My Fin Keel Rusted Out & Spltting - Is My Boat Worth Saving ??

[AppleValley_Jim]

Hello...
I have a 1981 26' Luger Tradewinds with 4' Fin Keel. I really like the design of this boat. I am a newbie to sailing and sailboat repairs, I am confident that I could repair this if the boat is worth saving (with the help of this site). I really don't want to scrap the boat because the cast iron fin keel is bad, real bad. Maybe I could replace the keel with a new or fabricate a keel. The 26' Luger Tradwinds hull seems to very solid as does the wood inside the hull. The boom is missing and no sails either and it probably need new standing and running rigging. I just aquired this boat for no money. Maybe I can save it.

My question is.... Can this keel be replace or possibly removed and repaired ?? I will try to add some photos to this posting so you can see the keel condition.

Your Thoughts and Opinions would be valuable to me and very much appreciated. Thank you for your time.
!!

My Sincere Thanks In Advance... Jim Bailey, So. Calif.

[AppleValley_Jim]

The Cast Iron Fin Keel is total rusted through at the bottom of the keel. I can see plywood sticking out ?? I don't know what the plywood is about ?? .. I'll post a photo of the keel bottom edge later.

I had thought/ am thinking of scrapping the boat and saving the trailer.... - But I like this Sailboat if possible to repair her.

Again ... Your Thoughts and Opinions would be valuable to me and very much appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Thanks Very Much Again... Jim Bailey

[alan white]

You could buy a perfectly sound sailboat with the money it would take to do things like replace an iron keel or a set of sails. Look around at what is available out there.

[PAR]

That fin can be repaired, but it's not a pleasant experience, especially for the novice.

I'm fairly sure this was a swing keel boat and wasn't aware they also made a fixed fin version. If it's a 1981, it will have a HIN in the upper right hand corner of the transom. The first three digits will confirm it to be built by Luger.

In any case the fin can be stripped of it's laminate and the steel sand blasted clean, epoxied then refaired to the proper sectional shapes. This isn't an easy, nor (again) pleasant set of tasks.

My recollection of these boats was they were built cheaply and not to a very high standard, which can be attested to with their resale value. So, repairs and/or restoration of a low end 30 year old boat that was a bit tender as a sailer, well wouldn't be my recommendation, particularly for a novice sailor and restorer/repair person..

[AppleValley_Jim]

To: Alan White ... and PAR, Thank you for you replies. Yes, I agree with you both... I guess I just needed the voices of experience. My Sincere Thanks.