Jeanneau drop keel stuck

[Mikeharney]

Hi,


I have a jeanneau 30i with a drop keel. This drops on a rope. Has been absolutely fine for years. And really easy to use. Insufficient rain last year caused some shallow conditions in our lakeside marina and the boat scraped the bottom on exit. the keel was up. We pulled ourselves back to the jetty with ropes.



Since then the keel does not drop on the rope. I have tried pushing it down from the top but access is seriously limited. The boat winters on a trailer with no access to the underside of the boat.


I have had a good swimmer check underneath for anything lodged between the keel and the hull.... but nothing obvious.


Has anyone had any similar experience? We would really appreciate any ideas for a solution?


Thanks


Mike

[tkeithlu]

What's your access to the box? If from above, can you tap the keel to knock it loose? If from the bottom, can you get a thin blade between the keel and the box to clear both sides? Is there enough keel showing below to tap it with a hammer to the side if it has wedged itself in place?

The worst possibility I can think of is damage to the hinge.

It does sound as if you may have done more than scrape the bottom, but with luck there is one rock wedged between the keel and the box.

[Spot]

Hello Mike, have you seen this?



Sun Odyssey 30i Lift Keel Removal - Jeanneau Owners Network

[Mikeharney]

Hi, many thanks for posting that article. Diagrams etc really useful. Now I will have to ponder what I can do. I wasn't really planning to take it to a crane. Huge expense! Not much access to the ropes from above in the trunk. Considered adapting the trailer by cutting a hole out to access the keel from below when on land.


I am hopeful there is just a pebble or two jamming it. Will try with a swimmer again underneath when launched in a few months. These diagrams really helpful because the handbook I have with the boat is almost silent on the drop keel.


Many thanks


Mike

[john2445]

When you say swimmer, do you mean holding breath? Hire a diver, lots less than a haulout. They can take time, work on it. Try a metal flat with a bend at the end to get above the tip and pull. Or wiggle sideways to clear something wedged inside.

BTW, I put a hole in the tip of my keel/centerboard so I could fasten a rope to it and pull it up whenever the pendent broke.

[Mikeharney]

Hi John, Yes. Diver. Thanks for the tip about getting above the tip. Mike

[KadeyKrogen38]

You do not have a drop Keel. Your boat is a fixed keel with a centerboard. You should learn the proper name and know the difference!

[Peconiceast]

Hello
My keel gets stuck from rust blisters. I take a old hand saw and run it up down. This winter I have jacked up my trailer pulled the axels and fixes rust spots
MY IS A BENETEAU 311
TIME IN A BOTTLE

[Billnpr]

2 items for the diver to use depends on the clearance in the trunk. Thin hack saw blade held with a vice grips. Machete, some bush varieties even have a hook on the end. Come to think of it, you could probably use a bush axe, good curve, longer blade and handle.

[Mike Banks]

How far up does the keel usually travel?

Go to a sound bottom just before low tide and run your boat aground--that should push up your swing keel without putting your vessel at risk. If your vessel has the keel jammed up, you need to buy a cheap sabre saw or wood saw and take the set from one side of it using a grinder, so that it will not damage your keel-box in any way. Swim under your boat and using this device, saw between the keel and the keel box. Do the same other side. If it is just rust or a few barnacles, that might free it.

[Mikeharney]

Thanks for all your tips.


Thanks Kadey for telling me what I should know about the terminology. I will try to get it right in future. Mike Banks: Good idea to grind the potentially damaging teeth off the saw. Will do that.

[Dehler 25]

Have you thought about lifting the boat from the stern while on the trailer, lower the tongue to the ground and set a support as far forward as you can then raise the tongue. It should give you room to lower the centerboard at least a few inches amd once it is moving you will know what was going on.

[MoanaHaka]

I had a Sabre 42 CB with a swing keel. Two times I had problems - first was related to mud impacting the swing keel - from resting in the mud at low tide. Brought it to a local marina - short haul. Kept the boat in the slings and pressure washed the mud out of the trunk. Second time was more of a problem - wire rope jumped the sheave and got caught - ultimate fouling on the internal pin. We have to remove the "cannon" where the wire rope turned on the sheave into the trunk. Done over the winter - using a local machine shop - hope you do not have a similar failure.