Any Problems Keeping a Swing Keel Boat in the Water Long Term?

[kcmarcet]

Thanks to all for the advise. I do appreciate the help for a novice. I just got back from buying my first boat. I decided on the 21' macgregor. It need just a little tlc to be ready for the water. I figure i should be ready for my first experience on it in 2 or three weeks.

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by kcmarcet

Thanks to all for the advise. I do appreciate the help for a novice. I just got back from buying my first boat. I decided on the 21' macgregor. It need just a little tlc to be ready for the water. I figure i should be ready for my first experience on it in 2 or three weeks.

Well Proud New Owner of a Hole in the Water You're about to sink untold money, time and love in to...
Congratulations!

Now how about some Pictures!
(let me know if You need any proprietary parts, have a 23' macgregor venture to be canibalized {holes in hull were more to fiix than finished boat when done} on this end, will gladly supply anything You need on the Cheap, Cheap CHEAP )
-mick

[Talbot]

If you have a steep slipway that is slippery, and you have that long tow rope, dont bother using it from your car to another, use it between your car and the boat trailer, thus with the tow car on the level non-slippery bit, it will be able to pull the boat out easily.

Stops the tow car getting covered in salt water as well!.

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by Talbot

If you have a steep slipway that is slippery, and you have that long tow rope, dont bother using it from your car to another, use it between your car and the boat trailer, thus with the tow car on the level non-slippery bit, it will be able to pull the boat out easily.

Stops the tow car getting covered in salt water as well!.

Have seen the slick trick of a 2wd truck (small, light & empty...toyota I think?) using an extended Dock Line 50' w/eye splice) doing exactly that! Was a brand new truck and the guy actually said he didn't want to get the truck in the water...

Just make sure that tongue jack is a sturdy (Rated for well in excess of the weight on it during this drag up a PAVED ramp) one. It was Slick to watch KC; he whipped a bowline around the trailer crossmember & spliced eye went over the trailer hitch ball. Another smart thing he did was put a BIG RUBBER Tire Chock (like the military uses) behind the tongue jack's wheel. hooked everything up at the top of the ramp, connected the lights, dispatched a child to get the remaining chock, tossed it in the bed and away they rolled...25' twin outboard Ocean Fishing boat.
And he was "Gone", just like that. In watching the operation, it was obvious they'd done it a time or 2 previously. This technique would probably work just fine for that Rav4 as well.

[Stillraining]

Cool trick!...I agree with the wanting of a stout jack for that one...and one with pneumatic tire as well if done as standard procedure...most our ramps are rough as cobs.

[sunbird10201]

My experience is with a CAL 21 which has a slightly different keel configuration than the Mac/Venture. However, I would not forsee any problems with keeping the boat in the water all season. One concern though, if you can get a mooring that will allow enough depth at all tides for you to leave the keel in the down and locked position, it wil lbe better than if you need to retract the keel every time, 2 reasons for this....1) less work on crew and equipment if the keel is down always (only retracted for haulout and storage offseason) 2) I'm a bit concerned about 500# of cast-iron hanging on the lifting cable all season...... as the boat rocks/rolls at rest the keel will tend to sway a bit and will put extra strain on the cable and the pivot bolt. I seem to recall that the loop where the cable attaches to the keel (based on a friend's V25) has a nico-press swage fitting and those are usually copper, that swage fitting could corrode away in saltwater from stray electrical currents.... if it does......you have 500# of cast-iron keel suddenly swinging down with full force...... can you say CRUNCH!!! then in comes the water! The V21 does have flotation and won't go to deep....but it still won't be fun!
Leaving the keel locked down will actually reduce the wear on the pivot bolt especially if you snug it up a bit after inserting the locking bolt that stops the keel from retracting.
Any further advice that I would have has pretty much been already stated.