M.V. Soft Rocker
M.V. Soft Rocker | Engine Cooling System |
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| A
closed cooling system is used in this vessel; often called a keel
cooler. It operates much like an air cooled radiator does in a
motor vehicle, except this system uses the ocean to cool the engine.
The system requires only one circulation pump, no heat exchanger and no
connection to the exhaust system. (The engine exhaust system can then
be a "dry exhaust" system.) Using a keel cooler greatly simplifies the way the engine is cooled and reduces maintenance to a minimum. It is made by the Walter Machine Company ( http://www.waltergear.com/kc.htm ) and is thirty feet long. |
| Finding This Keel Cooler |
| Often
when wooden fish boats come to the end of their life they are burned
and what is left is then buried. Metal parts, including keel coolers,
are frequently buried with what remains of the boat. With research it
is not difficult to find these boats on the Pacific West Coast. I found this keel cooler in a field, behind a 96 year old fisherman's house in Lantzville, British Columbia. It took five hours of digging with a shovel to unearth it. My new found, 96 year old friend supervised. The cooler was in good condition and when pressure tested had no leaks. I paid $400 for a device that new, would have cost $4500. To date the cooler has worked flawlessly and only required the annual replacement of its zinc anodes, |
| Walter Keel Cooler as found after being buried for 18 years | |
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| Parts after they were cleaned | |
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| Inlet/Outlet through hull | Keel cooler inlet assembly |
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| Inlet assembly's water flow adjustment screws | Mounting nut and washer |
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| Cooling tube brackets and zinc holder | Zinc holder in Place |
| Testing The cooler was taken apart and then reassembled and tested using 70 PSI city water pressure. There were no leaks. | |
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| Aft end | Middle inlet/outlet |
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| Forward end | |
| Installation | |
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| Aft end mounts | Middle inlet/outlet mount |
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| Forward end mounts | |
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| At the time of installation, the hull had not been epoxied (to prevent blistering). The area behind the keel cooler was epoxied and bottom coated before installation. | |
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| Installed forward end | The aft end of the cooler was installed first, then the forward end was "bent" into place as seen in the above picture |
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| Installed intermediate bracket and zinc holder | Installed inlet/outlet |
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| After installation the keel cooler was pressure tested using city water pressure | |
| Zincs | |
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| 1 Part #CMT20 Tear Drop zinc (replace annually) CMT20 Tear Drop Zinc Hull Anode 3.4"L x 1.8"W x .6"H | |
 | Note: These zincs vary in size and design . It is best to purchase them after the boat has been hauled out and take the old one with you to buy the new one. Sometimes the holes have to be modified during installation. |
| 4 - Part # X473 zincs (replace annually) Size Walter Keel Anode, Zinc, 6-3/4" L x 1-1/4" W x 3/8" H | |
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