Does anyone know where I can source the keel nylon slider pieces, or the material to cut them from? They got destroyed because bolts were rusted in and impossible to remove nicely.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Aida

Hi,

I have managed to find small bits of nylon sheet on ebay - normally off cuts from larger users.

On my Parker 27 we have a nylon block at the back and the front of the keel - these have been made using 25mm nylon and a sharp saw! The hard bit is getting the angles right, so keep as much of the originals as possible to use as patterns.

BW, Chris

Hi Chris, not sure where you are located, but if on the South Coast near Waterlooville, there is a plastics distributor called Ensinger Plastics, in Waterlooville that if you drop in and go into there side office, you can purchase Delrin offcuts of plate and round bar, anything from 10mm thick to 40mm thick and 25mm diameter to 50mm diameter for around a tenner (goes into their tea fund) I have had loads of bits from them over the years. Delrin is the best plastic for boat use as it is not hydroscopic as some nylon plastics are and is also inert (does not swell up with exposure to water) It's what all nylon products for boats are made of including blocks, rollers and deck fittings such as cleats. It is sometimes known as Acetal but it is a sub group of Acetal, as not all Acetals are suitable for exposure to water. (note they also do Tufnol in different thicknesses as well)

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