I have an iron external keel that is making me nuts with maintenance. I know some 70’s boats had iron keels covered with cloth and polyester resin. Most of them seemed to last well. Would you endorse this method? Any suggestions in doing so?
Iron Keel Fiberglassing
- Thread starter Rick D
- Start date
- Status
If done right . . .
. . . it will work out nicely. I would use epoxy with adhesive filler added on the initial layer (similar to fairing an iron keel), and then do the second layer with fiberglass and polyester resin. Then apply a barrier coat to finish it off. Have fun, and don't drop the keel on yourself. Regards, Ted
. . . it will work out nicely. I would use epoxy with adhesive filler added on the initial layer (similar to fairing an iron keel), and then do the second layer with fiberglass and polyester resin. Then apply a barrier coat to finish it off. Have fun, and don't drop the keel on yourself. Regards, Ted
Hunter 25.5
I've been told that its not worth the effort of glassing over the keel. We've got a 1984 Hunter 25.5 and the fiberglass encapulation has broken loose. The keel is rusting and causing fiberglass to peel off in large spots all over the keel. Once that starts, its pretty much over. So reglassing it will be mostly cosmetic and won't necessarily last. When it comes to bottom painting, I just remove everything that's loose as well as material that seems tight but is next to the peeling material and apply ablative paint. I know going in that the paint won't last so I don't spend a lot of extra effort. If you look at all the damage and erosion of the keel that happens continually, the keel will still last longer than the rest of the boat.
I've been told that its not worth the effort of glassing over the keel. We've got a 1984 Hunter 25.5 and the fiberglass encapulation has broken loose. The keel is rusting and causing fiberglass to peel off in large spots all over the keel. Once that starts, its pretty much over. So reglassing it will be mostly cosmetic and won't necessarily last. When it comes to bottom painting, I just remove everything that's loose as well as material that seems tight but is next to the peeling material and apply ablative paint. I know going in that the paint won't last so I don't spend a lot of extra effort. If you look at all the damage and erosion of the keel that happens continually, the keel will still last longer than the rest of the boat.
Epoxy Barrier coat
I have a Hunter 25.5 loacated in Frenchman's Bay off Mount Desert Island Maine. My boat goes in the water May 1st and pulled the end of October. I had muscles and grass growing on the keel because of lack of use for the first few years I had the boat. I'm in the Innkeeping business and does not allow me to get out sailing as much as I would hope. Two years ago I put an expoxy barrier coat on the keel and another this year. When we pulled the boat last year I had very little work to do. I'll let you know how this year goes at the end of this month. The key is prep work. I took the paint off to bare metal. Then put on a good primer and Pettit Trinidad SR Antifouling bottom paint over the epoxy resin barrier coat even mixed a little in the epoxy. To date my boat loves me.
I have a Hunter 25.5 loacated in Frenchman's Bay off Mount Desert Island Maine. My boat goes in the water May 1st and pulled the end of October. I had muscles and grass growing on the keel because of lack of use for the first few years I had the boat. I'm in the Innkeeping business and does not allow me to get out sailing as much as I would hope. Two years ago I put an expoxy barrier coat on the keel and another this year. When we pulled the boat last year I had very little work to do. I'll let you know how this year goes at the end of this month. The key is prep work. I took the paint off to bare metal. Then put on a good primer and Pettit Trinidad SR Antifouling bottom paint over the epoxy resin barrier coat even mixed a little in the epoxy. To date my boat loves me.
Only One Method that works ...
is to sand blast the keel and coat it with epoxy within one hour. I added a layer of cloth after the initial coating done with a roller. I have tons of experience and can tell you what doesn't work. Grinding the keel with a power wire brush and coating it it: VC TAR (the Interlux guy said it works but NOT) Petit Rust Loc -rust was back in a season or two Rust never sleeps. I think my keel was made from old Toyotas.
is to sand blast the keel and coat it with epoxy within one hour. I added a layer of cloth after the initial coating done with a roller. I have tons of experience and can tell you what doesn't work. Grinding the keel with a power wire brush and coating it it: VC TAR (the Interlux guy said it works but NOT) Petit Rust Loc -rust was back in a season or two Rust never sleeps. I think my keel was made from old Toyotas.
I would not use glass...
If you bump the keel and water and rusts starts underneath, it will spread and then lift in sheets. It will be harder to grind and repair next time. Just grind to shinny metal, apply epoxy within the hour, than mix filler with the next coat. Aply the second coat while the prvious one is still tacky or else you need to sand. If you only have spots, or areas, you don;t have to do the whole keel. Use an angle grinder and grind the area until you find non rusted metal, then same as above.
If you bump the keel and water and rusts starts underneath, it will spread and then lift in sheets. It will be harder to grind and repair next time. Just grind to shinny metal, apply epoxy within the hour, than mix filler with the next coat. Aply the second coat while the prvious one is still tacky or else you need to sand. If you only have spots, or areas, you don;t have to do the whole keel. Use an angle grinder and grind the area until you find non rusted metal, then same as above.
Iron keels
Just about everyone who responded here is on the right track. You don't necessarily have to add fiberglass after exposing fresh metal and coating with epoxy. I would disagree with Ted from Cape Cod in that I don't see why you would coat with epoxy, apply glass with polyester, then barrier coat with epoxy. I have explained that epoxy does bond to a properly cured and preped polyester surface in answering other questions on the forum and have also explained that polyester does not bond well in a secondary bonding application. I would recommend using epoxy throughout this repair.
Just about everyone who responded here is on the right track. You don't necessarily have to add fiberglass after exposing fresh metal and coating with epoxy. I would disagree with Ted from Cape Cod in that I don't see why you would coat with epoxy, apply glass with polyester, then barrier coat with epoxy. I have explained that epoxy does bond to a properly cured and preped polyester surface in answering other questions on the forum and have also explained that polyester does not bond well in a secondary bonding application. I would recommend using epoxy throughout this repair.
- Status