Broken Keel Wire

[PlumLoco]

My keel wire snapped while I was sailing. I have had the boat for just a month and learning all the ins and outs. My major question now is can I attach a new wire while I am in the water. I keep the boat on a mooring

[jmczzz]

The good news is it is summer, warm water. The easiest would be to get a strap or line under the keel and host it to the up position or as near as possible from the cockpit. Then get the boat over a trailer on a ramp, take it out of the water. 2nd get it lifted by a boat yard that has deep enough water under the lift to float the boat over their lift straps. You are drafting 6.7 feet keel down. The yard needs to understand the keel is down. 3rd get scuba gear, new 3/16 stainless 7 x 19 wire rope, swagged with thimble and a tool bag go under and unbolt old thimble and broken cable. Don't drop the existing bolt or washers they can be reused to install the new cable. Or take a new bolt assembly down with you. Feed the other end up the tube to the winch, have a helper be ready to grab it when you push it up. You are gonna need an extra foot or so on the normal 11 foot wire so you can get it on the winch easily. Needless to say working under water is slow and hard but it can be done. Slow and steady. Good luck jmczzz

[jtis1]

Happened to me my fourth time out. I just motored the boat into the concrete ramp (don't have to go fast), pulled the boat (like normal) using mooring line then the trailer winch onto the trailer and drove away. The keel will hit the concrete ramp (not even that hard) then swing up into partially up position. Pulling the boat onto the trailer completes the process. Your keel is almost a foot longer and heavier than mine on the mac22 but I imagine it should be easy using the same principle. There are also posts on this forum discussing pros and cons of replacing the wire with stock stainless steel cable versus Dyneema or similar high tensile running rigging line. One guy reports he replaced his over a decade ago with line and still going strong. I've only had mine replaced for about 9 mos with line. I'll let you know in 10 years
Good luck.