inspection plate

[surewayto]

I have a 1981 42 foot GB. I want to put an inspection plate by the generator to see what might be in the keel. Has anyone put one in, and where?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

 

[DHeckrotte]

I've done similar to a Flying Dutchman sailboat (to access for fitting installation). I've done similar for the in-keel potable water tank on our LeComte NE 38.


The pic shows a 6" dia Beckson deckplate in the lid of the water tank. (The white circular thing.)

 

[Xsbank]

Early GBs had a hose glassed into the keel so it could be pumped out. If you have a short hose sticking out of the bilge, mystery solved! I had one of the screws fail on the stainless strip on the stem and my keel filled up with water but only when we were underway. Drove me crazy until I discovered how it was getting in and I sealed the holes and redrilled new ones and rebedded the stem-strip. The water I pumped out was always rusty and somebody told me the keel was full of rubble, mostly scrap iron intended to act as ballast.

Many owners installed garboard drains in the keel, at the stern, to open when hauled to make sure there was no water in there.

I can't think of a good reason to go in there, but there is probably no reason why you couldn't install a plate so you could stare at the rubble. Its probably pretty smelly in there too.

 

[surewayto]

Reply

Thanks for your info on the Keel inspection plate. I had been in the yard and found dampness coming from the bottom of the keel. Survayor suggested the keel hole, drain then plug, but the yard was already glassing it in. The surveyor also suggested an inspection plate, but over the phone didn't tell me where. My idea was to install one and suck any remaining water out, let dry from inside.