StevenRolland
My thanks to Martin Hartley for the article on the main page.
I was just interested on other peoples experience with this. Has anyone else had to do this?
Our bolts are actually fibre-glassed in. When I spoke to Hunter (just before they were taken over) they could not confirm whether this was done by them or not. I take it from this report that they are not usually. Does anyone else have there bolts glassed over? Or indeed any tips for getting to the bolts if they are (very carefully with a chisel?)?
Thanks again,
Steve
timowen
My LK Sonatoa No273 has very well glassed in keel bolts that look as if they were done like that by Hunters. They look like a series of gentle rolling hills on the bottom of the boat – I don’t relish removing them. Fortunately my insurer only wants photos of the boat! – the down side is he thinks it is too small to venture to the continent in.
I read correspondence somewhere to the effect that Hunter said they should not be removed – presumably because they had made it so difficult.
StevenRolland
My LK Sonatoa No273 has very well glassed in keel bolts that look as if they were done like that by Hunters. They look like a series of gentle rolling hills on the bottom of the boat – I don’t relish removing them. Fortunately my insurer only wants photos of the boat! – the down side is he thinks it is too small to venture to the continent in.I read correspondence somewhere to the effect that Hunter said they should not be removed – presumably because they had made it so difficult.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I spoke to Hunter when we bought the boat in 2003 and they strongly recommended against removing them.
bbrq505
My Sonata 8122N (built 1981 – not sure of construction number) has exposed keel bolt tops, but semicovered by epoxy, not GRP.
I saw a number of Sonata’s this time last year when looking to purchase and from memory they were all similar.
My surveyor was very keen that a sample bolt is removed periodically to examine that it (and others) isnt corroded, but I must admit that I havent had the courage to do so yet !
peter lister
I have had my Sonata from new kit. The keel bolts? were covered with filler, but I ground the top of filler off and exposed the metal, to get floor as low as possible.
The metal expossed is the top of nuts. Therefor the keel is held on with studs into the tapped keel. The nuts then taken up and covered. There did not appear to be any way of extracting the studs without removing all the nuts and lifting hull of the keel.
There was not enough stud length to put locking nuts on to remove individual studs.
(( NB This from dim memory, will check next time I have floor up )))
timowen
If anyone does manage to replace keel bolts, be wary of using stainless steel as cast iron can act as a sacraficial anode to the stainless – your bolts will be fine but your keel threads may suffer in time. Best replace like with like.
KaatjeFlodder
Hi Steve,
My keel bolts are glassed over as well. I think it is original. I have no experience in removing it.
My Sonata is built in 1977 or so.
Regards, Robert