On our new Parker 275, there's a shock cord from the top of the keel that disappears in to the mast, and apparently goes on up. We understand that this is supposed to indicate the keel position, but it's completely perished and isn't capable of telling us anything! Can anyone advise on how to replace this? Is it the best/only way of identifying the keel position, given that we have no convenient keel lift rope running along the deck?

Thanks

Gilliane

Delphine, Parker 275, no. 41

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Gilliane,

On Flamingo the shock cord reappears near the spreaders, if this is the case you can attach some new shock cord and pull it through. I discovered this after I had riveted a new loop to the mast near the spreaders to attach shock cord to. I have a length of thin rope attached to the top of the keel, this is tied to the shock cord and marked with a plastic ball. When the keel is down the ball is at deck level, however far up the ball is indicates how much the keep is up. I think there are as many ways of doing this as there are 275s.

Regards

Phill