Checking keel fastenings

Ben Sutcliffe-Davies is a chartered surveyor with many years experience in the marine industry

Since the very first fitting of an external keel to a yacht, there have always been risks of failure and in-depth discussions surround what material should be used or how they should be attached. There are a selection of materials that can be used for fastenings but care has to be excised with the choices made.

I think the first yacht I was involved with was as an apprentice at Whisstock Boatyard, where the surveyor had noticed some weeping along the seam of where the iron keel casting was fitted up to the wooden keelson. Corrosion streaks were also obvious. Upon torque testing, it was became clear that the forward keel bolt was slack, so it was pulled. On removal, we discovered the iron had some seriously wasted sections. It was during this early experience that