Force Grid on a 32-3

[Al Emondi]

I am looking for anyone who may have any images of the force grid configuration on the 32-3. Perhaps if you have replaced the sole and took some pictures or did some other maintenance. In my case, the previous owner layed a new sole, but did not provide many access points, and I believe there are at least 2 keel bolts covered by the sole. If anyone could post a few pics it would be great. I am hoping to route out a few more access areas, but I need to know the configuation first if possible. Thanks!

 

[Geoff Johnson]

You can find relevant photos in this thread:

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=1526&highlight=glued+sole

The only keel bolt that is covered is just forward of the mast. You should find a hole through the fiberglass for the insertion of the shaft of a wrench. You can see it in one of my photographs. There should be a hole under port settee which will allow you to reach in and place the socket over the nut. My yard had to enlarge this (but then it didn't know about the hole just before the mast since it is covered by a piece of teak). When I replaced the sole, I was surprised to discover that there is no access to the forward bolt through the TFG.

Are you saying your PO laid a new sole, glued it in place and did not even provide openings for the bilge? There should be five hatches. The one closest to the mast covers two (? maybe one) 1 inch bolts, as do the second and third. The fourth covers a single smaller bolt.

 

[Al Emondi]

Keel bolt access points

Geoff,

Thanks for the quick reply.

The PO had chosen to replace the sole, and put in one long panel that exposes the 5 middle bolts. I found the hole in front of the mast last night and removed the small piece of teak that covers it. So I am aware of that. However, you have confirmed my one fear, and that it isn't accessable through the TFG. The manual mentions 7 bolts in total. So far I have found from forward to aft: (1) the bolt in front of the mast, (1) bolt in the shower bildge, (2) bolts in the compartment aft of that, and (2) bolts in the compartment aft of that. So far that is 6 bolts, I am a bit unclear where the aft most bolt is located, and that is the one which I believe is still coverd by the cabin sole. Your pictures show two additional cutouts in the sole which I dont' have. One at the base of the steps, and one just forward of that, approx midships between the aft port sette and the hinged cabinet in the galley. Is that were the last bolt is located?

 

[Geoff Johnson]

Al,

Yes, the 7th bolt is located under the hatch fourth from the mast and second from the steps. That bolt is either 1/2" or 3/4".

 

[Al Emondi]

The missing keel bolt

Got it, thanks Geoff. I will head up to the boat shortly and see if I can find it. I am hoping to be able to route out a small panel. All of this because I have a small leak coming from somewhere and is driving me nuts and keeps an inch or so of water in the bildge. I figured it may be coming from the keel bolts...which then I realized I can't get to all of them. Strange how things lead into other things. That being said, have you been able to keep a dry bildge? My leak isn't from the stuffing box, it seems to be comming from forward of the sette somewhere. What a pain!

 

[Geoff Johnson]

Is it fresh or salt water? When you haul the boat do you see any dampness in the keel/hull seam due to leaking bilge water? (If so, it's time to rebed the keel). As I reported in another thread, after my boat was hauled this year and the bilge pumps shut off, 8 days of more or less steady rain caused enough water to come down inside the mast to fill the bilge to within and inch or inch and a half of the cabin sole. That's a lot of water. There is no way to stop that water so in order to keep the keel bolts dry (except for the forward one which I can reach) I encapsulated each bolt with a PVC pipe fitting and screw top.

I also find that a hard rain will drive water under the cockpit hatches. Finally, check the cockpit drain hoses. I found one with a hidden tear allowing all the rain water to find its way into the bilge. You might also have a leaking fresh water tank.

 

[Al Emondi]

The leak continues..

Geoff, When I hauled the boat this spring, I did see dampness around the keel/hull joint that never dried out the whole 3 weeks the boat was on the hard. Also, it is salt water that is seeping in. The gap (althouigh small)between the hull and keel was largest in the forward section of the hull/keel joint. That is why I suspect the forward keel bolt. I vacumed out all the water in the bildge and the keel bolts aft of the mast were dry, yet water seemed to seep in to the bildge from under the force grid somewhere up front near the mast step. All roads are pointing to the forward keel bolt I am afraid and as you know it is hard to get to that area to inspect it closer. Have you been down the road of rebedding the keel yet?

 

[Geoff Johnson]

Yes, I rebedded the keel right after I bought the boat in 1996; that's when the yard cut a larger hole under the port settee to access the first bolt. The cost was $1200. Since then the first 8 inches have reopened (probably due to being dragged through a sand bank by SeaTow, but that's another story), but the rest of the joint is solid. On rebedding, the bolts were packed in 5200 (and the keel was rebedded with epoxy per instructions from Pacific Seacraft). I don't think torquing the bolts is going to stop the leaking.

BTW, that forward bolt seems to be lower than the bilge. I have to periodically stick a hose down the hole forward of the mast and pump out some very nasty bilge water, even when the bilge is dry. That bolt is the one design defect I can find on the boat.

 

[Al Emondi]

Interesting...I found the same issue. There is a small cut out in the port settee as you mentioned, and the other night I vacumed out that forward bildge as well with quite a surprise of some nasty water. I too was wondering, given the quality of the boat, how this design flaw passed. I am thinking about getting a small cheap USB camera and putting it in the front bildge after I vacume it out, and verify that that is indeed where the water is seeping in from. Otherwise, I am still stumped.

 

[Geoff Johnson]

Or you could vacuum both bilges and then wait and hour or two to see if the forward bilge fills. (Mine will stay dry for several weeks - the water that gets in there must come from rain). Then stick a flashlight in the hole under the settee and peek down the hole in front of the mast. Or maybe your gastroenterologist will loan you his colonoscope

In any event, after 20 years, its time to rebed the keel.