Chrysler 26 Swing Keel

How do I know when my swing keel is fully retracted so I do not over crank the winch? I am concerned about breaking the cable connections.
Thank You
Don K.

i will assume that the boat is in the water... otherwise you would know when the keel is fully winched up. it's pretty obvious by the feel of the handle when it's hit the stops

can you enter the water to physically observe the position of the keel?

i sail an old MacGregor Venture 21. my procedure is to count the number of revolutions on the winch. i worked up a table that relates the numer of turns (from all-the-way-down) to the angle of the keel -- being able to vary the depth of the keel is a great aid on light-air days

[gonzo]

Put a mark on the cable. There are several options. For example, you can put a nicopress ball fitting. Also you could put a strip of leather or rope spliced into the cable. Paint works but doesn't last as long. The advantage of a mark is that your crew can do the job too.

[kayaxi]

Hey guys, this seems an appropriate forum... I'm looking at a '76 26' Chrysler Sailboat (swing keel). They're asking $4,000 for it although they've already said they'd come down since it needs ALOT of cleaning inside and out. Sound hull, electronics seem fine, has a trailer, all the sails seem good, but there's a mushy spot on the deck next to the mast step. Feels about 6 - 8 inches or so of soft area. It's not VERY noticeable but enough to make me wonder if this could become a MAJOR problem in the future. It flexes about 1/4 inch when I put my full weight on it (165#).

1). Do you think it's a good deal providing a good survey shows no more major flaws?

2). Can I drill a small hole and inject some filler to put an end to the mushy deck problem?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. It's hard to find good sources on the net for fiberglass repair. I know I saw a good site recently but I seem to have lost the link. Anyway, I wonder if this is something I could do fairly easily myself. Ideas? Suggestions?

[grampianman]

I've got a 1973 Grampian 23 which has a number of core 'issues'. It sounds like the core under the mast step has deterioriated because of water untrusion through the crack. I was initially intimidated by the thought of re-coring, but the price of the boat was right. There are some good websites which graphically present the recoring process and has bolstered my confidence in the recoring of my sailboat. www.triton381.com is far and away one of the best sites I have come across for talking about fixing up an older 'lady'. If you are reasonably confident in working with wood and epoxy/fibreglass, and have the time/understanding partner (read wife), I certainly recommend the fixer-upper route.
Cheers,
Ian

[kayaxi]

Thanks for the link Ian. Looks like a great site. The price is too right to pass up I think, considering that besides that one spot next to the mast step the only other work I need to do is basic cleaning and refinishing the teak trim and replacing a rope or two. Do you think I have a while to deal with the mushy spot or is this a "DO IT NOW" situation? The lake it will live on for the next couple of years is far from the coast and 20mph winds is the best I could probably hope for. I'd just much rather do the work after winter when I can work a little more comfortably and don't have to worry about curing time for the epoxy and such.

[grampianman]

I sail in SW Florida where the winds rarely exceed 20 mph. I have not encountered any problems in the past year sailing in the various winds (read structural problems/rigging problems), and I have been out in some quite gusty conditions early in the year. I do keep an eye on the amount of rigging sag, and so far, so good. In your case, is the mushy deck just beside the mast, or when you thump the deck with a rubber hammer, is the sound different just to one side of the deck? If you have confidence that the area under the mast is good, then, no problem. I would want to know what is the thickness of the deck which in turn would tell me the most the rig could compress onto the compression post (unless your mast is a through-deck one. My mast sits on a tabernacle which is an aluminum U about 10 inches long which is fastened through the deck and backed by a mahogany compression post. Here is the disclaimer. My plans do not involve any offshore out-of-sight-of-land type sailing until I get deck and cabin recoring done. Water tightness and safety issues. So if you are in a place where heaven forbid, something like the rig coming down happens, at least you can always motor home. I've not sailed as much as I have this past year, and have thoroughly enjoyed the boat. I have learned a lot about her idiosyncracies and hope to make changes when I eventually haul her. And I do keep a close eye on the rig, deck, and everything else.
It's a long reply to your message, but I hope it helps.
Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving,
Ian
Grampian 23, Wing and a Prayer

[kayaxi]

Yes, that does set my mind at ease a bit. There isn't a huge difference in sound from one spot to the next which makes me think the delamination isn't too bad yet. it's a fairly small area and hasn't spread far at this point. As with yours, mine has a tabernacle supported by a compression post. I haven't taken out the bulkheads and looked at it but there seems to be no problem with things being out of alignment below. The interior is bone dry and I don't see any signs of water seeping though any of the through fittings.
So I'll do my general cleaning and polishing and save the real nasty work for when things warm up a bit. Thanks again for all the advice and encouragement!

[gerry]

I've deviced a way to know the position of the keel at all times very simply.
I mounted a clear tube on the keel well facing the door, that way I can see it from the cockpit easily, then I wounded a piece of fishing line to the winch shaft, thru a small hole on the wood. At the other end of the fishing line, attached a sinker painted in red runing inside the clear tube.
On the wood I placed some markings 2, 3, 4, and 5 ft.
Now finaly I have an idea of the keel depth.