purpose). That was for the 'pin' to hold the keel up through the standard hole ( I got that measurement wrong as the keel wouldn't lift any higher!)
It would be great if you could find a standard 'supplier' for this fitting ... it was a pity that my guy who made my ss one went out of business.
Chris.

Hi Gilliane
Super seal number 41 will be based in Portsmouth from early April
i will be assisting the new owner bring her down to the Solent ,the lift keel arrangement is the same as on "Elsa" Chris Turners 26
I will let the new owner know that you would like to see

Peter Lowry

Dear Peter

This sounds good - many thanks. Where in Portsmouth will Foca be based? We're at Wicormarine, near at the northwest end of Porstmouth Harbour, on the way to Fareham, on a swinging mooring. It would be ideal if we could borrow the keel fitting for a few days to get one or more copies made, but that would obviously only be possible if it was convenient for the owner.... We'll probably try to get the hole drilled in the keel in preparation before we launch in early April.

Best wishes

Gilliane

Miss Fidget, Super Seal 26, no. 69

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Hi Gilliane
Leonie Keynon formally is the new owner and i will be in touch with her in the next few days, Foca will be launched on the Hamble on the 2nd April and will be in Portsmouth for the Easter rally (Hopefully)

see you soon

Peter