The keel laughs at the weak, insignificant 400# capacity dolly that cant even begin to pick it up. Because of that, the keel will have to be repaired where it is under the boat. I was able to use the jack to get it up off the ground onto some wood. I still need to make a little cradle system to hold it up on end so I can work on it.
Right before the keel dropped, the bottom of the boat was touching the board. If lifted back up about half an inch after the pressure was relieved.
You are looking at the crack in the bottom of the keel. It seems to currently have a filling resin in the crack, which is what I will then use to repair it also.
Got the trailer ready for paint. This trailer can be saved for temporary use, but I will really need to get a new one if I plan on hauling this boat alot.
Thick primer on the scariest rusted spot. There is a hole all the way through on the side and almost all the way on the bottom. I believe from looking at where the rust is, this trailer was exposed to sea breeze/mist on the texas coast for many of its years.
Ripped off a piece of the fiberglass from the keel. You can see the diminished, but not useless piece of steel in the keel.
I have begun to prepare the crack for its outside repair. I plan to sand all the way down to fiberglass and then put a layer of fiberglass on the outside and fair it. Then I will fill the crack with warm epoxy from the inside, restoring the bond between the two sides. Finally, I will put another new layer of fiberglass on the inside. This is a high-strain, structural area of the hull so this repair is paramount.
These suspension pins are impossible to remove. If I could remove them I would replace the springs which are very rusty from sea breeze. It is almost as if they are welded in...I used a sledge hammer on one of them and not even a little crack in the paint.