We had a great weekend despite the keels.  Jack Sadrakula flew in from Chicago.  We successfully cast another porthole deadlight, he help me unsuccessfully patch a keel.  He then completed the gadget that connects the #60 chains to the 3/8″ steel cable for the chain and cable steering system, and then help me unsuccessfully patch the keel again.  He then broke and fit the #60 chain and centered up the drive shaft coupler on the helm’s gear box  and helped me unsuccessfully patch the keel again.  Randy Martin drove in from Denton Texas and while Jack drilled, reamed and set the pull out dowel pins in the rudder quadrant.  Randy help me unsuccessfully patch the keel.   All and all it was a good weekend thanks to Jack and Randy.   Next week I will be patching the leak in the keel.

Setting pull out dowel pins to reinforce the rudder post to quadrant connection.

Welding a shaft coupler to the helm gear box shaft.

Randy helping my dig a hole so I can get to the leak in the keel.

Bailing water out of the keel and into the forward cabin where it can drain out of the boat.

Randy cleaning up the second porthole deadlight, and Jack drilling holes for the dowel pins.

Me “not” patching a leak in the keel.