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The Famous Keel Plug!

Here are pictures of Rod and Gordon's original Cal 21 keel plug, with a modification of their own.

Now the original keel plug only works if you can still remove the keel cable after lowering the keel.

If you have permanently attached the cable, you are really slowing the boat down by the drag of the cable.

Not to mention how much more weed you will snag if you sail in weedy waters as we did with Ruta Bagas.

Gordon and Rod replaced the forward shock cord with a threaded rod that goes through the sole plate and secures with a wing nut.

Here is the drawing Gordon did of the dimensions of the plug.

If anyone else has rigged something different that works well, please send it to me to add to this page. I know some have felt the original keel plug is cumbersome and hard to fit. Rod and Gordon have been using theirs happily for the life of the boat, however they do not trailer it, but keep it on a mooring, so the plug doesn't get taken on and off repeatedly.

Anatomy of the Keel Pivot

Here are a couple of pictures of Clay Runshe's repair of the keel pivot bushing on "Tropical"

In the first picture we see the replacement pivot fitting and the old rusted one. (Good reason to check the bushing when buying any used Cal 21)

Below: Clay has cut away some of the keel to weld the new pivot to the steel strut that runs the lenght of the keel.

Thanks for the pics Clay!