Proper keel repair

AndrewPratt

Recruit
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
2
I am looking to repair the keel on a '79 trihull that I recently purchased. There is significant ware on the hull along the keel where the boat was obviously beached repeatedly. I plan on purchasing a keel guard but before I apply that I plan on repairing the existing damage. My question is based on the photos do you think I can sand this down and use gel coat or do I need epoxy? Looks aren't that important if I'm going to cover it with the keel guard. There's about 4' worth to repair with about one foot being the deepest.

Photos available here. https://www.flickr.com/photos/153188968@N03/
 
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09TNRT

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 26, 2017
Messages
104
I had similar issue with my boat and was told to use epoxy, sand it then paint. Although if you just repair it and place he keel guard over it I don't see why that wouldn't work.
 

AndrewPratt

Recruit
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
2
I had similar issue with my boat and was told to use epoxy, sand it then paint. Although if you just repair it and place he keel guard over it I don't see why that wouldn't work.

If I were to paint what do I need? I'm assuming I need to sand, prime and then paint over the gel coat with some sort of marine grade paint.
 
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09TNRT

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 26, 2017
Messages
104
Majic tractor paint from TSC with the hardner if your boat doesn't sit in the water for more than 72 hours. Rustoleom has a paint that's the same as well. I'd sand my work area, epoxy my repair, resand, prime,sand with 400 or so and paint. I was told reason for the paint is the gel coat won't stick to the epoxy.
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
For the most part it looks like just the gel coat is scraped off, that isn't much of an issue, but that's only by looking at the pic. You can just brush several coats of just about any epoxy on it, thicker epoxies work better upside down, and I only say epoxy because if it's worse than it looks the epoxy is stronger. Sand it down so it's smooth, but don't paint it, it won't hold up, just go over it with a Keel Guard type product.
 
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