What lies beneath?

The yard at which I’m renovating my yacht Anne Marie recently euthanised an ancient wooden yacht. They removed the two and a half tonne lump of iron keel and this is what they found.

Note that the top of the keel bolts all appear to be in relatively fine fettle – indeed most of the bolts undid with little bother. A couple, however, were more trouble and sheared off. There were, I think, nine (possibly 10) keel bolts holding this on and every one is corroded to almost nothing.

Owners of boats with keel bolts need to be aware and take heed that what you see is not necessarily what you get. Mike Stephens Tenterden, Kent