stuck swing keel - help!

[rbarnes]

Hello

Could anyone possibly give me some advice

I have recently bought a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 241 (1995) swing keel version

I am very much enjoying her however her keel keeps on jamming up when ever I dry out. This happens when I dry on a flat surface (wooden drying out platform) or on mud. I can often free it by diving down and clearing the slot and shaking the keel violently by hand. This is not adding to my sailing satisfaction and my wife is now talking about buying a RIB!

How do I solve this problem permanently? any ideas?

FYI - In water or dried out the keel swings freely. Looking up into the casing when it is lifted out it looks very clean with no weed or barnacles that can be seen.

I have thought of drilling a hole (!!!!!) in the top of the centerboard casing & fitting a water proof plug (a deck water filler cap) so I can push it down from inside the cabin. However this seems like a very large step to take! Do you have any ideas or advice?

FYI I have tried a strap fitted under the boat over the top of the keel when up which has helped once but is not at all reliable. I have been told of the possibility of fitting a canvas "nappy" under the boat to keep the mud out of the slot but that sounds very messy (mud everywhere) & unreliable too!

All help would be much appreciated

while I am on.... does anyone have a diagram of the keel housing & mechanism & any instructions for servicing a swing keel? – there is nothing in the owners manual in any detail.

Thank you very much & kind regards

Richard

[MalcolmP]

Richard

Not sure if they are similar to the SO24.1 but there is drawing of the Fantasia swing keel at:

www.fantasiami.com/

May give you some idea perhaps

Malcolm

[rbarnes]

Malcolm
thanks
actually I now have 2 good diagrams from Jeanneau which are a real help. Fortunatly I have a deep mooring for a couple of weeks... I have also got a PVC sheet to put under the boat to dry out which will be a pain - but if it works it is one better than swimming!
is there a place we can store helpful diagrams for owners to access?
cheers

Richard

[MartyB]

Richard,

Email the link to malcolm and he will usually put said info in the main page ie www.jeanneau-owners.com part of system for other owners to use and find said info.

Marty

[MalcolmP]

Richard

Yes as Marty says we can put it on the Hints and Tips section at:

jeanneau-owners.com/hintsandtipsindexhull.html

That page has the email link to send to

Cheers

Malcolm

[rbarnes]

if anyone is interested I solved the problem.

I found that there was a couple of loose screws holding a flange protecting the lower edge of the keel housing.

I concluded that water may be getting in to the keel hosing swelling the wooden keel housing frame.

just before launch (after drying out for a few months!) I sealed the holes & bingo it has been 3 months now & the keel works perfectly!

thanks for your help!

kind regards

Richard

[MalcolmP]

Richard

Great to hear you have solved it

I can put it as an update on the Hints and tips section

can you email me your keel drawings if poss

Malcolm

[timstrrl]

Hi - did these plans ever get posted? I cannot find them. My Jeanneau 24.1 is currently out of the water, and before I put her back in this season I want to check the rope, pulley and pins for lifting her swing keel are OK, because the swing keel stuck in the down position a couple of times last year (I don't know why and eventually it came free - there is no obvious barnacle fouling of the keel or slot etc.). It looks to me like I will have to remove the galley table to access this system, but I cannot see how (I can see from below that the pin from which it swings might come free if i unscrew four blots in the base of the hull, but I am wary of doing that in case there are free nuts on the other side (that I cannot see from inside the boat)that I will not be able to screw back into. I have tried forums and user groups but no luck. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks - Tim

[MalcolmP]

Hi Tim

Welcome to the forum

No regret I did not get a response back then, but I will send an email to Richard "rbarnes" to ask if he might still be able to help, but I note he has not logged in or several years, so that might be a long-shot

You might well also try your local Jeanneau dealer - they have access to quite a comprehensive technical website that may still have the drawings for the the 24.1 swing keel



As I had noted in the earlier thread, whilst different boat/design, some of the following may help


jeanneau-owners.com/hintsandtipsindexhull.html


Do remember to let this board know how you get on and please take some photo's for future reference



Malcolm

[MalcolmP]

Good news. Richard responded straight away despite having sold the boat several years ago, but was able to find the document

Here it is..

[timstrrl]

Thanks. Does Richard by any chance remember how to remove the cowling on which the table sits, so that a person can access the rope, pulley and keel shown in the diagram? I have tried various things with no luck. Many thanks, Tim

[MalcolmP]

Apr 22, 2014 15:59:01 GMT timstrrl said:

Thanks. Does Richard by any chance remember how to remove the cowling on which the table sits, so that a person can access the rope, pulley and keel shown in the diagram? I have tried various things with no luck. Many thanks, Tim

Tim - I have just emailed Richard with your question and asked him to email you back directly if possible

(I am keeping personal email addresses off the forum where possible)

Malcolm