Today it gets real:

[pclarksurf]

I made the rash assumption that the extremely capable sandblaster who works with the Department of Energy and the Corp of Engineers on really big stuff wouldn't give me the time of day, and then they said "sure" bring it over tomorrow we'll be done with it by lunch... gulp.

Luckily the Gantry crane fits in the new garage and the keel cradle only needed a little tweak for the new truck bed.

Let the games begin-- epoxy party in the garage tonight!

 

[CloudDiver]

NICE! Your keel looks like its in great shape, you should only need two hot coats of unthickned epoxy and then put mix up some low density fairing compound. Hot coating will keep you from having to sand between epoxy coats. Don't forget an Acetone wash just to rinse off the dust and displace surface moisture.

 

[Daveinet]

Why not use zinc based paint, more commonly known as cold galvanizing?

 

[pclarksurf]

roger that CD-- they did call me at 11 and let me know that it was done, I'll see it in an hour, but sounded like there might be "some" voids... should make for interesting photos.

 

[CloudDiver]

You are probably elbow deep in epoxy as I write this post... Voids will happen, you'll figure it out. getting the first two coats of straight epoxy on is critical just to get her sealed up. If you can keep hot coating after the first two coats, thicken some micro fibers or colloidal silica to fill the voids with a scraper, just get the surface as smooth as possible but it does not need to be perfect. Then you can you can stop and let it cure. The idea is to get a 'smooth enough' surface to hit with an orbital sander after curing. If you stopped after just one or two coats of straight epoxy and there was still too much pitting, gaps, and low spots then sanding would be a real PITA.

 

[pclarksurf]

So far so good-- voids are probably a big deal to the guys that did the blasting but these are nothing compared to the worst keels I've seen-- well call it lucky ( knock on wood).

 

[pclarksurf]

And flip:

 

[CloudDiver]

yeah, you're in good shape... just mix up some thickened epoxy and press it in those voids before it cures fully. hit it with a heat gun and do that to other side to. tomorrow you can sand with an orbital and won't miss any low spots.

 

[pclarksurf]

That was fun- 12:45 AM and it has two wet out coats each side plus a colloidal silica mixed fill coat..... Who's idea was this to do on a work night?

 

[RJD]

Why not use zinc based paint, more commonly known as cold galvanizing?

I used Rustoleum rusty metal primer right after sandblasting, then coated the keel with epoxy - West System 105 epoxy resin and 206 hardener. For fairing, used the same with West System 407 low density fairing filler added. Finally, coated the whole keel with three coats of Protect epoxy primer for a barrier coat. Will be hanging it next week.

 

[little breeze]

Great Job this will be my next project. preety heavy to handle

 

[pclarksurf]

Daveint-- I guess I'm a creature of habit, haven't had any experience with zinc based paints. Would be interesting to see some results from that process as well. The C22 is a bit of an oddity for me in that I don't usually think of having to deal with Cast Iron in the marine environment. Epoxy is easy for me as I have all the materials on hand already and have a fair amount of experience (read: I've messed up plenty) with it.

 

[gjordan]

Would putting a regular paint (primer) on the sand blasted metal weaken the bond between the metal and the epoxy? I am only going on a gut feeling, but epoxy has a much stronger bond to fresh metal than paint does, and putting epoxy over paint would only give you the bond between the paint and the epoxy, not the metal and epoxy. Maybe I am all wet in my theory, but it doesnt seem correct. I will probably be proven wrong (again). ____Grant.

 

[Zach Grammon]

Nice job pclarksurf! I did that to my keel last fall but I still haven't finished fairing it. Your keel looks really similar but maybe just a bit better than mine after sandblasting. Maybe it has to do with being a freshwater boat, as I got mine from a guy north of Walla Walla. I had a shop sandblast and weld in the new bushing for $90. It was money well spent, in my mind.

What are the projects you have planned? Are you going to be sailing this summer, or doing more projects first?

 

[pclarksurf]

Great Job this will be my next project. preety heavy to handle

Indeed probably the biggest challenge is getting yourself situated mechanically to flip around a 500 lb piece of iron. The homemade gantry crane with come along has served me well

 

[CloudDiver]

Pretty much a perfect execution. Now you have a roughly fair surface with no spots too low for the orbital sander to miss. A general sanding with 80 grit will get rid of gloss and amine blush and then all you have left is low density fairing filler (which is way easier to sand) to tweak and smooth the shape. It looks you already have the stainless bushing for the keel pin?

 

[CloudDiver]

You have the option at this point to add a couple layers of 6 oz tape to the leading and trailing edges. Not a requirement but it's adds a layer of protection to areas that could get gouged, just do it after sanding but before fairing filler, but hot coat the fairing filler while the tape epoxy is still in the window. Pay attention to the condition of lifting eye threaded hole. If it has gunk in it run a tap through it a few times and wash the hole with acetone. Fill the the hole with unthickened epoxy but suck it out right away with a syringe (or brush it in). When cure, tap it again. That will help water proof the threaded hole and rebuild and damaged threads. Make sure the eyebolt seats fully in the correct direction (ie watch out for epoxy build up at the bottom and carefully drill a bit deeper if needed... Very carefully)

 

[pclarksurf]

Thanks ZG-- always fun to see the results of all that sweat equity. I was going to ask you where your E. WA c22 came from-- Wally World! If your are upper Columbia I'm going to guess Wenatchee or Chelan? or are you really up there at Roosevelt?

Project wise "Maryann" is in fairly good shape given her age ('73). I'm in the middle of fairing the cockpit sole which I completely replaced with marine fir/enrobed in epoxy/3 layers of glass and new Marelon scuppers to boot. In the process I am replacing the keel winch with new-- all lifting hardware and components at both ends and have cut out the companionway step and epoxied in a 1" thick piece of solid maple and will build back up from there and attach the new winch accordingly. That should solve all my mechanical necessities below the water line -- I have lots of woodwork to refinish and holes to pot with epoxy as I rebed, but (so far anyway) I don't have any immediate issues with decking above the water line. When I get out of epoxy jail I need to get the mast up and make a "must do" vs. "want to do" assessment before I start some shakedown work on the water. Definitely wanting to have it in the water by late summer -- possibly earlier if I can keep up the progress.

Getting the keel done is of course a huge leap forward to that end.

 

[pclarksurf]

Would putting a regular paint (primer) on the sand blasted metal weaken the bond between the metal and the epoxy?

No expert here either-- but my gut agrees with you: paint sticks really really well to epoxy, and I can't think of an advantage that paint would have over epoxy for sticking to the extremely porous cast iron. Not to say that there's anything wrong with the opposite approach, but if I'm weighing my options and skillset against the result-- I like Epoxy obviously.

 

[pclarksurf]

It looks you already have the stainless bushing for the keel pin?

Thanks CD-- yep really happy with how fair it is already, staying up late for that last coat was totally worth it. I don't have the bushing in hand yet, but will have it shortly. Before I start fairing I need to line up the machine shop to get me out to the 1.5". And then yes-- definitely planning on some glass reinforcement in the "grounding zone". Because as we all know-- there are only three kinds of sailors: 1) those who have run aground 2) those that are about to run aground and......3) those who lie

Huge props to CD and Stingy amongst many others who have posted voluminously on these topics...... hopefully many other can benefit from the collective knowledge and save a few bucks while enjoying the water.