V21 and similar keel lock bolt questions??

[stone_love]

ok...got the boat on the water

some of you will remember the thread where i stated my W-21 does not have a keel lock bolt, only a 3/8 keel pivot bolt...definately designed as a lake boat!!!

I'm wanting do drill the hole for my keel lock bolt to put another 3/8 bolt in her.

However, the keel trunk is below the water line.


Is this standard on all V21/v17?

If so how do you keep water out of the keel trunk when you have the bolt out?

Putty? Clay? Some sealant?

Most of the time i use this boat will be in lakes/shallows/rivers where i'll need to keep the keel unlocked at all times. I moore in about 4ft of water

But i want to take her off the coast and don't even want to think of going over 3ft waves with only a 3/8 bolt keeping that 400lbs keel under me.

[Kenr74]

Are you sure about the trunk being below the waterline? I have a V 222 and it does not sit more than a few inches in the water. If your pivot was below the water line, it would almost surely leak quite a lot of water if the seals were not carefully maintained. I have never used the lock down hole (which doesn't even have a cap) and I have never noticed any significant water intrusion.

[stone_love]

I have made new seals. And yes im sure it's right at or below the water line as I took in water around the new seals until I snuffed them up a bit more. Was a drip while under sail but had no noticeable weather helm at the time.

[stone_love]

Snugged not snuffed silly auto correct