[Sentoa] '91 32' Tug- what's the keel filled with?

[Keira Burtch]

Hi
Very interesting thread...  Our boat 32-58 has some problems with water in
the shaft bilge under the saloon sole.  We have a PSS shaft seal, and have
re-sanded it and tightened it. We have had water appear when we have not run
the boat - not much, but enough to be irritating.  I also can see a
separation along the seam on the edge of the "floor" of the shaft bilge.
Could water be coming up from the keel? What's down there? and what could be
done to empty/dry it and then seal it from below and above.
Jeff and Keira Burtch
Gypsy III 32-058
Stony Point, NY
  -----Original Message-----
  From: sentoa-bounces at lists.samurai.com
[mailto:sentoa-bounces at lists.samurai.com]On Behalf Of Tom Gibson
  Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 11:04 AM
  To: South East Nordic Tugs Owners' Association (SENTOA)
  Subject: [Sentoa] '91 32' Tug- what's the keel filled with?


  Hello All-

  We've just come back from a week long, and wonderful cruise of the
Canadian Gulf Is. Unfortunately on our last day, as I was backing out of a
secluded cove, I hit a rock (sh#t). That said, on returning home we had the
boat hauled in order to assess possible damage and found the stainless steel
skeg that runs from the under side of the keel to the bottom of the rudder
post was bent slightly and not to severe. When we removed the 4- 1/2" x 3"
stainless bolts and sikaflex bonding that attached the skeg plate to the
keel, we could see water dripping out of the last top bolt hole. My
questions are- what is the keel filled with (composite, concrete, solid
fiberglass??) and secondly, should we be concerned with this approx. quart
of water that dripped out of the keel area? should it be dried completely
before resealing and re-attaching the skeg / rudder?  Any info and help
would be much appreciated as Nordic Tug isn't open on Fri. and we're wanting
to re-assembled and get back in the water this week-end.

  As a side note- our Tug performed beautifully even with 3 foot seas
spraying the pilot house windows for 2 hrs. on an exposed leg of the journey
and the joys of cruising at 7-8 kts. on dead flat sea with bright warm
sunshine. We're already planning our next adventure.

  Tom Gibson

  NT32-055

  Victoria BC
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