Part of the mystery of what the keel bolts on a P36-1 are made from has been
solved. They are
bronze. I had to cut one that was protruding into the bilge 1" shorter to fit a 5" deep socket over the stud and nut.
I spent the weekend on my stomach with a Dremel cutting away old epoxy/collodial silica and MarineTex from the
mast step to expose the nuts on the keel bolts. One of the POs had poured
epoxy over the bilge in front of the
mast step and over
parts of the mast step in what I suppose was an attempt to stop leaking.
Skylark has a 1mm "Pearson smile" about 18 inches from the front of the lead/keel stub joint aft. I tried to patch the smile two years ago with epoxy and collodial silica, just "spackling the crack", but that didn't last.
Water is entering the crack and seam between the lead and the keel stub, then the water migrates up through the keel bolt holes past the 42 year old silicone.
If there was any attempt to stop the leaking, it was done by unscrewing the nuts, pouring epoxy over the exposed keel bolt and then putting the nuts back over the studs.
I just want to drop the lead, recaulk the bolts where they exit the lead and enter the keel stub, but I have to remove all the epoxy and MarineTex down to the
fiberglass of the bilge. Otherwise, the keel bolts can't come out of their holes in the bilge.
I have contacted George Symon, who confirmed that the keel bolts in his P36-1 are
bronze "J" bolts. So that is good news. If the studs were iron or stainless, there might be
corrosion issues between the lead and the keel stub.
Here's a photo of what I am dealing with, it shows the poured epoxy. The iron mast step will be replaced with a new
aluminum step.
Has anyone had their lead keel dropped and recaulked by a yard? I am wondering how much this costs. I know the whole procedure will take a few days.