keel support

[bearco]

I have a 20' luger southwind. I replaced the keel bolts,it seemed to go ok, but to get to the bolts I had to cut out a few fiberglass covered wood ribs. They seem to have been added on over the wood that the bolts go through. Are they for keel weight displacement? Do they have to be fiberglassed in? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Petros]

we need more information. Is it a wood boat? Or wood and fiberglass? Strip built, plywood, caravel plank, or what type of hull construction? Size and spacing of ribs, size of boat and keel, etc. Pictures would be good.

Usually adding sister ribs is done to reinforce rotting or damaged existing ribs, or to strengthen an otherwise compromised hull. sometimes it is even done to splice in some new hull planking. If the existing ribs were rotting in bidge area, than you may have defeated the reason the sister ribs were installed. OTOH, if the rib was damaged fruther up on the side of the hull, you may not have affected it much at all.

At worst you might have to replace the whole sister rib complete, though until you find out more about why they were installed you might be doing more work than you need.

Have you contacted the previous owner and asked about he sister ribs? If you can not contact the previous owner perhaps you can track down where it used to be moored and see if any of the local shipwrights are familiar with this boat and why the extra sister ribs were installed.

[bearco]

Ok,apparently I am not very good with boat vocabulary. To answere your questions: it's a fiberglass boat there are no "ribs" but there are or were strips of fiberglass covered wood about 12" long starting on each side of the keel. There are four sets of them starting at the winch post for swing keel going aft. I am trying to get a picture.

[PAR]

Is this your model boat? These were kit boats and Lord knows what an owner may have added. Pictures will likely solve the description issues.