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Need help with repair of water in keel of a 36

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:44 pm
by catalacmarc
Friends, Calling anyone with experince with a PDQ with water in the keels. Just hauled my 36 for bottom paint and what I hoped was some simple blister repair. The yard found that the Starboard keel had water in it and an old botched blister repair that might be the entry point of the water. No cracks or separations are visible. What is the standard successful repair for the water in the keel issue? One concern I have is how much time and energy have people put into dryng out the keels? Very much appreciate any advice from folks wwith experince with this problem.
Marc

Re: Need help with repair of water in keel of a 36

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 1:31 am
by catalacmarc
Latest news, unless I come up wiht a different plan, we will drain the keel, give it a relatively brief dryout and reglass it. Intersting that we found a long dry void between the outer layer of glass and the next layer along the outboard bottom edge of the starboard keel. Toying with the idea of installing drains in the keels to facilitate draining at haul out, but I haulout every three eyars or more infrequently (moor in freshwater, cruise in salt).
Marc

Re: Need help with repair of water in keel of a 36

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2019 6:09 pm
by thinwater
I would also strongly recommend fairing and lengthening the keels while you are at it. It REALLY improves the pointing and tacking. Not that hard to do. I doubt I spent 6 hours on it. One of my best upgrades, and certainly the most speed/dollar. Better handling too. Every PDQ should do this.

https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues ... 039-1.html

I describe that and many other PDQ projects in Keeping a Cruising Boat for Peanuts." http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2017/ ... store.html

Re: Need help with repair of water in keel of a 36

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:32 pm
by Joneses
To achieve a "relatively brief dry out" that is as effective as possible, I have had good results in the past with getting some alcohol in there. It mixes with the water and makes it evaporate much more quickly and thoroughly. My trick is to get a small pesticide spraying tank that you pump to pressurize and fill it with a gallon of denatured alcohol that you find with the other solvents at the hardware store. With goggles on, get up in there as best you can and saturate the well-opened affected area a few times, letting it evaporate in between. A moisture meter will tell you when you have achieved your goal such that you can seal it back up. I don't own a moisture meter or I'd mail it to you to borrow, but in your situation you might want to buy one anyway if you don't have one already. Good luck with this - I'm hoping to hear it turns out well...and would be interested to hear if you end up fairing the keels as also suggested. I don't know what to say about the idea of installing drains - you really shouldn't have to drain your keels, but that is true of your rudders too, and I'm glad the previous owner of my boat installed inspection ports on those, but that's above water, so a very different situation.

Re: Need help with repair of water in keel of a 36

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:44 am
by catalacmarc
The alcohol idea is interesting. The effected keel, only one had the problem which seems to have stemmed from a few large blisters in the keel, is now dry enough to glass. The Starboard keel was uneffected and had no blisters. As for fairing the keels, do you mean the hull keel joint? It appears to have been faired already. Some of the fairing, at the bottom of the keel and along the bottom of the hulls had blisters, not in the glass itself. That has been removed and replaced by epoxy fairing. I won't be lengthening the keels. The rudders had cracks long the front which were repaired. Unfortunately, the steel that carries the foam cored rudders seems to extend only aft of the rudder tube, puts a lot of torque on the foam and glass in front. Hope to be back in the water next week.

Re: Need help with repair of water in keel of a 36

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:46 pm
by thinwater
No. By fairing I meant eliminating the blunt trailing edge, which really detracts from windward performance.
(this article is about a PDQ 32)
https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues ... 039-1.html

The PDQ keels have a very blunt rear edge (over 1 inch). This should be no more than 1/4-inch, with a sharp cut-off. Look at any racing design.

You can add more area at the same time, which will improve the balance and reduce leeway as well.

Are you sure the rudders were not cracked by ice inside? They may be leaking too. This is the normal cause.

Re: Need help with repair of water in keel of a 36

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:30 pm
by catalacmarc
The rudders on this boat appear to be foam cored. No water leaked out. I will see if it is still possible to fair the tails of the keel if tha is all that is needed. Have to check,
Thanks for the suggestions, Marc