| I detected a 1/64"
fissure between the bolt-on keel and the hull along the aft-half of the
joint on my 1959 Triton. Is this a serious problem? One opinion
I received was that it is a common thing...
Boatyard guy says it's no big deal: half of the boats he hauls have similar cracks. He suggested tightening the bolts or shimming under the Bolt-head to close the gap. He added that most folks simply fill w/ putty and fair it over prior to repainting. |
SOME FEEDBACK
Bill Bell, #41, KIALOA
Dear Jeff - forget about the crack. In boats
with external ballast, the difference between the coefficients of expansion
in lead and fiberglass are always on display. You can do a bit of puttying
in the crack but don't give it a thought. I have been sailing #41 with
the same external ballastfor some
35 years. No sweat. By the way, your boatyard
guy has given away the fact that he is not "up" on Tritons. All Tritons
have the bolts glassed over; you can't tighten them up or shim under the
heads.
Tim Lackey, Glissando
That does not sound like a serious problem.
1/64" should be nothing to worry about; cracking along the joint between
external ballast and fiberglass is indeed a very common issue, although
usually seen on fin keel boats. If you can get to them, you could
consider tightening the keel bolts (mine
are glassed over).
???
Sounds serious as hell. The bolts may
be corroded through. The keel could fall off in heavy weather.
Xray the bolts. Dig it open and put
in new bolts. Patching a crack with epoxy or paste will only hide
the flaw and not assure the strength. But what do I know.
Jeff Maher, #(30)
(UPDATE!)
I got my 59 Triton transported to my place
yesterday (WOOHOO!) and solved the fissure thing: for ten years the keel
has been improperly laid-up--the forward blocking was correctly placed
under the bolt-on, while the aft block was beneath the hollow add-on portion
of the keel. Thus set, the walls of the add-on deflected outward
as a result of the stress underneath (not much pressure--good thing) which
caused the leading-edge of the joint to withdraw where it meets the lead
bolt-on. The joint at that point feathers over the lead a few inches,
only, likely, to exclude water from reaching the long shanks of the
attaching bolt which passes entirely THROUGH the hollow part and then into
several inches of solid plastic. The upper head of the bolt terminates
in the bilge where it is glassed-over. Good News.
With the pressure relieved, the walls of
the add-on immediately returned to their former contour, and the joint
closed. I must simply re-feather the joint, and all is well.