seepage from keel bolts

[joel]

Chad,

I believe it is bolted on, not encapsulated.  It is an easy repair with Gflex or something similar.

[Chad Walsh]

I have a 1990 Hylas 44 and I've noticed a separation of the seal between the hull and the keel, but I have not had leaks.  The boat yard told me not to worry about it, but I worry about it.

Please let me know how this turns out.  I've very interested.  I thought hylas keels where fully glassed in, but mine has a soft epoxy material between the glass keel and the hull (at least along the forward portion of the keel).

Chad Walsh
crwalsh@fountainheadlaw.com
H44#74

[curtandkt]

Well I liked to tell you it's just simply tightening the keel bolts. But I would be worried of additional issues like corrosion of the bolts causing leakage and/or possible failure of the bolts. Seepage of salt water by the keel bolts means the seal between the hull and the keel has been compromised, failed, or the bolts have loosened or are separating from the keel. All potentially very serious stuff. I would recommend doing some serious investigating with a good qualified professional which will not be inexpensive. Find a good boat yard you trust and good luck. Bad things happen when a sailboat loses a keel.

Curtis Johnson
S/V Aurora
2002 Hylas 46 #41   

[Sancerre]

Have a 1995 45.5 Hylas and noticed seepage into the bilge from the keel bolts.
Is this just a matter of getting the keel bolts tightened or is there something else we should be looking for/worried about?