Keel bolts not exist any more - please help.

[Guest Sergiu]

Hi Guys, got a boat with a problem. The keel bolts is completely rotted (the front one absolutely flat), is this the final, or possible repair? I tried to find owner manual or other information, but all to no avail.

 

Please any advice, thanks in advance!

[ElCapitan]

That looks pretty scary.  Is there noticeable separation in the keel?  Everything on a J22 is repairable, but whether it's DIY or a professional job depends on your skill level and how much time and money you have for this.  If the bolts are this bad I worry about the general maintenance of the rest of the boat. 

I would take a look at the post below and see if his solution would work for you.  Personally with damage like that I wouldn't feel confident in the repair without dropping the keel entirely to see the extent of things.  Very possible that the bolts have damage at the joint and need to be completely replaced.  Not something I've ever done, but I believe the bolts are leaded into the keel, so you probably need to know what you're doing.  Keep in mind even just getting the keel off can be a real headache...I gave up halfway through trying to get mine dropped (not a corrosion issue with mine, I was just planning to rebed).