Keel Removal and Installation

(Photo - Keel Removed)













The larger fabricated floors together with the sawn frames were used to hold the boat together when she was built. This eliminated the need for temporary station molds which are used in the construction of bent frame boats. Because of this, each floor has 2 5/8" bolts which only go through the keelson and can only be reached by removing the keel.













In order to remove the old keel bolts a T-shaped steel bracket was fabricated. Drilling into and tapping the top of a keel bolt allowed a hardened machine bolt to be threaded through the bottom of the bracket into the top of the keel bolt. Two 12 ton hydraulic jacks easily lifted the bracket with the bolts attached. This took some time as these jacks only lift 3 inches at a time. The blocking under the jacks had to be raised for every three inches of lift.














Four stands were built to the shape of the hull leaving enough room to move the keel forward. A carriage was then built around the lead. It was set on 8 1 1/2" steel pipes. Just enough pressure was applied while installing the cross members under the keel to get the old blocks out.




















After removing the remaining keel bolts I was able to get a long hacksaw blade between the keel and the keelson and work at cutting the bedding that was still attached to both sides.













Once I knew the keel was free of the hull I attached a come-along to a bolt I'd embedded in the shop floor and pulled the keel in it's carriage straight out to the front of the shop.













(Photos - Keel moving forward)























Once the keel was removed the bolts in the keelson were replaced.


























A new layer of Irish felt was laid on the lead and that was topped with a layer of Dolphinite bedding compound.




















The keel was replaced by reversing the process, pulling the keel on it's carriage back under the boat.
















Once some of the large keel bolts were in place the carriage was removed by jacking the lead up just enough to relocate the blocks, then the carriage was torn apart and removed. Because of the slope of the keelson the keel became completely free of the hull as it moved forward and snugged right up when replaced.

This would be difficult if your work space did not have a smooth floor capable of bearing the weight but was much easier and safer than trying to lift the boat or lower the lead.

All of the bronze bolts I removed looked like new but were still replaced in order to keep all metals of the same alloy. (Silicon bronze: 95% Copper, 4% Silicon, 1% Manganese.) This material is used in all the screws, bolts, sheet stock and casting ingots while the rivets are all made of Copper.