Keel Bolt / Stud Leaking

[minaret]

Originally Posted by neilpride

Plexus is not flexible , so I doubt very much that with just retorque aft keel bolt you can go away that easy, I mean , plexus is like a epoxy putty , hard... in the safety sheet of plexus maybe you can found the melting point of the material or any other indication to make life easy if you need to remove it... I guess

Have used a hot wire before to remove bedded keels. Only works if you can pull all the bolts first, for obvious reasons.

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by minaret

You run the hole saw till it hits steel.



Pretty often I finish a job like this with an exterior tape on the keel/hull joint as well.

You mean run the whole lenght of the stud to the keel with a hole saw and later fill it with plexus? i mean the plexus will adhere in moist conditions to the surrounding hole laminate? i dont see a problem with that if the exterior joint is filled to... i see a washer under the bolt , could be a good idea to increase the size since the hole saw remove solid laminate around the stud?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by neilpride

You mean run the whole lenght of the stud to the keel with a hole saw and later fill it with plexus? i mean the plexus will adhere in moist conditions to the surrounding hole laminate? i dont see a problem with that if the exterior joint is filled to... i see a washer under the bolt , could be a good idea to increase the size since the hole saw remove solid laminate around the stud?

Exactly. Usually keel bolt holes are oversized anyway, the vast majority of the times I have done this the hole saw is only cutting the bonding material, not original laminate. I usually use a carbide abrasive saw for this, less kerf and better cutting. I wouldn't Plexus it back together, I'd use epoxy, starting with pouring penetrating epoxy and then neat resin into the saw kerf. Remember, usually there is not only no stub but an actual recess in the hull on this type of arrangement. That means the custom "deep" hole saw often doesn't need to be very long. Occasionally a standard hole saw will do it.


As for moist conditions, let stand on the hard till hull keel joint looks dry, run hole saw, vac up, then run high pressure air into the kerf quite a bit, then pour in acetone, then more air/heat, then more 'tone, etc etc. Make the whole bolt hot and it will dry out fine.

[George P]

Harry Brown, your boat is 2007 bavaria....I'm no expert but from my experience, contact the manufacturer and ask what the torque tension is for tightening the bolts and do it. You boat is young and will not have bolt issues. Please keep in mind that these boats flex in a seaway even at the keel to hull joint. You mention you have intermittent leaks..perhaps this is when your underway in a seaway? This is normal, many production boats leak at the keel bolts....part of the deal for having a bolt on keel.
Tighten the bolts and enjoy your boat, otherwise you'll make yourself crazy trying to fix or improve upon a boat that came out of the factory as good as it will ever be. You're keel will not fall off due to one intermittent leaky keel bolt

If you're worried about the keel falling off then......well.....you're not alone....we all worry about structural stuff like that especially when at sea in big stuff. At the end of the day 'you' have to be comfy and Ok with your boat so do what you have to. I ended up buying a boat with an encapsulated keel......one less thing to worry about.
Cheers

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by minaret

For the record, in this instance I probably don't agree (hard to say for sure without being there in the flesh). Removing this keel would probably cause more damage than is there now. Should be an easy fix without going that route.


Also for the record, 5200 is Of the Devil, and should never ever be used unless you are putting two pieces of wood together you don't want to ever come apart; it's an adhesive not a sealant IMHO. 4000UV and 4200 don't have enough open time for keels IME. I like to use Sikaflex LOT (long open time) for keels. Works great, zero failures, loads of open time, easy cleanup, and you can still remove the keel down the road without too much trouble. NEVER bed a keel in 5200! Unless you want someone down the road to curse your name...

To be fair, and unusually, I had not continued to read the thread before responding. I relegate myself to the sidelines on this one. Tougher than it first appeared, certainly.

[Harry Brown]

Originally Posted by minaret

usually there is not only no stub but an actual recess in the hull on this type of arrangement. That means the custom "deep" hole saw often doesn't need to be very long. Occasionally a standard hole saw will do it.

