Keel

Hello Steve & Linda, I just watched Offshore, and enjoyed it very much. I have been looking around on your website, and I think it is fantastic. Well done. I dream of having a lifestyle like yours one day.

I’m 22, and have a 34′ custom riveted aluminum round bilge, Terhou, built in England in ’59. Within the next decade or so, intend to weld something bigger (and faster) for myself.

This goal has me thinking about design, best practices, etc. You mentioned in Offshore that Sundeer’s keel is welded on. How is the ballast installed? Is it poured inside? I assume it is lead? – Ryan

Hi Ryan: Our normal practice has been to weld the keel on. Some times the lead is poured into the keel before welding it to the hull and sometimes the lead is poured after.

In the case of Beowulf, the keel was fabricated, lead poured, and then after she was delivered to her launching point on a truck the keel was welded in place. Steve.


Posted by Steve Dashew  (November 30, 1999)



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