>I'm in the process of (= I have the idea and the parts and am
>procrastinating wrt installation) setting up two heavy rubber bungees
>hooked to padeyes on the sides of the trunk and passing over each end
>of the top of the keel. With the right tension, I expect this to
>stabilize the keel enough to make the weather stripping effective yet
>allow it to give under high shock loads when going aground or, as I
>once did, running over submerged logs. We shall see. I'll still use
>the bolt in deepwater and/or ugly seas.
Bill
This is the system that I have gone to in HC. I use one black solid rubber
bungee on each end of the keel trunk and have been very happy with the
results. These bungees are hooked to pad eyes that are mounted low (thicker
part) of the trunk. Using the new IM gasket (looks like wet suit rubber), a
chunk of sponge jammed into hole between the leading edge of the keel and
the keel trunk, and the bungee system has (in all but worse conditions)
completely stopped all keel trunk leaks. Before these changes I would end
up with about a quart of water in the cabin after a day of easy sailing. I
plan on supplementing these bungees with a loosely tied 1/4" line that would
only come into use if (and I don't plan on this ever happening) HC decides
it is easier to float with her keel pointing up.
Larry