Need Keel Hull Joint Repair tips

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drumbeater

drumbeater

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Jan 18, 2011
225
Hunter 26 Beaufort SC
We finally got the Pearson hauled this weekend to install the rudder. The keel hull joint is all cracked up, which from what I read is pretty common. The boat has been in the water for at least 5 years as good as I can tell, and it does not leak from the keel.

We didn't spend alot on this boat and it stays in fresh water. I was going to try and do this repair without having to repaint the entire hull and fair the whole keel. Any advice on materials to use for the fairing? I'm a little confused as to whether you use glass cloth around the joint or just epoxy with filler.

Pictures attached show big cracks at rear, crack along port side, and "bubbling" on leading edge of joint.
 

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jibes138

jibes138

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Jan 27, 2008
3,092
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
That really looks like a very hard grounding to crack the joint at the aft end of the keel so severely. Many boats get some separation at the keel from flexing laterally and that is easily sealed with just 3M 4000 or equivalent. You should have a professional evaluate that keel to hull joint to be safe.
 
DeniseO30

DeniseO30

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Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
It appears to be an encapsulated keel and the glass is ripping away from the hull. Danger Will Robinson! I sincerely hope I'm wrong! What does the bilge look like?
 
drumbeater

drumbeater

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Jan 18, 2011
225
Hunter 26 Beaufort SC
Bilge is dry. I would think a hard grounding would crack the joint at the front of the keel? Unless you backed into something.

The keel is separate. This is just cracking fairing material. The joint looks pretty good behind all of that drama.
 
DeniseO30

DeniseO30

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Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
So you are saying there is no keel stub, that the keel bolts to the hull right there? Looks like allot of flex for such a joint. Good luck.
 
jibes138

jibes138

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Jan 27, 2008
3,092
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
drumbeater said:
Bilge is dry. I would think a hard grounding would crack the joint at the front of the keel? Unless you backed into something.

The keel is separate. This is just cracking fairing material. The joint looks pretty good behind all of that drama.
Click to expand
I have seen several hard groundings and almost always the hull cracks aft of the keel. Usually in the form of a lateral crack like a big smile. A C&C34 next to me once smashed into the rocks at Watch Hill and stopped dead from about 6 knots. Major crack aft of the keel, you could see into the boat. The owner had decided to charter the boat. Big mistake.

Your only option is to grind away all of the damage and see what is under there until you reach good solid material. It could be a major repair or if it is just fairing material as you say then why did it separate? Get a variable speed electric drill with a sanding disk, it is a lot easier to control stock removal than with an aggressive angle or disk grinder.

Good luck.
 
shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
8,006
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
That looks like some crappy non marine auto body filler. Grind it off and see what you've got.
 
drumbeater

drumbeater

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Jan 18, 2011
225
Hunter 26 Beaufort SC
I've got the local pro going to check it out and give me an opinion. He's a family friend and has been doing fiberglass work for 30 years
 
drumbeater

drumbeater

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Jan 18, 2011
225
Hunter 26 Beaufort SC
Pearson 26'a typically crack the fairing compound around this joint. It probably grounded that shattered the rear of the joint. The material used for fairing was thin and brittle and not epoxy, probably bondo.

He's grinding out old all around the keel and refairing with west systems with some graphite and other fillers. Them we will repaint with 2000e and VC17m. Structurally it's fine.
 
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