Lifting Keel Maintenance

Lifting Keel Maintenance

Maintenance can be carried out before the boat is relaunched, taking advantage of her position in the straps to drop the keel. Carefully clean the inner sides of the keels housing, remove any seaweed and barnacles. Check the threaded bronze bolt (mark 3). Systematically grease the threaded rod on its full height with marine grease (mark 4) Motul LC 300 type or similar, check the condition of the nylon bush (mark 7). After checks are finished, work the mechanism up and down 2 or 3 times to make sure it is functionning well.
The bronze nut is a wearing part and as such a part must be annually checked and replaced if necessary.
To perform this operation, follow the below described methodology: – boat on cradle or held on straps – liffting keel in lower position
1. Unscrew bolt (mark 1)to disconnect the mechanism from the lifting keel. Be careful not to lose the nylon bush (mark 7).
2. In the cabin, unscrew the two screws that hold the nylon bracket (mark 2) in position on top of the keel housing.
3. Pull out the all mechanism.
4. Unscrew the brass nut (mark 3), which was originally screwed with thread glue. Warm up the part if necessary.
5. Take the threaded rod (mark 4) out of the tube (mark 5).
6. Unscrew bolt THM8 (mark 6) located at the end of the endless screw (mark 4).
7. Unscrew entirely the endless screw to get the brass nut.
8. Screw the new nut on the endless screw, and the bolt THM8 with some light thread glue.
9. Put the endless screw back in the tube, with marine grease type Motul LC300 or similar.
10. Screw back the brass nut on the tube with strong thread glue.
11. Reinstall the mechanism doing the operation in the opposite order
This option was available on the Beneteau First 20, First 25S, Oceanis 31, 311, 323, 331, 343, 361 and the Oceanis 38.