keel repair / guard

[tfret]

would there be anything wrong with coating the worn keel really well with polyester resin and then put a keel gaurd over it?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: keel repair / guard

Resin without mat is not a good idea. Dries really brittle. The resin has no binders in it. You should always use mat with Poly resin. If the keel is not significantly damaged, scuff it with 60 grit, Wash with acetone and stick the Keel guard on the existing glass. Really no need to apply more glass unless you need to fill in some damaged areas. JMHO.

 

[tfret]

Re: keel repair / guard

The gel coat and primer are completely gone exposing the raw and rough glass. Would the poly resin not adhere to this if sanded and cleaned with acetone? I just thought it would help seal it good before putting the keel gaurd on. If you don't think its necessary for sealing it, then I'll just clean it up and slap the gaurd on to prevent further damage.

 

[oops!]

Re: keel repair / guard

that is roller damage, and there are scratches in the glass....

i would glass that ......then do a gellcoat fix......then attach the keep gaurd.

the glass/gell repair will only take a few hours......well worth it imho

 

[oops!]

Re: keel repair / guard

do not use resin alone........you will waist your time and money.

the glass (csm) costs another 2 dollars, and 15 minits more labour than resin coating alone.....

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: keel repair / guard

I agree with OOPS. That needs to have a layer of CSM applied and then Gelcoated, Sanded and then the Keel Guard. Maybe he and I are too Anal when it comes to these things but for me... It's the right way to do it. Especially if you want it to look good. I don't think the keel guard would be large enough to cover that big of an area, but I might be wrong.

 

[tfret]

Re: keel repair / guard

The glass shouldn't be a problem. I have a bunch of csm left over from my floor restoration. I'll put down a layer of csm / poly resin. Getting access to it will be the hard part. Also, I don't have any gel coat experience, so if there is a sticky or good thread you can direct me to that would be very helpful. I'm anal too about everything. However, the bottom of the boat I'm less concerned about. I just need to know its not leaking. I was thinking gel coat was mainly for looks but I could be mistaken. The boat gets beached on a regular basis so I'll put a gaurd on it to prevent future damage.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: keel repair / guard

Gel coat is for "Looks" mainly and the final protective coating for the glass. It is about 10 times more durable than paint. Not 100% waterproof but somewhat. For your purposes you will Apply the glass sand smooth and then using a 4" shortnap roller just roll on 2-3 coats of gel coat. It sets up fairly quickly and on the last coat you can add some wax to the mix and then sand it smooth. The wax help with the water proofing and helps with the final sanding. You don't HAVE to use the wax is you don't want to. Don't have to use the Gel coat either. I just think it would be better.

 

[tfret]

Re: keel repair / guard

sounds simple enough. Does anyone know if the keel guard can be installed on the area where the rollers are? It seems to me that if the roller is "parked" on the keel gaurd that it may deform the gaurd and it may peel off. Do you know what I mean?

 

[Cowthief]

Re: keel repair / guard

sounds simple enough. Does anyone know if the keel guard can be installed on the area where the rollers are? It seems to me that if the roller is "parked" on the keel gaurd that it may deform the gaurd and it may peel off. Do you know what I mean?

To my understanding the rollers on a trailer are only for guiding the boat onto the trailer, not made to sit on them do the pressure on the keel.

 

[tfret]

Re: keel repair / guard

I talked with tech support at Keelshield. Basically they don't want the rollers coming into contact with the gaurd, and definately not sitting on the gaurd, or it will make it come off. Now you've got me wondering about the purpose of the rollers. Are they only intended to guide the boat onto the trailer but not support it? If that is the case, and mine are adjusted too high (supporting the boat) that could be in part why the keel wear occurred. I imagine this could cause problems with the hull also due to improper supporting(?).

 

[Cowthief]

Re: keel repair / guard

From the looks of the wear on the keel, I would say its from beaching it. Roller wear would leave streaks and uneven spots. Yes rollers are a guide to getting your boat on the trailer easier. If you have adequate bunkers on your trailer it should be resting on those.