MacGregorSailors.com

I would like to thank all those pose and answer questions as I have learned a lot. This is my first post and hope some of you might be able to help. I have a 1985 Macgregor 21 with steel keel. I am going to change the keel winch and keel cable that I obtained from bwyachts.com. The previous owners did not use the boat much and luckily I have some wear in the trunk where the cable passes, but not too much. They installed a small and thin brass through hull that if I continue to use will wear as it has already into the thru hull and trunk (again only a little).

The manual states that on an M21 "On the MacGregor 21, the keel cable passes behind a wear bolt directly below the cockpit drain. On the other boats, the cable passes through a stainless tube containing a wear surface". I believe this would hold the cable in the center thereby not causing any damage.

I have taken a picture and made some diagrams because, I think the wear bolt might have been installed in the wrong place. Was wondering if anyone has any thoughts? My idea now is to leave the old wear bolt in place and buy a new one and install it forward of the old one as in the attached 2nd diagram. I also want to find a brass through hull or a thru hull that has a wear surface but I cant find one and bwyachts did not have one. Thanks if anyone can comment and the pictures really do show what my words would be difficult to expalin

I don't see a problem moving the wear bolt. I added one to my V25, as the factory wear pin was worn pretty good. On the 25's the wear pin is welded to the tube that the keel cable passes through. It also has a length of hose on it, to keep water out, as it is located inside the boat. You can see the water under the boat by looking inside your tube, right? To make the wear bolt wear less, I put a piece of ss tubing over the bolt, so it can spin as the cable goes up and down. Added the washers to keep the tube from potentially rubbing the trunk.

The bolt needs to be closer to the bow and the cable passes behind it.

When you install the new winch, make sure the cable is centered in the hole with the cable centered on the spool.

As the keel swings forward from it's retracted position, the cable follows in a straight line from the wear bolt to the keel attachment point, without the bolt, the cable will rest against the next firm surface it encounters, the bottom of the cockpit floor.

Keep a spare or 3 handy and replace when starting to show signs of wear.

Just an update as I have not done this yet

To put a new wear bolt is too much work. I don't have enough space for metal and rubber washers, to put one, next to the existing bolt. I would need to refill the old hole first with glass then make the new hole.

It just easier to install on the deck a new SS keel wear tube and periodically replace the keel cable, if it shows wear. It is sold from blue water yachts for 23 bucks and bolts to the deck of the cockpit.

I called Blue Water Yachts to see if they sell the keel cable wear bolt and they do not and the nice man that specilizes in M21 parts told me that the factory sometimes made mistakes and installed the wear bolt in the wrong location, hence my problem. The part they sell will bolt to my cockpit deck to the existing holes. Certainly easier and he said most customers never have issues doing it this way. Now I need to raise the rear to do this so I have space.


https://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/5307-1k0.htm
https://cdn3.volusion.com/reeua.fzzpa/v ... -1K0-2.jpg