Hollow keel

trepka2001 · Post by **trepka2001** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:02 pm

getting that dreaded "funky" odor in my forward berth, what are most of you folks using/doing to keep the hollow keel pumped out on an F32?

thelast322 · Post by **thelast322** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:56 pm

keel sump pump " Diaphram Type " Solved my stinky bilge solutions. There are previous postings on it. Obviously where you drill the hole is the most important task. But by you pulling water out of the keel, this prevents it from filling up and pushing forward. You can also pump the water out fwd " With a hand Pump" and add shock or a little bleach to kill the bacteria. Check out the old postings and see if the cover your questons.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:08 am

Occasional bleach helps as well ...

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:46 am

Does anyone have a diagram, with measurements of where to drill the holes for the keel water? Trying to get a picture in my head of this scenario.
Thanks.

trepka2001 · Post by **trepka2001** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 7:09 pm

i agree, if someone can supply that info it would be a big help!!!

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:55 pm

Ditto on the info. I haven't had the funky smell yet but I'm sure it won't be long.

randyp · Post by **randyp** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:57 pm

Now, please take this advise with a grain of salt, because I fixed my hollow keel problem but it's on an F-26. But basically you should have a weep (small) hole just over the hollow keel area. Have that? If so, you can work a small key-hole saw into it and saw away a portion of the fiberglas over the hollow keel area. Don't worry about sawing through the bottom of the hull if you are using a manual (emphasis on MANUAL) key-hole saw. The hull is solid fiberglass and over 1/2 thick. No way will you saw through it.

Sawing off this top layer (about 2" x 8" area) I then removed the floor that covered my rear bilge pump and extended the hose from this into the hollow keel area. Before that I would put a manual pump into the cut out area and pump out the excess water. I'm in fresh water so there was no real odor problem, but in seawater you'll start to get that sweet rotten egg odor over time as the sodium breaks down.

Just a couple of years ago I rigged a diaphragm pump up to replace the manual bilge pump and hooked it up to a dedicated hose in the hollow keel. Wired it to a manual push-pull switch on the console just under the auto bilge switch. So now I have an auto bilge on top of the hollow keel in the "real" cabin bilge, and the manual bilge pump dedicated to the hollow keel - and as a back up for the auto bilge.

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:28 pm

Thanks Randy. Very informative.

However, the keel issue has been beat to death on the F32 but I have never seen an exact diagram/drawing as to where to access or drill the holes needed to pump out and or install a pump.

Maybe someone has the measurements from bulkhead to bulkhead and where to drill? These points should differ from model to model.

Thanks for your time.

thelast322 · Post by **thelast322** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:51 pm

I will take a pic this week. But it is a Jabsco Shower sump pump with the filter guard in place. It is installed on the aft bulkhead of the engineroom compartment. It disch goes out the starboard side. I actally put a thru hull there 2 feet above the waterline. The Disch line also has a p trap shape in it . I have to kick it on manually every time but it is a habbit now. My main reason was the $4300 stringer job in 2007. Now there is never any standing water in all of the bilges. Eventaully the fwd bilge fills up from the Condenser of the A/C. I hand pump it out.
I have a future project to connect the Shower sump pump to the Fwd bilge through Valving on its suction. Another thing I capture is the water condesation off the A/C hose on the stbd Fuel tank. I still need to plumb it in but catch it with a bucket. It actually accumlates 3-5 gallon in a 24 hr period believe it or not.

A Dry Bilge is a HAPPY Bilge

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:22 pm

I don't have this problem... it seems that there is no way for water to get into the hollow keel..... my guess is either the factory left it well sealed or a previous owner made sure any bottom voids were glassed over.

Barry Boyle · Post by **Barry Boyle** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:46 pm

We stumbled upon the hollow keel our first year when we were getting ready to put the boat in for the season we came across a soft spot in the keel. Must have run aground or something, my brother was poking around and pushed right through the keel with a screwdriver much to our suprise about five gallons of water poured out we checked inside and found no opening just fiberglass we cut through above the bad spot so we could repair from the top as well as the bottom the hole was about ten inches long and about an inch or two up the side of the keel in the worst spot after the repair was complete we left the top open ( 4 x 8 inch hole ) to monitor possible water intake after we were sure it was safe we glassed over the hole and mounted a 2 inch pvc plug for access, just big enough for the wet dry vac we open it once and a while to check and drain there must be some opening somewhere forward because we get a little water once in a while not salty.