Beached too many times....

Calling all captains!!

Below is a pic of the keel of my boat. I have been trying to find the source of water in the bilge for some time now and I think I may have found it. I initially thought it was from the bellows and replaced them and the shift cable a couple of months ago. I beach the boat every time we go out, as does everyone else that I boat with. This was my first boat that I picked up last spring. Apparently this has taken a toll on my hull. I have about concluded that I am just going to retire this boat and buy a new one. I just want to know if this has been the source of my leak all this time and what do you guys do to prevent it from happening. I know you can get keel guards, but I don't want an eye soar on the new boat.

Thanks!

Re: Beached too many times....

Are you worried that keel guards will make a new boat look "less cool" while it's sitting on the trailer?

Re: Beached too many times....

BonairII said:

Are you worried that keel guards will make a new boat look "less cool" while it's sitting on the trailer?

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HAHA! The ones I have seen come about half way up the front of the bow.

Re: Beached too many times....

only way to know if that was part of your water intake is to search for cracks or holes in the worn area, and as said above if you want to beach your boat buy a keel guard

Re: Beached too many times....

onesNzeros said:

HAHA! The ones I have seen come about half way up the front of the bow.

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A non-leaking boat with a keel guard is much better looking than a half-sunk boat without.

Re: Beached too many times....

you cant see the keel guard from the helm

Re: Beached too many times....

This is just a suggestion...Put the plug in and run your boat on the lake and close to the boat ramp for a while and make sure that you have some water in your bilge. Then get your boat back on the trailer and run it off the ramp to some level ground. As soon as possible don't remove the plug and inspect your hull for water seepage. That may give you an indication where the water is entering your boat. Be safe.

Re: Beached too many times....

You guys have jokes today! :facepalm:

I guess what I'm looking for is something that won't look like I bought a boat to go with my keel guard. What do you use? Would I be better off anchoring off away from the beach?

Re: Beached too many times....

onesNzeros said:

I guess what I'm looking for is something that won't look like I bought a boat to go with my keel guard.

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The biggest problem will be finding a keel guard that will match your purse.


All kidding aside......remember that you bought a boat to enjoy the water NOT to try and impress total strangers. Anyone with any boating experience will know exactly what a keel guard is....and why you have it on there. Doubtful, you'll be hearing people saying "What a shame, that guy has a nice boat....too bad the BOTTOM of his boat has a keel guard.

Re: Beached too many times....

onesNzeros said:

You guys have jokes today! :facepalm:

I guess what I'm looking for is something that won't look like I bought a boat to go with my keel guard. What do you use? Would I be better off anchoring off away from the beach?

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I bought a keel guard for my searay, simply because I knew I was going to beach it often in the ICW. it went from just below the bow eye to about mid way down the hull. best investment I made for my boating.

however its your boat, you buy what you want. you do still need to determine if the keel rash is your ingress point for water, or just a cosmetic blemish.

Re: Beached too many times....

glnbnz said:

This is just a suggestion...Put the plug in and run your boat on the lake and close to the boat ramp for a while and make sure that you have some water in your bilge. Then get your boat back on the trailer and run it off the ramp to some level ground. As soon as possible don't remove the plug and inspect your hull for water seepage. That may give you an indication where the water is entering your boat. Be safe.

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This is some Good advice right here.

Keel guard or no keel guard it will not fix a leak in the boat. Find out if your bottom is leaking. If so then you have some glassin in your future .

YD.