Keel Hull Joint... rust?

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WindyT

Hey folks!

Pulled the boat out (1990 Wing keel) today to find a thin crack most of the way around the front of the keel.  But a fairly prominent spot was on the port side (pictured).  Called Catalina who thinks <50% chance rust.  It's a lead keel... so if it is rust, gotta be keel bolts.  They think it may be fairing compound but who knows.  I'm planning to:
A) collect sample and get analyzed for iron content
B) fill the bilge with hot pink food color water to see if any leaks out
C) Torque the keel bolts to recommended spec

Zero of these tests are perfect for rusty keel bolts but there was a substantial amount of this orange stuff and I feel that if it were rust, those bolts would be in awful shape and frankly, they look just fine when I look at them in the bilge.   Would love to hear any thoughts or if anyone has had similar experience! 
Annie C  1990 C34  Hull #1041   Charleston, SC

KWKloeber

If it were a fin I'd say it's possibly deteriorated fire brick mixing w/ water and leaking out. I don't believe FB was cast into the wing.
If it's bolts, then it's probably not what you would see in the bilge -- the corrosion would be below that level.
Water leaks down around each bolt thread unless they are really well sealed.

Grind a little off the keel, taking off the paint down to the fairing.  I can't think that it is that color but who knows, could be I suppose?  The bedding (keel onto the keel buss) was not that color.

-ken
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the tradewinds in your sails.
Explore.  Dream.  Discover.   -Mark Twain

scgunner

      Wow, that's officially the nastiest looking bottom on a C34 I've ever seen. If it was my boat the first thing I'd do is drop the keel. While the tops of the keel bolts in the bilge look fine, there's no way to know what's going on below the bilge and from the look of those pictures I'd say nothing good. The only way to be sure is to drop the keel so the bolts can be thoroughly inspected and if necessary replaced. Sorry to rain on your parade but there's no way I'd retorque, cleanup, refair and drop it in the water. Also what's up with that bottom paint, it looks like someone rollered some Henry's roof patch on the bottom and called it bottom paint.
Kevin Quistberg                                                 Top Gun 1987 Mk 1 Hull #273

DaveBMusik

If my memory is correct, I believe there is a recessed iron lifting ring in the keel which could be the source.

I lowered my keel and had the bolts checked (they were fine). Cleaned out all of the hard putty, slathered on 5200, a couple layers of glass over the seam. No more issues, no worries.
Dave Burgess
Water Music
1986 C34 Hull #206, Fin Keel
Yanmar 3YM30
Noank, CT

Stu Jackson

from the 101 Topics:

Rebedding a Keel Stub 101  The Catalina Smile with Pictures

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6842.0.html
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Rick Roberts

We had a similar problem with our keel and ended dropping it. The were some serious fiberglass delamination and minor rust streak coming out of it. We documented our work during the process, here's the video if you are interested; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdQ03nGi8Sg&t=3s

Hope that helps a little bit.

Eric
1988 #804, Bria Mia - Mexico (Formerly known as SV Blackdragon)
Fin keel, standard rig.

Youtube channel: youtube.com/wandersailing
Latest Video: patreon.com/wandersailing

KWKloeber

Eric

Wondering what you rebed with?  5200?

-ken
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the tradewinds in your sails.
Explore.  Dream.  Discover.   -Mark Twain

britinusa

Quote from: Rick Roberts on July 01, 2019, 02:00:53 PM
We had a similar problem with our keel and ended dropping it. The were some serious fiberglass delamination and minor rust streak coming out of it. We documented our work during the process, here's the video if you are interested; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdQ03nGi8Sg&t=3s

Eric, watched the video - nicely done. did you replace any of the bolts?
Paul & Peggy
1987 C34 Tall Rig Fin Keel - Hull # 463

See you out on the water

Engine:M25XP