Keelbolts

I had some seepage last year around the two front keelbolts. I decided that before I start working on the keel I would address this problem. I was limited by time and temperature (>50 deg. F) so I would only do the ones that were leaking and not all of them. After reading all the postings in the Yahoo group with respect to keelbolts I was pretty confident I knew what to do.

Bolt Removal

This photo shows the rust stains and the markings on the bolt that indicate it's strenght. It also provided me a reference when tightening the bolt to see it's final position compared to the original position. I did make some markings on the bilge but those got cleaned off when I removed the rust stains. I was prepared for the fight of my life to remove the bolt but it came off pretty easily. I used a regular ratchet with a 1 foot pipe on the end of the handle for added leverage. I had to pull hard but not brain-vein popping hard. Maybe I don't know my own strength.
Two markings mean 50ft-lb torque max rating for 408 SS
 
Here you can see that the old caulk is crumbly. It looks to me that this is the first time they are removed.
Bolt removed showing old caulk
 

All the keelbolts in a T22 go right through the keel. Here you can see some minor rust but the threads are OK. The water may have been coming in through the hole or through the hull/keel joint.

Minor rust
 

The bolt looks to be in good shape. All the old caulk was cleaned off.
Keel bolt looks OK, rust stains on caulk
 

I wrapped the lower part of the bolt with teflon tape to provide a better seal. This also shows the caulk cleaned out from the hole. I used shovel, rakes, and implements of destruction.
Cleaned out old caulk, teflon tape on threads going through keel
Bolt Installation

I used 3M 4200 caulk to fill the hole. I put a plastic straw at the end of the caulk gun so I could squirt caulk into the space between the keel and hull.

Forced caulk into gap between hull and keel
 

Caulk was added around the top of the bolt to fill the hole.
Put more caulk on bolt before screwing it back in
 

I installed the bolt and torqued it down about the same as when I removed it. The bolt went about a quarter of a turn further than the original position.
Bolt back in, turned 1/4 turn tighter than original position
 

The excess caulk was cleaned up. Looks much better without the rust there!
Two front bolts reinstalled
 

I had to grind the bolt end down but this was pretty easy.

Grind down to make flush with keel
 

Prolog: This was a pretty easy project and I wish I had done all the other bolts. If I do it next year I will have to touch up with POR, epoxy and bottom paint. Given the rain we had and the delay in launching I would have had time. Sounds like another Mobyism:

Time expands to create a void where you could have done the projects you decided not to do because you didn't have enough time. The corollary: You will run out of time if you think you have enough time to finish a project.

After lauch this year the front two bolts did not weep!! Horay! However, now some of the other bolts showed weeping. This however mysteriously stopped after about two weeks in the water. I WILL do all the other bolts next spring.