I am now discovering boat maintenance big time.

In order to change the keel ram anode the boat has been in slings and I noticed that some of the fixing for the wing looked loose and at least one was missing. As soon as I tried to tighten any of the screws they just broke . Well 19 years under salt water not too bad. They appear to be just threaded into the lead of the wing casting . Does anyone know anything different ? Any smart solutions out there for solving the problem , of course very difficult to open out the existing holes as they have a stainless slug in them so the drill will just choose the lead.

I don't want to loose that wing !

Jan

325/32

Blue Moon

The situation seems sorted after a visit to my local machine shop . We decided that there must be a framework inside the lead keel then made an exploratory drilling and sure enough there is steel there. So have replaced all broken screws plus added more for luck, all new tapped holes to avoid the remains of the broken screws. Hard work !

Does anyone know how the keel is put together ? would be useful, in some places there are definitely two layers of steel.

Jan Newman

325/32

Blue Moon

An interesting post. I decided a year or so ago that I ought to remove a few keel bolts to see what they looked like after 15+ years. Whilst I was relieved to find that they seemed fine I too was under the impression that they were merely screwed into the lead wing so it's good to know that there is actually some steel in there too! If you find out any more about the way that this is constructed please post it as I, and I am sure other 325 owners would be very interested.

Jonathan Houston

325/23

Tilikum

I am amazed that your screws came out whole, well done . I would guess then that we have a problem with electrolytic corrosion due to some neglect of the keel ram anode. I did find two bolts in the keel recess, all that remained of an earlier anode so at some time in the boat's past the anode has been allowed to totally disintegrate. At that time maybe the corrosion occurred. I would like to get hold of the keel drawings is possible, if anyone knows where they might be, I don't suppose Parkers cast their own keels .

If you still have the original book of instructions for the boat you may see some lines on the keel drawing suggesting that there are three straps each side in the lead where the screws are tapped in . I am not so sure that there is not one continuous part each side as I failed to miss steel with any of my drillings for the extra screws, that was quite a hard two days.

Jan Newman

325/32

Blue Moon

For general information, the keel assemblies both lead wing and stainless steel fabricated keel were made by Irons Brothers of Wadebridge. They seem very helpful and have said they will send a drawing or sketch to show the make up of the keel . If need be they could make new ones as the patterns still exist. The support within the keel into which the screws are secured is 316 stainless.

Jan Newman

325/32

Blue Moon

I would be grateful for some advice on the keel

Bit of a recent problem with the boat pinched from its mooring in strong winds and abandoned (with keel up) aground

I now have the boat on the hard, noticed some of the retaining bolts (screws) have moved and one missing. Now need to check then intrgrity of the keel

Is the wing bolted from underneath, I have the plans and not clear. The 31 has several bolts and I dont know if the 325 is the same

Is it a case of just removing all the bolts (18) and replacing them with new ones, where do you get them and how to lock in place?

If you get a chance to call and discuss. it would be very helpful

Ph 07488328212

Look forward to talking

Regards

Barry

On the 335 the lead is all one casting and extends some 3-400mm up inside the hollow stainless foil of the keel.

It is held in place by countersunk socket-head machine screws from either side which I believe thread into steel reinforcements cast into the lead.

I have pictures of the keel for 335/50 before it was assembled, if they would help I can send you copies.

Martin

335/50

Thanks for the reply

Makes sense. and photos would be helpful

Probably remove all the old bolts and replace to be up to date

Regards

Barry Tiernan