John, there is a fabulous site put together by Sean (M-23 Dauntless) that shows in detail fixing the rusted steel ballast issue (http://www.havasumontgomerys.piczo.com/?cr=1). I might suggest that the source of the leak may be at the joint where the outer shoal keel meets the inner center board liner. You can see it if you get under the keel and stare straight up. On my '75 M-17 this joint showed some deterioration and after reading that Sean found this joint to be the probable culprit on his classic M-23 (I think our over 30 year old M boats should be called classics :)) I put some cloth and epoxy in mine to try and avoid any water infiltration issues since I know my boat is carrying around steel punchings as well. I like working with epoxy and Sean also has some tutorials on the MSOG photo site about working with epoxy. If you are willing to do the work looking at what Sean has done should give you some great ideas on how to approach it. Best of luck and if you do tackle it please let us know how you are making out. Robbin John Crews wrote:
I own a 1974 Montgomery 17. The boat has been out of the water for several years. I just noticed a crack in the fiberglass of the shoal keel. I'm not certain of the construction but it looks like an inner steel or iron structure may have rusted, expanded, and split the fiberglass. The crack is roughly horizontal, about midway between the hull and the bottom of the keel, about 2-feet long, and nearer the aft end of the keel. The split is nearly 1/2-inch wide. I also just noticed a bulge and hairline crack on the opposite side of the keel. Any insight and/or suggestions?
Thanks.
Sincerely,
John Crews
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