Islander 30 Keel Damage

[johnEbravo]

I have an Islander 30 that has some damage to the aft of the keel. She is on the hard right now and there appears to be water seeping from the bilge and running down the outside of the keel. Obviously epoxy and glass will be going on the outside - my question is what is above this portion of the keel? There is currently no access for this area and before I cut in I want to ensure that I am not damaging anything structural.

Does anyone have any information as to what is between the battery box/lower step and the bilge access?

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Usually damage like this is due to running aground. The lower leading edge hits the ground and the impact transfers to the upper trailing edge at the hull.
Did this happen?
I am not sure how the keel is attached on the Islander 30 (bolted on or inside a fiberglass hull that includes the keel too). Anyway, the repair is possible, but you have to dry it out completely and ground out all the bad, damaged fiberglass and reconstruct. Was there anymore damage inside the hull? Thwart stringers?, floor?, etc.

 

[johnEbravo]

Usually damage like this is due to running aground. The lower leading edge hits the ground and the impact transfers to the upper trailing edge at the hull.
Did this happen?
I am not sure how the keel is attached on the Islander 30 (bolted on or inside a fiberglass hull that includes the keel too). Anyway, the repair is possible, but you have to dry it out completely and ground out all the bad, damaged fiberglass and reconstruct. Was there anymore damage inside the hull? Thwart stringers?, floor?, etc.

No visible damage inside the hull but the floor surface floats in this area. I assume that a gravity type epoxy from the inside will suffice to fill the the main problem with a good amount of new glass from the outside.

The keel is internal so delamination is my major worry.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[garris46]

Islander 30MK ll

I have an Islander 30MK ll, 1974 - I discovered the same problem years ago taking it out for the winter. I took a power saw and cut an access hole right in front of the battery box. I discovered that at the very end where it tapers to the narrowest back part ot the bilge they just put some caulking in. I took a grinder to the external part of the keel an completely ground it through to a hole and tapered it out. On the inside I dug out all the caulk sanded it, bathed it in solvent. Patched the outside then the inside I patched about 50 million layers later I was done. Where I cut the hole in the floor I laid some wood strips on the side and screwed the floor back in. I didn't resurface the floor where the patches are just covered up with a rug. Good luck messy, messy job.

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[johnEbravo]

Did the same thing. Access hole got me in to the top. A ton of new glass and she's better than new. I'll be laying teak and holly laminate over the floor to cover up the hole after I patch it and she should be fine.


Thanks for the help everyone.