FG Advice Needed-Leaking Keel Stub on O’Day 34

[Quadrille in JB]

My 34 foot O’Day, shoal draft always leaks through the keel stub. I spent the last several days grinding away the bottom paint and Barrier coat so I could see what was happening. It appears that when the lead keel was cast there were voids about 6 inches below the top of the keel that allow water to enter behind the sealed keel/keel stub joint.
My plan is to wrap this with 10 to 15 layers of epoxy resin and fiberglass cloth. There doesn’t seem to be any movement but this would help prevent leakage, hopefully. I would like any suggestions as to what weight of fiberglass cloth and type I should use for this project.
The closeup shows the voids in the lead keel which are in the center of the big picture. It appears the problem was caused by casting at too low a temperature.

[Fore and Aft]

I usually use three layers of 450gm double bias cloth with epoxy resin, then a layer of peel ply to save sanding. We did this on a clients Benford dory and he has bounced of the bottom more times than most people and he is yet to crack the keel hull join.
I would like to see you drop the keel and just to check the bolts have no crevice corrosion or cracks before you glass her all up.
Cheers

[Nicholson58]

Please consider dropping the lead and re-bedding, sealing. It will not leak after this.

Also inspect and make sure the bolts are not about to fail.

[Quadrille in JB]

Thank you all for the prompt replies.
I considered dropping the keel which I will do if this doesn’t work. It’s just a lot more trouble and will tie up the already busy travel lift. The keel bolts are heavy stainless steel and appear to be in good shape. The torque is correct but I know there could still be hidden crevice corrosion. There doesn’t appear to be any movement at the keel/stub joint. I’ll let you know how it turns out

[Frank 101]

Originally Posted by Quadrille in JB

Thank you all for the prompt replies.
I considered dropping the keel which I will do if this doesn’t work. It’s just a lot more trouble and will tie up the already busy travel lift. The keel bolts are heavy stainless steel and appear to be in good shape. The torque is correct but I know there could still be hidden crevice corrosion. There doesn’t appear to be any movement at the keel/stub joint. I’ll let you know how it turns out

Wouldn’t it be better to find out if the bolts were sus in the yard rather than in the ocean?

[01kiwijohn]

yup, i'd be checking those bolts BEFORE doing anything else. SS failures are usually not progressive, more like instant.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Please consider dropping the lead and re-bedding, sealing. It will not leak after this.

Also inspect and make sure the bolts are not about to fail.

Second that!
(used to be a surveyor...)

[Quadrille in JB]

Thanks again for the recommendations.
Today, I checked the torque on the 6 keel bolts and they were all >120 ft lbs.
But...I will talk to the yard foreman when I return to the boat next Friday to see if it's possible that they can lift the boat Friday afternoon so I can drop the keel and leave it in the slings over the weekend for me to clean up while they're closed and I can re-bed it and lower the boat back onto the keel on Monday morning.
Bill in JB

[Fore and Aft]

Let us know how you get on with those keel bolts. If you are real lucky that keel should just falll off with a little persuasion when the nuts are undone and the hull is lifted.
Make sure the keel cannot fall over before you lift the boat.

Cheers

[Quadrille in JB]

I know that one of our greatest fears while sailing is to have a keel separation but, how often does this happen?
According to a Yachting World report:

"Currently, the list includes 72 cases since 1984, and in those 24 lives have been lost – a small number perhaps when compared with the many thousands of boats that have been built over this period, but unacceptable nonetheless.
https://www.yachtingworld.com/news/k...7mJIGzx2ymG.99

Of all of the tens of thousands of fin keeled boats that are sailing, this isn't a very big percentage. And, the majority of these failures were on high performance racing yachts. I sure wouldn't want to personally add to these statistics but after much thought I'm not very concerned about it happening to me on our conservatively sailed boat.

Thanks again for all of your concerns and advice.
Bill in JB

[billknny]

I am confused....

I don't see how those voids can transfer water inside the boat. Maybe just not getting a clear picture...

[Fore and Aft]

I would be taking that Yachtworld list very subjectively. As far as I know there is no world authority where you call in to register your keel failure? So as for the accuracy of the list it is probably close but not a definitive list. As for not being concerned, your logic is flawed since the older the yacht is the more stress cycles the keel has been subjected to. Not to mention your first post you mentioned your keel has always leaked. Being stainless steel keel bolts in a constatntly damp enviroment I would be concerned enough to drop the keel and have a look.
This article below makes interesting reading.

Cheers
https://www.assda.asn.au/technical-i...-and-corrosion

[Quadrille in JB]

I used 3 layers of 16 oz/ 450 gram bias ply cloth with epoxy resin on the keel stub join followed by 6 coats of 2 part barrier coat, and 3 coats of Ultima 60 anti- fouling.
I also found that the port propane locker drain thru hull had failed. I think this is where most of the water was coming from. After replacing the thru hull with a bronze one we splashed. On the 3 day cruise home, the bulge pump only ran once, for ~15 seconds. Problem Solved!
Thanks for all of the advice.

[Fore and Aft]

Sounds like a job well done. Post an update when you next slip her so we can see if the join has cracked? I doubt it will.
Cheers