Catalina 34

General Activities => Main Message Board => Topic started by: britinusa on January 20, 2021, 11:01:52 AM

Title: Replacing keel nuts in the water
Post by: britinusa on January 20, 2021, 11:01:52 AM
Eximius is on the hard getting the butt cleaned and painted and the hull polished, I'm doing a few other things while on the hard.
A couple of the keel bolt nuts are showing a lite corrosion and I have purchased 316 SS nuts and washer with the intent of replacing them all.

However, it would seem pointless to replace them without taking the opportunity to paint the bilge (before putting the new nuts & washers in place)

Because we have to stay on the boat overnight after splashing the boat on Wednesday morning ( a week from today ), and by all accounts the VOCs would make it untenable to sleep on the boat until venting for several days.

Therefore I'm considering doing on nut at a time while the boat is afloat after we get her back to her dock.

The good news is that I was easily able to loosen most of the nuts just to ensure it wasn't going to be an endurance test. I retightened them.

So, ok to replace them one at a time with the boat afloat?
Title: Re: Replacing keel nuts in the water
Post by: KWKloeber on January 20, 2021, 01:16:27 PM
Hey Paul

You might look at these:

https://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=8508.0

And an excellent no VOC paint:  Unsl-X Cabinet Cote (home depot and scamazon) available in satin and gloss

Title: Re: Replacing keel nuts in the water
Post by: Ron Hill on January 20, 2021, 02:01:30 PM
Paul : Pick your paint and then see the drying and venting requirements - maybe there is no venting required.  An epoxy paint like the factory used doesn't require venting!

You also might think about only replacing the nuts that are showing corrosion and do the remainder the next time you are hauled. You can take a cardboard tube and protect the good nuts while painting.

A few thoughts
Title: Re: Replacing keel nuts in the water
Post by: Noah on January 20, 2021, 02:21:23 PM
If it were my boat I would replace nuts (if they needed it) and torque on the hard. Then paint bilge in the water after taping off the nuts/bolts. I like to use Interlux Bilgecoat (2 coats).  But it does have fumes.