| Author | Message | ||
     Jeff Roy (Jeffr) Rating: N/A |
YeeeHaaaa! I have successfully removed and replaced all 8 of the keel nuts. It took me 4 trips to Sears, 2 trips to Jamestown Distributors (both locations), countless trips to the local hardware store, a big ass pipe, lots of patience, a whole can of PB Blaster, and almost every tool I own. I love Sears! I broke a 1/2 socket drive, a 3" extension, and split a socket. Today I had an impact wrench socket that was 1/16" smaller than spec and hammered it down on them real snug. I ran the die down the threads before and after I removed each nut. Lots of oil. My 6' big ass pipe was bending when the extension split in half. The thing bounced around the cabin like a bullet! Ok stop using the extension and really lean into that pipe. POP!!! Now the bolts are so clean the nuts spin down freely. The washers were the real bitch. They took lots of chisling and slamming with the wonder bar. The nuts I have on now are just temporary. JD only had 304 nuts and washers so I am going to look harder for 316. Then I am going to build up out of the sump with filled epoxy and spread the load with a backing plate of G10. I cut that floor covering the foremost bolt with a hole saw. I am not completely sure how I am going to rebuild the mast step. I definitely need to improve on what S2 cooked up. I started to try and remove that floor and found it was very solid and the tabbing is very thick and is well adhered. I think I am going to repair what is there and then just build around it with stronger materials. I am thinking of using G10 for a lot of it, that stuff is incredible. ... and it is expensive. Putting it back together should be a lot easier than taking it apart. I finally see the end of the destruction phase and am starting the construction phase, a definite good sign. The last 5 nuts came off in a few hours. Nothing like having all the right tools. Previously I had only been gotten one off per visit to the boat. I also ground down the keel seam on the outside a little and then gouged it out with a sharp pointy scraper. It really doesn't look that bad. I can see where the water came from and it does not look like it would be hard to seal. The more I stiffen up the tops of the bolts and the surrounding areas of the hull and the keel will work a lot less. Down the road I can do a lot to stiffen up the boat. I just need to get the area under the mast solid to start with. |
