Has anyone any advice on these two subjects! Stopping the keel bumping when up if boat rocks and keel sticking down, motor unable to lift it until given a start with the hand pump, or running aground!
The keel has been taken out and sheaves cables and pads renewed. As a new owner all advice gratefully received

Richard de la Rue

Hi Richard,
Have you put a lot of water resistant grease on the pads? Maybe the Teflon parts are more enlarged with the water.
Pascal Claeyssens
Maruli 325/27

I use 'dry-lube' on Ruby rather than grease. I think this is Teflon based. I squirt it on the keel using the aerosol.
My problem was slightly different in that the keel would not reliably drop down this year (after working perfectly for some time). A few good squirts of lube and raising and lowering the keel a few times soon cured it.

The other thing to question is whether the hydraulic pump is wearing out, it must be getting on a bit. The pump pressure is adjustable and could be increased slightly. (Suggest you find a local hydraulics engineer to do it. Similar components are used on lorries, fork lifts, farm machinery, etc.)

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My motor wouldn't lift the keel after launch last year. Luckily, a fellow boater noticed/ heard me struggling with the boat back out of the water and came over. Turned out he is involved with heavy machinery for a living, and he realised the pressure release valve was lifting too early, before the hydraulics had enough pressure to lift the keel. Half a turn in on the adjuster and bingo, problem cured. He said this is quite common with older hydraulics - the spring in the valve looses tension with time and the preload needs increasing. The valve has a locknut on it and an allen key fits in the adjuster, on the hydraulic motor itself.