(yes, there's another thread from me for the same problem but I thought I start fresh to document this journey for other folks running into similar problems)

So, I bought a Super Seal 26 with massive hidden damage. Most of the following is conjecture, stuff literally comes up as I grind. Long story short: Seems like the lifting keel/centerboard went on a little solo adventure/smashed through the bottom guides at some point in time and somebody bodged the carnage and put her up for sale.

Here’s a photo gallery showing the situation.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/W5oxxNSxJmgoJ9tY7 

My main concern is if / how I can fix this. So there’s three major points where I need help

• How is the boat originally constructed?

• How was it fixed / how to remove the fix?

• How to do a proper fix? Should I go for strength / reinforcement or is this a kind of mechanical fuse?

• Do I start with cutting out the complete aperture or do I try to salvage some of it (not knowing what is putty and what is maybe original)

My hypothesis so far:

• Grind away everything what looks like thickened epoxy or damaged fibreglass (thinking that’s not original and a bad fix)

• Fit in the keel properly on non buggered guides

• fabricate/fit an aperture with guide blocks from some kind of plate on the fitted keel.

• Trim Aperture, glass it in with overlap (see sketch).

My Questions:

• Is there additional damage I’m missing

• What materials to use?

• Some kind of plate (coosa, grp?), what kind of roving (heavy biaxial?). What kind of gelcoat / fairing?

regret I cant help with any advice on this repair - looks a bit tricky.

for advice on the construction and possible repair you could try Bruce Parker who is the son of the builder, Bill Parker.

The only contact I have for him is 'bigdaddybruce63' on ebay - search for that as a seller and try to contact him through ebay.

Best of luck

Chris

Update: After grinding away the first pounds of putty, the carnage is slowly becoming visible. It's even worst than I thought, at least the aperture and guide block assembly was completely chewed out.

more pics in the album

https://photos.app.goo.gl/W5oxxNSxJmgoJ9tY7 

... and whoever did this is a firm believer in no-prep laminating...

Hi Chris,

Ive never done anything as messy as yours and I'm amateur but Im thinking;

Grind out all the damage in keel slot (obvious) vacuum out, wipe clean & acetone as needed.

Warm up the hull bottom so any water that has got in under the ballast dries out (we did our keel in a container under an electric blanket for a week)

Consider tilting the boat slightly on one side and pour a little epoxy resin inside the hull so it can search for any cracks between the hull and the keel box tube. Then mix thickened epoxy (microfibres for strength, but also some collodial silica to stop it dribbling out) and bead it in around the joint.

Get the first coat on quick so it bonds a little onto the epoxy resin youve just put in. -not to much of the thickened epoxy, you can always build up layers later.

Tilt the boat the other way and repeat. This is all to bond it back together.

Level the boat, cut a long strip of cellulose (the covers on old PSSA members handbook are ideal) and use this to profile the hull slot. Stick masking tape across the bottom of the hull damage and fold in to stick on the cellulose.

Pour in (Id suspect very messy) more thickened epoxy to rebuild the hull section. Not easy but a dremel should fair out to the right keel profile.

I don't know whether you need a landing 'block' for the keel to bed down on but if so, 'Delrin' (its a strengthen acetal) is used for rudder bearings so long life, waterproof, absorbs wear. I understand its 3D printable, but thats way above my knowledge.

I wouldn't bother with 'gell coat'. If I wanted a better finish think i'd use paint on 'gell shield' (comes in 2 colours, so you can tell when your re-coating when youve got it covered.) its epoxy so waterproof. Maybe one of those radiator brushes would get you up inside?

I'd also look at the top of the keel and measure down to where it lands on the hull. if the boat ran onto ground and tried to tilt, the top edge of the keel and the matching point on the inside front of the keel box may also have damage.

hope this helps.

ieuan

I added more photos and two videos to the album. Long story short: After loads of grinding I'm finally finding something to build onto. Thanks to Peter (from this forum), Dede and Andre (from my sailing club) I've got a rough game plan to be honed in the next weeks (I'm 400km away from the boat for now). I'll post some sketches. The consensus so far is that it'll be a load of work, messy af, but doable. We shall see...

If anybody has some pictures of a Seal mk1 Keel Assembly (Aperture and lower guides) I would really appreciate it, at the moment it seems I've to re-engineer them from scratch.