I am stripping the old bottom paint off the steel keel on my Hunter 23. I am down to a white coating. I am not down to the steel yet. Is it possible that the keel has a layer of gel coat over it? If not, what is the white coating? Is it just fairing putty? I would be interested in others experiences on re-painting the steel keel. I know this sounds completly nuts, but since I want to actually launch sometime in May, my plan is to strip and repaint the keel this year. Then do the rest of the boat next year. Any advise? Adverse coments? thanks Bill Leathen - bleathen@aol.com
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It may or may not be gel coat
Check with the previous owner. He/she may have already upgraded the finish on the keel, in which case you're ahead of the game. I noticed you didn't mention the overall condition of the keel/hull. The original factory finish was gelcoat over the iron keel. After a while it begins to bubble, peel and rust. The solution is to strip the keel to bright metal (sandblasting is the fastest), prime immediately (within 20 min) and recoat with epoxy. Then fill any pits and fair the keel using an epoxy-based filler. After the filler has cured, and add at least two more coats of epoxy. Jon Bastien posted an excellent article on refinishing the H23 keel a year or so ago. Check the archives. Note that each coat of epoxy (including the filler) has to be washed with soap and water, then sanded to maintain a smooth surface, then wiped down with rags and acetone to remove the sanding residue prior to adding the next coat. Finally, finish the hull with your favorite paint or two to three coats of antifouling if the boat is going to be in the water for more than a week or two at a time. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
Check with the previous owner. He/she may have already upgraded the finish on the keel, in which case you're ahead of the game. I noticed you didn't mention the overall condition of the keel/hull. The original factory finish was gelcoat over the iron keel. After a while it begins to bubble, peel and rust. The solution is to strip the keel to bright metal (sandblasting is the fastest), prime immediately (within 20 min) and recoat with epoxy. Then fill any pits and fair the keel using an epoxy-based filler. After the filler has cured, and add at least two more coats of epoxy. Jon Bastien posted an excellent article on refinishing the H23 keel a year or so ago. Check the archives. Note that each coat of epoxy (including the filler) has to be washed with soap and water, then sanded to maintain a smooth surface, then wiped down with rags and acetone to remove the sanding residue prior to adding the next coat. Finally, finish the hull with your favorite paint or two to three coats of antifouling if the boat is going to be in the water for more than a week or two at a time. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
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Ward
White stuff
The white stuff on my keel was fairing putty. Sanding and grinding was VERY slow in removing it. Sandblasting is a godsend if you have much of it to remove. Ward
The white stuff on my keel was fairing putty. Sanding and grinding was VERY slow in removing it. Sandblasting is a godsend if you have much of it to remove. Ward
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Kevin Keen
Another opinion
Bill: I have some rust bubbles on my iron keel which will be treated in the next two weeks on a spot basis with grinding and filling with epoxy, as necessary, VC Tar and then the whole bottom gets two new coats of VC 17m. I don't be lieve that is necessary to go to the effort of grinding down the whole keel to the bare metal. I am a firm believer in the naval tradition of chip and paint.
Bill: I have some rust bubbles on my iron keel which will be treated in the next two weeks on a spot basis with grinding and filling with epoxy, as necessary, VC Tar and then the whole bottom gets two new coats of VC 17m. I don't be lieve that is necessary to go to the effort of grinding down the whole keel to the bare metal. I am a firm believer in the naval tradition of chip and paint.
keel
Kevin is right on target, last year I took mykeel to bare metal and followed the advice in Jon Bs post , I ran into a guy who has worked on sailboats for years professionally , when I told him about taking it all down he just looked at me and asked , why ??? so if you have rust treat that area accordinly unless you are a very serios racer then you get into templates and fairing etc, good luck Mike Bacome
Kevin is right on target, last year I took mykeel to bare metal and followed the advice in Jon Bs post , I ran into a guy who has worked on sailboats for years professionally , when I told him about taking it all down he just looked at me and asked , why ??? so if you have rust treat that area accordinly unless you are a very serios racer then you get into templates and fairing etc, good luck Mike Bacome
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Jim Maroldo
Iron keel refinishing
Do what Mike & Kevin say, as long as your's isn't a total mess! I stripped mine down to the bare metal, and was sorry after I started. What a project! From now on, I'm just gonna treat any spots as they show up. By the way, don't forget to look at the bottom of the keel! Good Luck... Jim, s/v: 'Lil Wass Ett
Do what Mike & Kevin say, as long as your's isn't a total mess! I stripped mine down to the bare metal, and was sorry after I started. What a project! From now on, I'm just gonna treat any spots as they show up. By the way, don't forget to look at the bottom of the keel! Good Luck... Jim, s/v: 'Lil Wass Ett
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