Kirie Apollon keel

[widgeon36]

Hi.  I have inherited a Kirie Apollon without mast sails or rigging and intend to use her for canal and river cruising with an outboard. Any ideas on how to remove the heavy cast iron keel would be appreciated.  There does not appear to be any access to the bilges via the boat floor. Thanks

[LadyG]

I think you need to find a boatyard with some big tools.

The keel bolts are normally fitted with nuts which have to be unthreaded before the keel is dropped. 

Would it be better to try eBay first?

[Crewcut]

Looking at the record for it on sailboatdata.com it's long keel so could be encapsulated rather than bolted on? Draft is only 70cm, very shallow for a sailboat and of course it's only that in the middle so could be okay to use as is in many places, others with more canal knowledge than I will advise on that. I think it would be very unstable if you did remove the keel...

[LadyG]

29 minutes ago, Crewcut said:

Looking at the record for it on sailboatdata.com it's long keel so could be encapsulated rather than bolted on? Draft is only 70cm, very shallow for a sailboat and of course it's only that in the middle so could be okay to use as is in many places, others with more canal knowledge than I will advise on that. I think it would be very unstable if you did remove the keel...

I did think about encapsulated, but if in glass fibre how does he know it's iron?

it's a very strange design by the looks of it.

I doubt it will ever be suitable.

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by LadyG