What's in the keel?

[beermanPDX]

I think that was a controversial mod made during the Tom Latham era of the ark factory. Earlier ark owners commented that they much preferred the wood elephant stalls as they were easier to work on with normal carpentry tools while later owners appreciated the ease of clean-up.

On paper, the ark was meant to be towed by at least 50 horses, but many towed it with only 20 and were just fine.

And since the ark had two of everything, it was obviously powered by twins.

 

[Blueback]

I'm looking at a C-Dory 22 that has some damage to the back end of the keel. It looks like when it was put on or off the trailer the keel may have scraped on concrete - the gelcoat is removed completely for about 2' and the mat is roughed up, as if someone had gone over it with a rasp. I'm not concerned about the cosmetics of this, it's easily repaired. But I am aware that the 22's have a balsa-cored hull. The question is, does the coring extend down into the keel itself; or is the keel solid fiberglass; or is it filled with something else like plywood or solid wood? My concern is whether water could have entered at the bottom of the keel and made its way up into the balsa coring of the surrounding hull.

I would address you question another way. We are a great self-supporting group here - but at times I think only the Factory can address different hull lay-up methods - if any- over the different years of production. After all, you would ask the automotive dealership on difficult questions for your vehicle - who in turn may go on line to the factory for the answer--wouldn't you? Many times we are left to guess as to how these Dorys were constructed in terms of where the balsam cored areas are etc. Then, at times, we may end up with conjecture only on this Forum. This leaves me a little concerned as to the real factory supported answers. May I suggest that you contact the Factory with your question and then come back to us with the answer that we would all buy into as the official answer if this problem arises with others. I think at times we may underestimate the symbiotic relationship we have here with the C-Dory Company. C-Brats try not to bug the factory with trivial questions and that's what great about this forum but at times I think a factory answer "shared" is the best way to go--WSYA.

 

[Sunbeam]

... at times I think only the Factory can address different hull lay-up methods - if any- over the different years of production..... This leaves me a little concerned as to the real factory supported answers. May I suggest that you contact the Factory with your question and then come back to us with the answer that we would all buy into as the official answer if this problem arises with others.

I'm all for doing source research (i.e. looking up manuals, calling engineering departments, etc.), but the person questioning this has a 2000 C-Dory. That's about six "factories" (builders) ago. And even within a builder it's very common for things to be done differently one year (or even one month) and another, one employee or another, or one stocking situation or another ("we're out of X. Okay, I'll order more, just use Y for today."). The builder might not even be sure (even if you could find the person who built it sixteen years ago). This applies to more than just C-Dory, so I'm not knocking them.

Again, I'm all for primary research, but in this case asking here is likely to be more productive, and I'd say probably the better bet (not that one can't do both).

 

[Blueback]

... at times I think only the Factory can address different hull lay-up methods - if any- over the different years of production..... This leaves me a little concerned as to the real factory supported answers. May I suggest that you contact the Factory with your question and then come back to us with the answer that we would all buy into as the official answer if this problem arises with others.

I'm all for doing source research (i.e. looking up manuals, calling engineering departments, etc.), but the person questioning this has a 2000 C-Dory. That's about six "factories" (builders) ago. And even within a builder it's very common for things to be done differently one year (or even one month) and another, one employee or another, or one stocking situation or another ("we're out of X. Okay, I'll order more, just use Y for today."). The builder might not even be sure (even if you could find the person who built it sixteen years ago). This applies to more than just C-Dory, so I'm not knocking them.

Again, I'm all for primary research, but in this case asking here is likely to be more productive, and I'd say probably the better bet (not that one can't do both).

Good answer Sunbeam -- I had no idea there were 6-! factory builders since 2000-- this almost becomes impossible then to do more than an educated guess. Maybe though the factory builders-now- are still the most educated to guess-- or somebody who has opened up the keel for that vintage--eh.