A 25 Keel Width?

[ednlorna]

Hi,

I'm a new member of AOG. I bought a 1972 Albin 25 on March 1, 2018 and today I found a used "Yatch Club" galvanized steel tandem trailer. The trailer has adjustable rollers which I should be able to fit to the curved hull, but I believe some keel support is in order.

Does anyone know how wide the keel on an A25 is? Mine is still afloat in murky water and I'm not a diver.

Thanks,

Ed

[WillieC]

I'd say it is about 3 inches wide with heavily rounded edges, but maybe I got a little crazy when I did bottom paint. It gets more pointy as it rises to the prow.

My trailer supports the hull with four bunks. It only touches the keel toward the front where the vee roller helps align the hook with its notch in the trailer. Obviously there are other ways to do it. I saw one recently here at AOG with provisions to slip slings through for hoist lifting. I like that, but hope to not need that provision.

I can crawl under it tomorrow if you want pictures and/or better measurements. Let me know.

[ednlorna]

Sure that would be great! If you get a shot of the keel drain plug location that would also be helpful. The prior owner glassed his up because the boat was kept afloat and he was worried about it corroding out.

Yes, I studied greencoast's post intensely and liked the look of his trailer. I agree with you about avoiding marina lifts, but it's nice to have the option.

If you have a roller-type trailer and are happy with no keel support, maybe I don't need the keel support on my roller-type? I will post some pictures of my (new-to-me) "Yatch Club" trailer ASAP. I'd welcome your opinion.

[dkirsop]

I strongly recommend adding keel support. This is the strongest element of the boat and good support at this location reduces stress and deformation of the hull. I have 2 pairs of keel rollers on my trailer; fore and aft for a total of 4 rollers. If I was to do it again I would add a third pair at the mid-point. I also have four, eight roller bunks supporting the hull. Prior to adding keel rollers hull deflection at the support points was noticeable in jammed floor panels and door closings. After adding the keel rollers everything now stays true. It also provides a level of comfort to know your boat is well supported when driving along less than perfectly paved roads.

I also recommend using 12" wide keel rollers. This makes steering the boat onto the rollers much easier. It becomes too easy to miss the rollers if they are narrower. My previous trailer had 8" rollers and it would take several attempts to get the boat sitting true, now I do it first time every time.

I have posted pictures of my set up before on the site and if you do a search using the key word trailer you will find many pictures of various rigs.

[dkirsop]

This posting has lots of good info for you
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=10119

[ednlorna]

dkirsop,

Very useful! Thanks !

[ednlorna]

Scratch posting pictures of my "Yatch Club" trailer. I don't think its necessary because of all the useful tips I have already received.

Thanks, Guys!

I did use the search engine, but I apparently haven't gotten the hang of it yet.

[DesertAlbin736]

For what it's worth, here's picture of our trailer with the boat off. Nearly full length bunks, double rollers supporting the keel at each cross member. Choice between bunks or rollers like dkirsop's is purely personal, either works fine.

DSCN3611.JPG

Keel width is somewhere between 2 to 3 inches.

DSCN3612.JPG

0407161622.jpg

If you look closely at the keel in the above photo you can see the drain plug location, which shows up as a dark spot next to the plastic chair & between the 1st & 2nd keel support jacks. (click on the picture to zoom in)

0418160938.jpg

These were taken a couple years ago when I did the bottom paint job. Yes, that's a '63 Corvair in the background in the last picture. Belongs to the guy who let me use his shop & air tools to do the job.

[WillieC]

Looks like Steve posted at exactly the same time I did and my post disappeared. I should take the hint from the cosmos and let it be.

I will say you might be able to find the inner portion of the keel drain down in your bilge. There is only the section under the floorboard just aft of the engine that constitutes the bilge. Everything drains by tubes into that section, save the engine pan which is self contained, you need to clean that yourself before it dumps oil into the bilge.

The plug on ours is on the port side, down low, toward the rear, adjacent to where the stern tube exits the keel. Even if you don't find any of the original bronze fitting, you surely might find a rough patched repair. I can't imagine anyone fairing the inner portion of that patch.

Actually, I was surprised to find our keel drain. I was envious of those who bragged about them here. Then I crawled under the trailer and found a lump under 45 years of bottom paint, did a little poking and shiny bronze appeared. Then I figured there was no way I was ever going to get that straight slotted screw head flush plug out, but I did. Now I can never lose it because the thread dates from prehistory the designs of which were lost in the last ice age. It is very fine which is probably why it didn't start an oyster farm and was easy to remove. For what it's worth.

[ednlorna]

Oh, the keel drain is on the port side near where the keel and the hull merge!

I would never have thought it would be there. I was picturing it on the transom like my SeaPro. Thanks, Steve!

Sounds like I should be able to find some evidence of the drain from inside the boat. Thanks, WillieC!

[kerrye]

My keel drain is port side about 4' back from the end of the keel but right at the bottom of the keel, not where the keel and hull merge.

[ednlorna]

kerrye:

Okay, that is useful information. Thanks!

Ed