When you drop the keel, carefully examine the pivot bolt hole for wear and damage. Cast iron is a fairly soft metal, and the pivot hole on these keels often "wallers" out (becomes oblong in shape, rather than perfectly round). Such a condition is dangerous to the keel, and should be repaired before putting the keel back in the boat. There are posts here on the board about fixing "wallered" pivot holes, so all the information you need should be here. Just whatever you do, don't let it go the way it is (if the hole is oblonged). When it wears beyond a certain point, and the weight of the keel finally overpowers the amound of cast iron left around the pivot bolt, PLUNK...your keel becomes one with the bottom of the lake. And MacGregor, despite a growing demand, does not manufacture replacement keels for their old keel boats.
As far as bottom coating goes, use real marine bottom paint. The West Marine brand is supposedly the same thing as the Interlux brand, and it's cheaper than the name brands are. You especially want to use real bottom paint (as opposed to something cheaper like a conventional outdoor paint) if you will be keeping the boat in a slip for the season (in the water all season long) and/or if there are cracks in your gel coat on the bottom of the hull (which is likely at your boat's age). Bottom paint contains metals like copper and other ingredients that resist adhesion of muscles, barnacles, algae, and other growths; and it's far more durable as a finish than a generic outdoor paint.
And speaking of paint, if your hull is in good shape, and the gel coat is merely faded, I would recommend just polishing the existing finish rather than painting over it. Once you start painting it, you'll never stop. Paint inevitably cracks and peels when applied over gel coat, whether it lasts one season or a few years. 3M makes a range of products that are great for polishing up oxidized gel coat hull finishes.
Good luck with the boat!
Thanks for all of the replies so far...
As far as the bottom goes... My plan is this:
1. Clean really good with pressure washer.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a cleaning agent for the bottom that was below the water line?
2. Compound and polish and wax everything above the water line.
3. Paint below the water line with the West Marine brand bottom paint.
As far as the keel goes I plan to:
1. Remove it and install a bushing for the pivot bolt.
2. I will probably buy a cheap sand blaster from harbor Freight and sand blast it.
3. Paint it with something... I wonder if I can just use the same bottom paint as I am going to use on the hull below the water line. Can I use that?
4. Of course I will check the bolts and winch and cable while I have it out and replace as needed.
I need to replace most of the rope on the boat, but I am confused at the large selection in the West Marine catalog. Can someone recommend an inexpensive rope for the sails and rigging? What size? 5/16"? 3/8"?
Can someone point me to a simple wiring diagram. I found the charging line that I can run from the 10 horsepower Honda to the battery to charge it. I have a 12 volt deep cycle battery. I want to have a couple of interior lights, a bow light, a stern light, a light up on the mast, a stereo, a bilge pump, and possibly an outlet or two. I know i am going to have to go shopping for a panel with some switches and fuses, and I may want to invest in a second battery and a solar panel. We plan to "camp" in the boat and cruise and just explore lake Guntersville on the Tennessee river. So some decent off shore power would be nice.
