Commander #65 "Lucky Dawg"

[elliotr]

Lucky dog, your last post peaked my interest. I think I may have some water at the bottom of my kiel. I repaired a crack in the front of my kiel and some water seeped out. If there is water down there, it's sitting below the lead ballest, so my question is, how far down does the lead ballest go? How much space is between the bottom wall of the fiberglass kiel and the lead ballest?

[Lucky Dawg]

Hey Elliott,
There is a ton of discussion on the forum about the keel void. (better than the search option here, go to google/other and enter: site: pearsonariel.org "whatever you're looking for" (in quotes)) The manual also has some discussion on pp. 41-42. (Manual, by the way, is well worth your $35.) I'm not blowing you off, but it is better stated than I might several times over elsewhere on the forum! There may also be a diagram in the manual, but I haven't looked for it in a while.
Water is pretty diligent and finds its way wherever it cares to. The void isn't in the front of the keel where you found seepage, but that doesn't surprise me that some worked its way up there. Here in MI where we're unfortunately 6 mo. on the hard, dry-out is an option. Not sure what the advised dry-out regimen might be where our yachts are 24/7/365 in the drink.
KW

p.s. What's your Lake MI port?

[elliotr]

Lake Charlevoix (Pine Lake) is my home port. Feel free to blow me off if need be, no insult taken. It's really hard to know what the long term effects of water on raw fiberglass would be. No matter what, water is going to find it's way down there so I suspect emptying the kiel does nothing more than reducing the exacerbation.

This brings me to another points. My boat is hull number 267 which I think means it's 50 years old this year. In another 50 years I'll be 79 If I live that long. I wonder if these boats will be sailing around a century after they were built. If that does come to pass and I'm long gone, who ever's reading this forum in 50 years, I'd be much obliged if you'd pore a drink over the bow while under sale in hull 267.

[Lucky Dawg]

In another 50 I'll be a hundred (as will the Dawg) and I plan to be under sail!

[Lucky Dawg]

Now you have me looking... http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...604-keel-voids

Pic Bill (A231) posted. Holes I drilled are just a smidge fwd and a bit below of the tip of the arrow indicating the keel void. I can't tell you exactly, but I'd guess the bottom of that void is about 5" above the bottom of the keel - solid fiberglass below. You can eyeball it - that fitting is 3 1/8" in diameter, and the bottom of the 1 1/2" hole I drilled is at the very bottom of the void...

[Lucky Dawg]

part: http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/brow...3-/4,2236.html (There is another very similar part that is twice the price... ?)

[Lucky Dawg]

Can't believe I missed this last night. A photographer's picture from my home port of Muskegon, Mi. Unfortunately, no alarm sounds when they fire up.



Daily Aurora Borealis Forecast: http://www.softservenews.com