I finally get the opportunity to preview a Bav30 on the 11th of November. Today's question regards the keel. My current boat (1981 purchased in 2001) came with a cast iron keel which had been blasted and expoyed by the previous owner and it has stood up fairly well. As I look around the yard there are many boats with cast keels in poor shape. Are Bavaria keels factory prepared such that they require no additional protection from rust prior to launch, or does one really need to do a complete POR15 and epoxy of the keel prior to first launch to seal the iron? Regards.
Cast Iron Keel Maintenance
- Thread starter brian20169
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Interlux Epoxy
My advise would be to coat the cast iron keel (and entire area below the water line) with 5 coats (as per manufacturers directions)of Interlux 2000 epoxy. I think that is the correct number, but any way it is the Interlux epoxy product that requires 5 coats and is a grey colour. My cast keel had this done prior to launch and antifouling paint, and at haulout a year later showed no signs of rust (except for a very small spot where a charter client ran her gently aground and scraped off the coating on the bottom forward edge). I ground this area down to bare metal and reapplied the epoxy. I have not yet hauled her out for her second year so I don't know how successful my "repair" was, but I am hoping. Hope this helps, Tom
My advise would be to coat the cast iron keel (and entire area below the water line) with 5 coats (as per manufacturers directions)of Interlux 2000 epoxy. I think that is the correct number, but any way it is the Interlux epoxy product that requires 5 coats and is a grey colour. My cast keel had this done prior to launch and antifouling paint, and at haulout a year later showed no signs of rust (except for a very small spot where a charter client ran her gently aground and scraped off the coating on the bottom forward edge). I ground this area down to bare metal and reapplied the epoxy. I have not yet hauled her out for her second year so I don't know how successful my "repair" was, but I am hoping. Hope this helps, Tom
Bavaria Iron Keels
My 2003 B36, which I purchased 9 months after new commissioning from the original owner, had some rust through at the time of the purchase survey. That year I simply sanded down the spots, applied a metal primer and then bottom painted because I was short on time. The next fall I had the boat yard sand blast everything off and they epoxy coated everything and then paint. Even after two soft groundings, it looks perfect. I came to find out that much of the problem is in the commissioning dealer's following the procedures outlined by Bavaria. That said, I got no help from Bavaria or the dealer, who is out of business now. Another issue concerning corrosion on the rudder sleeve was also unaddressed by the importer and I couldn't even get a phone call returned after the first conversation promising to provide me with information. FYI: the rudder sleeve is aluminum, so be sure there is no copper bottom paint on it. This is easy to overlook. The same paints as your saildrive should do the trick. I absolutely love the boat but I'd really have to think twice before buying another given the treatment and lack of customer support--and that's a shame.
My 2003 B36, which I purchased 9 months after new commissioning from the original owner, had some rust through at the time of the purchase survey. That year I simply sanded down the spots, applied a metal primer and then bottom painted because I was short on time. The next fall I had the boat yard sand blast everything off and they epoxy coated everything and then paint. Even after two soft groundings, it looks perfect. I came to find out that much of the problem is in the commissioning dealer's following the procedures outlined by Bavaria. That said, I got no help from Bavaria or the dealer, who is out of business now. Another issue concerning corrosion on the rudder sleeve was also unaddressed by the importer and I couldn't even get a phone call returned after the first conversation promising to provide me with information. FYI: the rudder sleeve is aluminum, so be sure there is no copper bottom paint on it. This is easy to overlook. The same paints as your saildrive should do the trick. I absolutely love the boat but I'd really have to think twice before buying another given the treatment and lack of customer support--and that's a shame.
In preparation for a trip to Toronto next weekend to actually see a Bav30, I have been in contact with the Ontario vendor. On the matter of the delivered condition of the keel he responded: "With regards to the keel it comes standard from the plant with 2 coats of epoxy applied, we then apply 5 more coats of epoxy prior to the antifouling. This provides many years of rust protection but I know as do you this must be maintained yearly by visual inspection and spot painting due to wear and tear and groundings." It would appear that if the dealer is a responsible vendor, then there is nothing to worry about. How to identify a responsible vendor is another matter...
Cast Iron Keel Maintenance
We had our Bav-36 commissioned at the same yard as Todd's in Deltaville, VA. In fact, Todd's boat came in right after ours in Feb 2003 for commissioning. After a year and a half, the keel was full of quarter to half dollar size rust bleed throughs on the keel. I had Zahniser's Marina in Solomon's do a complete sand blast strip, re-fair, epoxy barrier coat and bottom paint job on it in July 2005. I had a short haul done on 9 Oct 06 and everything continues to look fine on the keel. Same issues: Bavaria tells the commissioning boat yard what needs to be done, if they do it is anybody's guess, and then a couple of years later you have an issue on your hands that you now have to pay for. Talking with the techs at Z's, the epoxy barrier coat should be good for approx 5 years. Hope this helps. Tom
We had our Bav-36 commissioned at the same yard as Todd's in Deltaville, VA. In fact, Todd's boat came in right after ours in Feb 2003 for commissioning. After a year and a half, the keel was full of quarter to half dollar size rust bleed throughs on the keel. I had Zahniser's Marina in Solomon's do a complete sand blast strip, re-fair, epoxy barrier coat and bottom paint job on it in July 2005. I had a short haul done on 9 Oct 06 and everything continues to look fine on the keel. Same issues: Bavaria tells the commissioning boat yard what needs to be done, if they do it is anybody's guess, and then a couple of years later you have an issue on your hands that you now have to pay for. Talking with the techs at Z's, the epoxy barrier coat should be good for approx 5 years. Hope this helps. Tom
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