I need some information on how best to repair my keel. Right before haul out while heading for the dock we hit sbbmerged rocks and took about 2" out of the corner from the leading edge of the keel. I would like to know what type of material to use to fix this ? Thanks Don
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Epoxy mud
I know a couple of folks who had this happen to them. They had lead keels (I don't know if yours is lead??) and mixed up some epoxy with adhesive filler to a peanut butter consistency and gooped it on. You want it REALLY thick so it will stay in place. You can use plastic wrap to "form" it into place & smooth it out a bit (after it cures, the plastic will come right off). Sand it down fair & paint. Maybe someone else has another suggestion?? LaDonna
I know a couple of folks who had this happen to them. They had lead keels (I don't know if yours is lead??) and mixed up some epoxy with adhesive filler to a peanut butter consistency and gooped it on. You want it REALLY thick so it will stay in place. You can use plastic wrap to "form" it into place & smooth it out a bit (after it cures, the plastic will come right off). Sand it down fair & paint. Maybe someone else has another suggestion?? LaDonna
Epoxy vs gelcoat
I understand that once you lay down epoxy on a gelcoated fiberglass hull, you can't gelcoat over the epoxy (it won't adhere properly). You could epoxy the damage, which might be better as it may resist future bumps better. Or you could use polyester resin/glass cloth to fill the gouge and then gelcoat over it.
I understand that once you lay down epoxy on a gelcoated fiberglass hull, you can't gelcoat over the epoxy (it won't adhere properly). You could epoxy the damage, which might be better as it may resist future bumps better. Or you could use polyester resin/glass cloth to fill the gouge and then gelcoat over it.
Shouldn't need gelcoat on the keel
If I read the post correctly, the damage was limited to the keel which shouldn't need gelcoat if he uses bottom paint. Now, if he doesn't use bottom paint...I dunno. LaDonna
If I read the post correctly, the damage was limited to the keel which shouldn't need gelcoat if he uses bottom paint. Now, if he doesn't use bottom paint...I dunno. LaDonna
Thank you for the help. I do use bottom paint. I was told by someone that marine tex would probably work. Is that the same as epoxy mud?
Buy a small quantity of epoxy
Don, Even though marine tex is epoxy, it has been around so long that this is the name many people use for a quick fix.(Like xerox) I think you will be happier buying some epoxy fairing compound. It works like body putty and is just as easy. Follow prep instructions. If your bottom was barrier coated, sand a bit larger than the damage and coat with barrier coat. If bottom painted, bottom paint to match. I am assuming this is not a cast iron keel. If it is, if you put copper bottom paint directly on the cast iron keel you are enhancing galvanic reaction. (you'll make it rust worse) r.w.landau
Don, Even though marine tex is epoxy, it has been around so long that this is the name many people use for a quick fix.(Like xerox) I think you will be happier buying some epoxy fairing compound. It works like body putty and is just as easy. Follow prep instructions. If your bottom was barrier coated, sand a bit larger than the damage and coat with barrier coat. If bottom painted, bottom paint to match. I am assuming this is not a cast iron keel. If it is, if you put copper bottom paint directly on the cast iron keel you are enhancing galvanic reaction. (you'll make it rust worse) r.w.landau
Epoxy Mud
"Epoxy mud" would be epoxy with a filler added. The consistency of the epoxy-filler mixture is very thick, like peanut butter. You can buy epoxy and filler at places like West Marine. See the web site of one popular manufacturer of epoxy, Gougeon Brothers of Bay City, Michigan - West System Epoxy (www.westsystem.com). There's info there on the various fillers, you probably can use one of the fairing fillers. Advantage of buying this vs. Marine Tex or one of the other products is that you can use West System epoxy in other places or problem areas on your boat, varying the filler type used (or amount of filler used) for the correct application on the boat. Great stuff!
"Epoxy mud" would be epoxy with a filler added. The consistency of the epoxy-filler mixture is very thick, like peanut butter. You can buy epoxy and filler at places like West Marine. See the web site of one popular manufacturer of epoxy, Gougeon Brothers of Bay City, Michigan - West System Epoxy (www.westsystem.com). There's info there on the various fillers, you probably can use one of the fairing fillers. Advantage of buying this vs. Marine Tex or one of the other products is that you can use West System epoxy in other places or problem areas on your boat, varying the filler type used (or amount of filler used) for the correct application on the boat. Great stuff!
West Systems
I'm sure MarineTex would work fine but for some reason I have this bias against using anything but epoxy, if epoxy could be used. I guess I think of MarineTex as the Bondo of the boating world. I have no scientific proof of this - just an unjustified prejudice! Anway, you can buy individual packets of West Systems for cheap and then get a small canister of their "adhesive filler". I can't remember the number (they're all numbered) but it something like "High Density Adhesive Filler"?? As the name implies, it's high density so it will be harder to sand but will also be relatively impervious to water intrusion. Add the filler till it's just like peanut butter and apply. Use plastic wrap to form it so you'll have to sand less. Then just paint over it. Pretty easy really - and I kinda like the smell of epoxy!
LaDonna
I'm sure MarineTex would work fine but for some reason I have this bias against using anything but epoxy, if epoxy could be used. I guess I think of MarineTex as the Bondo of the boating world. I have no scientific proof of this - just an unjustified prejudice! Anway, you can buy individual packets of West Systems for cheap and then get a small canister of their "adhesive filler". I can't remember the number (they're all numbered) but it something like "High Density Adhesive Filler"?? As the name implies, it's high density so it will be harder to sand but will also be relatively impervious to water intrusion. Add the filler till it's just like peanut butter and apply. Use plastic wrap to form it so you'll have to sand less. Then just paint over it. Pretty easy really - and I kinda like the smell of epoxy!
LaDonnaKeel repair
We had to do a little keel repair last year. I used Interlux brand epoxy. You can buy a small hobby pack. I also used Epiglass filler powder (440) to thicken the epoxy as needed. I first cleaned up area. I took some fiberglass cloth and basically cut it into small pieces. Basically chopped up—you could use fiberglass mat. I mixed up the epoxy added filler to thicken and chopped fiberglass cloth and applied it to the indention. Make sure the entire fiberglass cloth is completely wet before applying to indention. Once the area was built back up I used wax paper and masking tape to hold the repair patch in place. Wax paper won’t stick to epoxy resin. Once cured I sanded the repair flush with keel and used Interlux Interprotect Watertite to fair surface. I applied barrier coat and bottom paint. I also had to rebuild my rudder at the pintle area. I used the same method as above to plug the holes from the pintle and redrilled the holes. This method seems to work well. Using just filler will not hold up if your keel hits a rock or bottom in the future. If you want additional information please let me know.
We had to do a little keel repair last year. I used Interlux brand epoxy. You can buy a small hobby pack. I also used Epiglass filler powder (440) to thicken the epoxy as needed. I first cleaned up area. I took some fiberglass cloth and basically cut it into small pieces. Basically chopped up—you could use fiberglass mat. I mixed up the epoxy added filler to thicken and chopped fiberglass cloth and applied it to the indention. Make sure the entire fiberglass cloth is completely wet before applying to indention. Once the area was built back up I used wax paper and masking tape to hold the repair patch in place. Wax paper won’t stick to epoxy resin. Once cured I sanded the repair flush with keel and used Interlux Interprotect Watertite to fair surface. I applied barrier coat and bottom paint. I also had to rebuild my rudder at the pintle area. I used the same method as above to plug the holes from the pintle and redrilled the holes. This method seems to work well. Using just filler will not hold up if your keel hits a rock or bottom in the future. If you want additional information please let me know.
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