Keel bolt nuts washer rust/corrision

[Jimbo2010]

after cleaning them is there something they can be coated with to minimize the rust

[capt jgw]

See the current thread here "How should I protect my steel hull?" The same things will work on keel bolts. If you're removing them to clean, treat the washer plates and nuts separately and be sure to do the bottom surface of the plates. Clean all the rust off the fiberglass too.

[Jimbo2010]

Good info there, I'll go with the Por-15

[capt jgw]

And caulk under the washers. Hopefully there's no seawater getting in from the bottom, you don't want bilge water getting in from the top either.

[rognvald]

Don't remove the nuts while in the water. You'll likely get a keel/hull separation and will be impossible to retorque unless on the hard.
Viajero

[Jimbo2010]

I think I can remove one at time?

By the way what id the torque on these bolts, I guess 250?

the boat was just out of the water and the keel/hull was tight no issues

[capt jgw]

Yeah in the water changes it a bit. I've heard of people doing it but I don't think I'd try it. I saw a YouTube video where they were changing the keel bolts on I think it was a Beneteau. Iron keel with threaded rod screwed in, you can just unscrew them. When they pulled the bolt out, water flooded in. Scary, but it also proved that the keel bedding had failed. There shouldn't have been any water in there. They didn't seem to pick up on that. Another factor is if the bolts have gotten compromised it will be below the surface of the fiberglass where you can't see it. They can be corroded to nothing down below and still look fine up top. The bolt could just shear off when you try to turn the nut. I had that happen once. Bad enough on the hard, really bad in the water.

[massnspace]

Easy to do in the water, if the bolts threads are good.

Have done this several times, and also torqued down nuts in the water on other boats.

As long as you do one at a time….the keel won’t move, and the force needed to re-torque the nut in question will be minimal.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by massnspace

Easy to do in the water, if the bolts threads are good.

Have done this several times, and also torqued down nuts in the water on other boats.

As long as you do one at a time….the keel won’t move, and the force needed to re-torque the nut in question will be minimal.

You were lucky, M! Idiots at a boatyard moved my boat while I was away and the aft keel bolt was out for cleaning and replacement. It separated from the hull while it was in the slings. Fortunately, I arrived about a half hour later and they put it on blocks and I replaced the new nut and washer. You were lucky, again, but this is in no way a prudent practice/maintenance when the boat is in the water.
Rognvald

[massnspace]

Originally Posted by rognvald

You were lucky, M! Idiots at a boatyard moved my boat while I was away and the aft keel bolt was out for cleaning and replacement. It separated from the hull while it was in the slings. Fortunately, I arrived about a half hour later and they put it on blocks and I replaced the new nut and washer. You were lucky, again, but this is in no way a prudent practice/maintenance when the boat is in the water.
Rognvald

No luck was involved, just physics.

If you have 8 (for example) bolts and only loosen one, the other 7 will hold the load. Assuming the keel is not flexible….

[HeinSdL]

Originally Posted by rognvald

You were lucky, M! Idiots at a boatyard moved my boat while I was away and the aft keel bolt was out for cleaning and replacement. It separated from the hull while it was in the slings. Fortunately, I arrived about a half hour later and they put it on blocks and I replaced the new nut and washer. You were lucky, again, but this is in no way a prudent practice/maintenance when the boat is in the water.
Rognvald

If the remaining bolts cannot support the keel (in the absence of just one) then there is a major issue with that keel/hull connection. Those bolts are designed to carry the keel with the boat knocked flat + a significant safety margin. So if the keel separated with the boat hanging gently in the slings and reason was because of one missing bolt... then I would not happily go out to sea on that boat.

[Jimbo2010]

good point

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by massnspace

No luck was involved, just physics.

If you have 8 (for example) bolts and only loosen one, the other 7 will hold the load. Assuming the keel is not flexible….

Hi, M,
Yes, however the aft part of the keel separated from the hull.
Rognvald

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

If the remaining bolts cannot support the keel (in the absence of just one) then there is a major issue with that keel/hull connection. Those bolts are designed to carry the keel with the boat knocked flat + a significant safety margin. So if the keel separated with the boat hanging gently in the slings and reason was because of one missing bolt... then I would not happily go out to sea on that boat.

Hi, H,
Your logic is ridiculous! Yes, the keel was supported by the other bolts however, with the weight of a solid lead keel, how can there not be a separation at the aft end bolt? It wasn't in the middle! Do you expect 5200 compound to carry a multi-thousand pound load? And, going to sea . . . we have 23K logged sea miles under the keel of my boat in the Bahamas, Florida and the Great Lakes. The last major trip was from Chicago through the Great Lakes and out the St. Lawrence River to Northern Quebec--1800 miles. Your response is just silly.
Rognvald

[HeinSdL]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Hi, H,
Your logic is ridiculous! Yes, the keel was supported by the other bolts however, with the weight of a solid lead keel, how can there not be a separation at the aft end bolt? It wasn't in the middle! Do you expect 5200 compound to carry a multi-thousand pound load? And, going to sea . . . we have 23K logged sea miles under the keel of my boat in the Bahamas, Florida and the Great Lakes. The last major trip was from Chicago through the Great Lakes and out the St. Lawrence River to Northern Quebec--1800 miles. Your response is just silly.
Rognvald

Oh well, never mind. It's your boat so you obviously know best. Just suggesting that one keel bolt should not be doing the amount of work as you are suggesting. And kind request to keep it courteous.