Keel - threaded hole

[FinalOffer]

New Albin owner - I just had maintenance work done to my '97 28TE. I noticed a threaded hole in the keel where I can see the prop shaft, some rubber hoses, and feel water. Another 28TE in the boat yard had no hole in the keel for access. My concern is that there is water in the keel and the hole is threaded so I am assuming it needs to be plugged before launch. I never removed any plug from the keel and the boatyard is launching the boat tomorrow.

Does anyone know what this access hole is for? Is it normal for water to be in the keel? Does it need to be sealed?

Thanks

[Pitou]

Could this be the drip hole for the dripless shaft seal? As I recall, the drip hole is towards the base on the bottom of the shaft strut where it is mounted to the skeg. My understanding is that the skegs are solid glass. Snap a picture noting the location of concern and post. One sure fire way to find the drip location for shaft seal is to put a hose to the raw water side and run the engine and watch for the drip hole while on the hard.

If you are looking from inside the bilge ..... I can almost guarantee you are looking at the the hose that comes from the shaft seal and exits through a nipple on the shaft and drips through the shaft strut thus keeping your shaft cool .... in essance this is your stuffing box.

[jcollins]

If we are talking about the same thing. I have a threaded hole, starborad side of the keel. That is my drain plug. Most boats, including later year Albins, have the drain plug on the transom. Mine does not. About a 1/2 - 3/4 inch? Worried me the first season when I saw it there. The yard must have removed it when the boat was pulled. Do not launch without it. Your bilge will fill fast.
I don't think the previous owner of my boat ever removed it. When I did, out came oil and pieces of cloth. At first I thought I was in trouble. Turned out to be old oil from sloppy oil changes and old rag. I have a picture somewhere.

[jcollins]

Is this what you mean?

[Pitou]

Is this what you mean?

Now that's a threaded hole!!! I hadn't seen that before. FinalOffer, Pitou must be more like the other 28TE in the boatyard. My thru hull is in the stern as John describes. ........ never would have thought this one.

Good to have the different hull editions covered throughout the AOG membership.

[FinalOffer]

That's it. Boatyard must have removed it to drain the bilge and never replaced. I will make sure they take care of it before launching. Thanks for the help.

[RicM]

I'm just warning you that If you go running down to the boatyard asking about the "threaded hole" they are going to laugh their asses off at you (if they are polite, behind your back). A better approach is to enquire where they might have stored it as you would like to inspect it's integrity before launch. Most boats have a drain hole that is left open when on the hard so the bilge doesn't fill up with snow melt & rain water and drown the engine, batteries etc. You will usually find the plug attached to some essential piece of equipment like the handle of the cooling water seacock, so it's hard for them to forget to reseat it before launching. If you have ever watched a boat launched at a yard, there's usually some guy who stands in the back with his head in the bilge who yells if sea water starts flowing in for any reason, then they lift the boat back out and close whatever hole they left open. Now I'm not saying it doesn't happen that the occaisional boat gets launched without the plug in place, but it's usually at the public launch ramp early in the season, with much laughter among the crowds waiting to launch. I would not expect it from pro operation.

[Russell]

My 97 model has this same drain in the keel. It is called a garboard drain plug. The person who removed it should know where they put it but if not, look in the drawers and the bilge. It takes a large allen wrench to turn it.

[jcollins]

My 97 model has this same drain in the keel. It is called a garboard drain plug. The person who removed it should know where they put it but if not, look in the drawers and the bilge. It takes a large allen wrench to turn it.

I've always called it the drain plug. Now I know it's a garboard drain plug. Thanks very much for the information.

Definitions of garboard on the Web:

the first wale laid next to the keel of a wooden ship
http://www.wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

The board on a boat which attaches to the keel running fore and aft along the bottom
http://www.en.wiktionary.org/wiki/garboard

(Or garboard strake). The lower most strake on the hull, and that which is rabbeted into the keel.
http://www.tca.gov.bc.ca/archaeology/do ... ossary.htm

garboards - The streaks (planks) on each side next to and joining the keel.
http://www.zianet.com/jgray/nessmuk/woo ... ssary.html

[Denis]

Actually, my drain plug in the keel, uses a 1/2" drive ratchet to tighten or loosen it.

[RicM]

Most boats are built with a drain plug in the transom. Unless an Albin 28 is jacked up on the hard with the bow WAY up it doesn't drain the center area of the bilge. I put a gallon of -60 antifreeze in the bilge to keep damaging ice from forming over the NE winter. The alternative is a garboard drain plug at the very lowest point to get rid of any liquid in the bilge. Either solution works.

[Sisu22]

Does anyone happen to know what size the garboard plug is? I need to replace mine as I've lost it in the move.

[WillieC]

Bigger than your thumb?

[Jeremyvmd]

put a tape or ruler across it only a few standard sizes to chose from...

[Pitou]

Does anyone happen to know what size the garboard plug is? I need to replace mine as I've lost it in the move.

With the 4 bolt hole pattern on the flange & if the outside diameter is 3 1/8" you've got a Perko PKO 0124000PLB. This is the one commonly installed in the keel of earlier 28's. A 1/2 inch ratchet fits the plug. I installed this in the same spot on my 31.