Keel bolt question

[Jaimie]

We bought an '87, C34, with a wing keel, at the end of last summer and are preparing it for the summer season here in RI. The boat is on boat stands and the keel is resting on blocks. We noticed occaisional water in the bilge after we purchased the boat and thought we should try to tighten the keel bolts while it is resting on the blocks before launching this year. We were successful tightening all but two bolts because they both have a cylinder (threaded?) around the top of the bolts, one cylinder has a ground screwed to the top. These cylinders might have been added by a previous owner to the bolts to secure something in the bilge or as extentions for something to clear any potential water in the bilge. Could someone please tell us what these metal cylinders are for and confirm that they are threaded to the bolt? We attempted to remove them using a screw driver to turn them through the hole in the cylinder itself but were afraid to use too much force for fear of damaging the bolts. We are considering trying again using a wrench to secure the nut. There is a lot of corrosion so the cylinders might be rusted to the bolts. Once the cylinders are removed we will have access to these last two nuts and be able to tighten the keel bolts. We have limited experience and are learning as we go. I have included a picture of the other keel bolts for reference. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Jim Hardesty]

Jaimie,
The cylinders are not OEM Catalina so your guess is as good as mine to the intended purpose.
My question to you is how much did you take up on the other keel bolts? If it were little or nothing I'd be tempted to leave everything as is.  Also can you tell what the cylinders are made of? If a magnet sticks it's steel. The picture looks a little red. brass maybe.  If a magnet doesn't stick and it's not red I think it's safe to say it's stainless steel.
It's not the easiest place to get a grip on the cylinders, not sure what to try.  For sure as you are attempting to loosen them keep a close eye on the keel nuts and make sure they don't loosen with the cylinder.
Again, maybe this is something that is best left as is.  Think it's safe to say the keel won't fall off.
Jim
 

[Ron Hill]

Jaimie : It looks to me to be an attachment for another ground - for what is unknown?? Where does that attached black wire go??
As Jim mentioned - if you took up little or none when you rechecked the other keel bolts I leave it alone.

There will always be some water in the bilge - it comes down the mast.  I have NO idea from where in the mast as I've been chasing that for 36 years!!!!!!

A few thoughts

[Jaimie]

Jim and Ron: Thank you for your replies. For the other bolts, one hardly moved, three took up about 1/4 turn, and two took up 1/4 to 1/3 turn. I had to reposition the torque wrench on the remaining bolt that I was able to tighten, making it harder to estimate, but that one likely took up 1/3 to 1/2 turn.
Given the level of corrosion below the apparent bilge water line, I was thinking that the cylinders were steel or chrome plated bronze. I will definitely take a closer look and test them with a magnet when I'm back at the boat next weekend to try and get at what they are made of. The ground wire shown is one that we haven't traced back to the source yet, but I will do that as well.
You both may be right that it may be best to leave these two bolts alone. We definitely do not want to loosen them in an unsuccessful attempt to remove the cylinders.  Hopefully the tightening that we were able to accomplish on the other bolts will be enough to address the leak.
Thanks again, Jaimie 

[KWKloeber]

Bonding? But where would the bibdcwire lead from? 
Looks way too light for lightning.