I have a 302 that has been out of the water for almost 5 years now as I was working on it and life got in the way. I have started the refit again but noticed this on the keel today and am not sure the best way to handle it. I haven't sanded any of it away yet to see what lies under it, but I am wondering if anyone has seen this before?
Oday 302 keel surface
- Thread starter Mackaroni
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,105
Looks like the fossilized remains of a Wiwaxia
or
A partial consumed anode.
in the image it looks above the white paint.
Perhaps there was a mud ball fight and the boat was used for cover.
On my boat I’d remove it, sand the area smooth. Put on an anode if needed and then paint all but the anode. No paint on or beneath the anode or it will not work.
or
A partial consumed anode.
in the image it looks above the white paint.
Perhaps there was a mud ball fight and the boat was used for cover.
On my boat I’d remove it, sand the area smooth. Put on an anode if needed and then paint all but the anode. No paint on or beneath the anode or it will not work.
I think the original casting had a defect and they used compound to fill it and fair it. Probably with a lot of temperature extremes the material cracked and flaked off. I saw one like that in a marina but it was a new boat they were trying to sell, the wing keel looked pretty bad. If it is lead then grind down to bare lead (a belt sander works well, wear a mask, lead dust is hazardous), then immediately coat it with a coat of WEST epoxy. Before the epoxy completely cures coat it again with another coat. Then before that epoxy completely cures fill it with thickened epoxy. Once cured fair it. Then do your bottom paint. Lead is very reactive so it will oxidize quickly, you need the first coat of epoxy on the bare lead the same day you expose it. Lead oxide will not be receptive to materials bonding to it. The epoxy seals the lead from the oxygen and hot coating the epoxy helps additional coats bond.
I spoke with the manufacturer, Marskeels, to do the same repair on mine. It is a solid lead keel and when poured any accumulated dirt would float up to the top of the wing. First step is to grind out the dirt and it is surprising that it really is just that - dirt. I'm sure there is more under there somewhere, I stopped when it seemed like I had a good solid surface to work with.
Remember that this is lead so wear a good mask and goggles!
Fill and fair it with a two part epoxy, then grind/sand it to the contour. Mine took a couple batches of good old gray JB Weld.
Marskeels said to cover the area with a barrier coat like Interlux 2000. I used JB Weld clear and let it dry for over a week before laying several coats of anti-foul paint on.
I had a diver clean the bottom going into Fall and asked him specifically to check on this area. He said he would not have known it was repaired if I'd not told him.
Remember that this is lead so wear a good mask and goggles!
Fill and fair it with a two part epoxy, then grind/sand it to the contour. Mine took a couple batches of good old gray JB Weld.
Marskeels said to cover the area with a barrier coat like Interlux 2000. I used JB Weld clear and let it dry for over a week before laying several coats of anti-foul paint on.
I had a diver clean the bottom going into Fall and asked him specifically to check on this area. He said he would not have known it was repaired if I'd not told him.
A true craftsman serious about his work :
A Dremel as opposed to an angle grinder.
So what do the "visible" parts of your boat look like ?
A Dremel as opposed to an angle grinder.
So what do the "visible" parts of your boat look like ?
LOL - Thx Ralph
The angle grinder, a drywall cutter with a router bit, and a finger sander were on the ground and I also used a sharp gasket scraper.
btw - I undercut the surface in various places so there's a mechanical lock on the epoxy plug.
The "visible" parts are always a work in progress.
The angle grinder, a drywall cutter with a router bit, and a finger sander were on the ground and I also used a sharp gasket scraper.
btw - I undercut the surface in various places so there's a mechanical lock on the epoxy plug.
The "visible" parts are always a work in progress.
Sorry for the delay in responding. The answers here are super helpful and I am very grateful for them. It does indeed seem to be fairing compound gone bad so as soon as the weather is above 50 degrees here, I am going to fix this.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
It is sand from the original casting. The molds are made of sand and when the keels come out, they are really cruddy.
Sometimes a thin skin of lead encapsulates the sand. This works for a while, eventually a little water seems in and when it freezes, it expands and breaks through the skin.
The West System Manual (free on their website) has instructions on how to fair a lead keel. Clean all the sand out the area and follow their instructions. I had to use a wire brush on an angle grinder. Needless to say, don't breathe the dust there will be some lead in it.
One caveat, temperature of the keel is critical. If the keel is cold, the epoxy won't cure very well. It should be at least 50°F.
Sometimes a thin skin of lead encapsulates the sand. This works for a while, eventually a little water seems in and when it freezes, it expands and breaks through the skin.
The West System Manual (free on their website) has instructions on how to fair a lead keel. Clean all the sand out the area and follow their instructions. I had to use a wire brush on an angle grinder. Needless to say, don't breathe the dust there will be some lead in it.
One caveat, temperature of the keel is critical. If the keel is cold, the epoxy won't cure very well. It should be at least 50°F.
Hey Mackaroni, nice to see you back. Here is a pic of what “popped” up on my keel. I am wondering if you are experiencing two different things: 1) an issue with the original lead keel (see my photo) and 2) an issue with an earlier owner attempt to patch. I asked my surveyor about it and he said it was the first he had seen on a Mars Metals keel. That said, advice from others provided above is pretty much what I have have done and all good now. Cheers!
If you don't get down to bare metal the repair is going to fail because the repair will quite literally be built on sand.