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From: jmdumitru@aol.com
Date: 12/21/00
Time: 7:32:35 PM
Remote Name: 152.163.205.8
The keel bolts I just removed were slightly worn, an engineer figures that 10% of their strength were gone, and they were put in in 1962! It took a half inch hexdive allan key to get two of the six out and a grinder was used to cut the tops off of the other 4 (the hex heads strip easily). I used a fire retardent blanket in the cabin so the fiberglass could be protected in some way. The bolts were screwed in from the top down and an extra long bolt appears to have been used and then ground off from the underside outside! After all the bolts were out I had a crane lift up the boat and the caulking/glue /whatever they used to stick it together at the factory stuck that keel on even when we wailed away with a sledgehammer from in the cabin and pried with a 2"*6"*6' from the outside. I thought the keel would fall off, however, she was stuck real good. Does this help?