I'm assuming this is the same as my hull, it doesn't show a recess in this case.

[Harry Brown]

I've managed to compress the Bavaria Keel Installation Manual.
I hope no one ever needs it!

[donradcliffe]

Looking at the OP picture, the keelbolt is definitely a stud--it also looks like there are two nuts on it.

Exactly how did you confirm that this stud was leaking, if it doesn't leak in the slip?

If there was water seeping in by the stud, the part you showed would be stained rust colored, which it isn't.

[Harry Brown]

It leaks during and after a sail. Stood in the slip it was leaking slowly for about 2 days (1 quart), as the keel settled down. No staining or rust as its only just happened. Boat is 2007.

[four winds]

The trickle of water is visible even in the thumbnail in post 1.

OP states this issue is very recently started.

[Harry Brown]

UPDATE:

Guys,

I was at the boat this weekend.
I need to eat some humble pie!!

I was 100% wrong, you guys were right. The keel bolt is not leaking, it is from elsewhere, (yet to be tracked down, fresh water leak slightly tainted with salt).
This is obviously good news but I am very sorry for wasting everyone’s time and appreciate all the help /advise that I was given.
When I first saw the water around the bolt, I panicked and talked myself into the worst, it really did look like it was coming from the bolt, further investigation proved otherwise.

I also apologize to every other Bavaria owner for muddying the already dirty waters regarding Bavaria keels!

The boat is sound, the keel is sound, and 39 Cruiser is still an amazing yacht!

Thanks again, I’m going to go finish my pie now!!

[SimonV]

You idiot . Don't sweat it , it won't be the last time you get that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. I guess we have all had similar caniptions.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by Harry Brown

UPDATE:

Guys,

I was at the boat this weekend.
I need to eat some humble pie!!

I was 100% wrong, you guys were right. The keel bolt is not leaking, it is from elsewhere, (yet to be tracked down, fresh water leak slightly tainted with salt).
This is obviously good news but I am very sorry for wasting everyone’s time and appreciate all the help /advise that I was given.
When I first saw the water around the bolt, I panicked and talked myself into the worst, it really did look like it was coming from the bolt, further investigation proved otherwise.

I also apologize to every other Bavaria owner for muddying the already dirty waters regarding Bavaria keels!

The boat is sound, the keel is sound, and 39 Cruiser is still an amazing yacht!

Thanks again, I’m going to go finish my pie now!!

Thats Great news! I for one though still want to know where it is coming from. Once you track it down let us know. Your find is still a good mental note to put in the tool box to use some day.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Harry Brown

UPDATE:

Guys,

I was at the boat this weekend.
I need to eat some humble pie!!

I was 100% wrong, you guys were right. The keel bolt is not leaking, it is from elsewhere, (yet to be tracked down, fresh water leak slightly tainted with salt).
This is obviously good news but I am very sorry for wasting everyone’s time and appreciate all the help /advise that I was given.
When I first saw the water around the bolt, I panicked and talked myself into the worst, it really did look like it was coming from the bolt, further investigation proved otherwise.

I also apologize to every other Bavaria owner for muddying the already dirty waters regarding Bavaria keels!

The boat is sound, the keel is sound, and 39 Cruiser is still an amazing yacht!

Thanks again, I’m going to go finish my pie now!!

Originally Posted by ontherocks83

Thats Great news! I for one though still want to know where it is coming from. Once you track it down let us know. Your find is still a good mental note to put in the tool box to use some day.

With all this talk of paranoia, panicking, and eating humble pie... the leak could really only be one thing...

Your bong has been knocked over...

And you sound a little "over-enthusiastic" not to have been contacted by the Bavaria legal department!

[Harry Brown]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

With all this talk of paranoia, panicking, and eating humble pie... the leak could really only be one thing...

Your bong has been knocked over...

And you sound a little "over-enthusiastic" not to have been contacted by the Bavaria legal department!

We all make mistakes! I put my hand up and came clean, honesty is the best policy! I could have just slid back into my hole and never seen again!