MacGregorSailors.com

Hi, I just bought a 1973 venture newport 23. The keel cable is broke and needs replaced. This is my first sailboat, so I have alot to figure out.
someone please tell me how I could lift the boat, and where I could buy the cable? Also, how long the cable should be?

I just did this job on my V 2-22. Very easy.

The *safest* way to lift the boat would be to bring the boat to a boatyard and have it hoisted in an appropriate lift or hoist. You can also use a floor jack and blocks of wood to lift off the trailer in the driveway, but that's at your own risk and isn't fun. Use a real hoist at a marina or boat yard if you can. Supporting a boat by yourself without a real hoist can be extremely dangerous to both yourself and the boat.

The keel will stay against the trailer/ground as the boat is hoisted upward.

Once the boat is lifted, ensure that the keel is down enough to be able to reach up into the keel trunk.

Remove the end of the cable from the keel, and the other remaining end of cable from the winch.

Install new cable to keel, and then feed other end up through the trunk to the winch.

Attach cable to winch, and crank the cable--and the keel--up.

Try to hold the cable taught by hand until the weight of the keel is on it, so that it spools properly around the drum while you crank it up. Just watch your fingers.

You can buy the cable from http://www.bwyachts.com. Cable should be 11 feet long. While you're at it, you should check the condition of the keel cable guide bolt (if the V23 is equipped with it). The cable rides against the bolt on its way to the winch, and it can cut into the guide bolt over time. You can use a regular stainless steel bolt of the same size from any hardware store when replacing it.

Good luck!!!

You can buy stainless steel cable from Lowes or Home Depot for a whole lot less than West Marine. They have various sizes just in case you want to replace with a larger diameter cable.

On My V224 the bolt is accessible once I lower my keel to rest on the trailer.The rest is easy. Undo the bolt, free up the cable, pull it into the boat. Put new cable on the winch, snake it through and re-attach. I am using a nylon strap (rated for 800 pounds) as my "cable". Works fine so far.

You should know that not all stainless steel is the same. do the research. Please