Removing the Keel:

May 31

We’ve been doing loads of research on the Internet regarding bottom paint, gelcoat and general restoration. We were hoping to save the gelcoat but the crazing is too widespread and it seems to be very thin in places so I think we are settled on painting the whole boat.

We are lucky to be endowed with a very well stocked garage, courtesy Corey’s dad Steve. We have air tools, power tools, hand tools, and loads of supplies. A fabulous person we met in France, another Steve, owns a large marina and has also provided us with great advice and the offer of a motor. We are going to plan a trip down to California to see him and visit a fabulous rigger Jason Winkle, whom we also met in France. We want to suck information out of him too.

Since the keel is steel, we found where it meets the hull with a magnet and ground through the glass there in preparation for dropping the keel. Then we removed the keel bolts, which were made of threaded rod and very corroded. When the bolts were out we hoisted the boat so the keel was a couple inches off the ground and gave the keel a good solid thump with a block of wood and a ten-pound sledgehammer. It groaned and then dropped to the ground with a nice thump. We carefully tipped the keel onto a little dolly and rolled it outside.