Dear All,

Hoping that someone might have had a similar experience and can advise:

When raising the keel, the thin guide wire (which normally comes up through the hole in the deck) appears to have got stuck, possibly down the side of the keel, so that it doesn’t come up with the keel - and in fact was being pulled down further as we tried to raise it.

We’re nervous of trying to raise the keel further for fear that the wire will snap – not a problem in itself but we’re not sure if we’ll then be able to retrieve the end still attached to the keel, and whether it might damage the side of the keel or its housing as we raise it.

It may be very straightforward, but we don’t want to risk causing any damage….

Any ideas gratefully received – or any recommended repairers in the Poole area?

June T (Parker 275, No 6)
(07970 694503)

Fortunately I haven't run into that problem.

If you take the cover off the keel box, can you see where it has gone? Can you haul on the bight of the wire to retrieve the end?

How far up is the keel? Can you reach to cut the wire? - At least then you might be able to get the keel the rest of the way up.

Good luck!

---

I managed to do the same thing on my P235. I dropped the keel which revealed enough wire to catch the loop. Then I firmly tied it off and dropped the keel just far enough to pull the stuck wire out. Then slowly raised the keel and temporary line.No damage was done. I was also on a friend's P275 when the keel line snapped! Faced with the keel right down we dropped a line with a loop in the end through the loop of the wire and then hooked it. Adreneline helped as we were on an ebb tide and the mooring dries out! In summary I would try lifting and then dropping the keel a little first.

Good luck!

Nigel Moon
Little Grebe P235 No 14

Hi In the old days when Bright Eyes was my first Parker and the educational exercise. I broke lots in ignorance. I
I seem to remember that the guide wire was attached to the top of the keel , so if the other end is released (maybe tape a long piece of string to it) you should be able to remove the cover of the keel box and have a chance of seeing what is wrong. Maybe just access the wire at the top of the keel and pull the wire through from its upper end or release the wire on the keel and pull it the other way. Clearly the wire is caught around something if is goes down when the keel comes up.

Jan Newman

325/32
Blue Moon