Cheoy Lee Restoration Issues

Keel Bolts

Clipper Bolts

Click for drawing by Company on Deck detail and Ballast Bolt detail sent by Cheoy Lee (James Lam) to Dave Seale

Following pasted from our Forum

Does anyone have any feedback on keel bolts in the Clipper 36 boats? What material they were made of, and how to check them as they are buried in the fiberglass water tanks, as well as  under the engine, etc. I have a small gap at the hull/keel joint on the outside of the hull. I have filled it with 5200 at last haul-out, but am concerned about the bolts. It is really a major deal just to check then due to the locations involved.
Anyone with experience in this area????? Please contact me at this address: walterw4@aol.com "Destiny" is just completing a MAJOR refit/restoration and is
in Bristol condition.
Thanks,
Jim Miller

Jim, I have started work on my bolts. I too was worried since there was a gap between ballast and hull that leaked water for several days after hauling. I ground out epoxy/cement mixture on bottom of ballast (where head of bolts were located) and pulled the first bolt on the bow end.

The bolt did not show any signs of corrosion but I am planning to pull the one in the bilge. If it shows no signs of corrosion I will not worry but then again my clipper has spent her life in fresh water not salt. The material appears to be soft steel (galvanized). You are correct that most cannot be gotten to unless you pull the water tank which is glassed in place. james

Following submitted by Alvah Crocker

Thought you'd be interested to know that I have completed the renewal of the keel bolts on my Cheoy Lee Clipper 36, "SUNSET SUE". 

The results were as follows:

1- There were 12 Bolts ranging in length from approx 5 1/2" to 14 1/2". 

2- There IS one under the engine and this proved to be expensive for the following reason: First the engine had to be removed, then the engine pan. Under the pan was 8" of Concrete, under the Concrete was a piece of IRON 8"x8"x29", under the Iron was another 8" of Concrete and then the bolt !!!!!

3- The only bolt that needed replacing was the one at the bow. It was not covered and water running down bilge from anchor line and chain must have corroded it.

4- 4-bolts were in water tank covered with  glass caps. I used existing tank openings to get at the two in the middle. At the ends of the top I installed two new inspection covers so we could get at the last two bolts.

5- Since the keel goes the full length of the bottom one has to chock the hull w/keel, loosen bolts, then lower iron. You can not lift hull off the iron since there is no place for straps to go except under iron.

6- once bolts were removed, some were placed back in the holes from the bilge down to act as guides as the keel was lowered. This worked great. 
Total job including limited engine rebuild ie new alternator, new injector tips, new motor mounts etc came to approx $9000. I put everything back pretty much the way it was. I used hot dipped galvanized bolts. With the iron keel you have no other choice unless you want to drill out the holes and put in a sleeve.
Hope this info will be of interest to other Clipper 36 owners.

Alvah

Pulling Bolts on Frisco Flyer

Subject:      Re: keel bolts
From:         "Mike Goodwin" <panmanii@pinn.net>
Date:         1999/01/23
Newsgroups:   rec.boats.building 

Its not difficult ,just hard work.
First block the boat high enough to remove the bolt from the bottom of keel. 
Remove nut on inside of boat or cut off . Take a maul and start tapping .
drive it down even with keelson . Next take a metal rod the same size of
bolt and continue driving bolt on through keel ( you may have to dig a pit
under the keel if boat is not high enough ) Install new bolt then move on to
the next one etc.,etc. Be sure to use galvanized bolts and paint with red
lead if you can get it or at least zinc chromate primer as they go in ( it
cant hurt )
Frisco flyer is a beautiful little boat

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