2006 16ft Cruiser bronze keel protection strip

papanui

Hello friends, I’m looking at a 2006 16ft Cruiser and notice it has a bronze keel strip screwed to the outside of the hull as protection during beaching.

Is this a factory install, or an owner mod that may have introduced water into to balsa core?

Thanks for your feedback.
Drew

ssobol

thataway · Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 2:00 pm Post subject:

The area forward of the helm are is most all of the C Dory monohulls is solid glass, not cored in the bottom. The only way this brass strip (factory installed) can leak is that the pilot holes are drilled too deep, or glass was made thinner. Basically most hulls have good overlap of material from each side in the middle. If they are leaking, then the screws, and strip should be removed. The holes filled with an epoxy and highdenstiy filler, then the strip reinstalled, being very careful not to drill the holes too deep, and using 5200 as the bedding compound.

No way this water intrusion can cause core rot.

Karl Konecny · Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 2:43 pm Post subject:

I have a 2008 22' which has the bronze keel strip but it end forward of the section of the hull that is balsa filled so it should not lead to a water intrusion problem.

srbaum · Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:15 pm Post subject:

Drew,
I have seen and help troubleshoot 2 C-Dory's that had water in the bow. Both boats leaked due to factory drilled holes, where the screws for the brass strip was installed.
Your question is not about repair, but in both cases, as mentioned by the previous comments, there was no permanent damage and the repair was simply to oversize drill, then fill the holes with thickened epoxy, then drill to the correct size for the original fasteners, apply a sealant and screw the strip back on.