Keel Sump weakness

Posted by gjirak (gjirak@…>)

I recently purchased a 1989 Freedom 38 and found that the keel was
loose. Apparantly it was refitted in 1999 with a new shallow draft
wing keel and was not bedded well during the refit. The keel was
rebedded recently and we noted some weakness in the sump which provided
some movement during the movement of the newly bedded keel. No cracks
are visible but on further inspection some of the support structures
had been cut during the previous refit. Our plan is to refiberglass
the support back in place and reglass the areas that were noted to
flex. I was wondering if anyone else had this problem and how they
addressed it? This apparantly has been a structural issue for earlier
Freedoms.

Posted by Dave_Benjamin (dave_benjamin@…>)

If whoever cut those supports during the refit is still in business
I’d be after them to foot part or all of the bill. You really need a
good surveyor and perhaps someone with an engineering or N.A.
background to get involved. Do you have any pics?

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “gjirak” <gjirak@…> wrote:

I recently purchased a 1989 Freedom 38 and found that the keel was
loose. Apparantly it was refitted in 1999 with a new shallow draft
wing keel and was not bedded well during the refit. The keel was
rebedded recently and we noted some weakness in the sump which provided
some movement during the movement of the newly bedded keel. No cracks
are visible but on further inspection some of the support structures
had been cut during the previous refit. Our plan is to refiberglass
the support back in place and reglass the areas that were noted to
flex. I was wondering if anyone else had this problem and how they
addressed it? This apparantly has been a structural issue for earlier
Freedoms.

Posted by gjirak (gjirak@…>)

Thanks for the reply. I thought I had a good surveyor when I
purchased the boat and he appeared to been on target with everything
else including the loose keel. I discussed this with Paul Dennis who
said that the weak sump was an issue with earlier Freedoms but they
reinforced the area with the newer ones. My boat falls inbetween
this transition era. Unclear whether the fix was in. I have alot of
confidence in the Boat Yard in Annapolis which is doing the work now,
John White at Whitehall, he feels he can get the support to how it
was out of the factory. The main issue is whether a complete rebuild
is needed in the future and whether the basic engineering is flawed.
IIf so, then a complete rebuild would be required.


In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Dave_Benjamin”
<dave_benjamin@…> wrote:

If whoever cut those supports during the refit is still in business
I’d be after them to foot part or all of the bill. You really need a
good surveyor and perhaps someone with an engineering or N.A.
background to get involved. Do you have any pics?

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “gjirak” <gjirak@> wrote:

I recently purchased a 1989 Freedom 38 and found that the keel
was
loose. Apparantly it was refitted in 1999 with a new shallow
draft
wing keel and was not bedded well during the refit. The keel was
rebedded recently and we noted some weakness in the sump which
provided
some movement during the movement of the newly bedded keel. No
cracks
are visible but on further inspection some of the support
structures
had been cut during the previous refit. Our plan is to
refiberglass
the support back in place and reglass the areas that were noted
to
flex. I was wondering if anyone else had this problem and how
they
addressed it? This apparantly has been a structural issue for
earlier
Freedoms.