Painting the swing keel

[Travis Schafer]

I am trying to paint the swing keel housing on my Hunter 22 and I don't think I'll be able to drop the keel from the trailer and paint up inside the housing. How important is it to cover this surface with anti-fouling paint and can I get away with painting most of the area from the trailer?

 

[Frank Ladd]

It could be really important

Lets say you dont paint up in there so you dont get that part of the keel or that part of the hull. Barnacles and other beasties could grow up in there and cause the keel to get stuck in the up or down position. I bet getting you bottom painted would csot you only $400 to $500 and you would only have to do it every 2 to 3 years up where you are. If you really want to save money why not see if their is a yard that will let you paint the easy parts and let them do the hard parts while it is on their lift. If you are trailer sailing your boat and only having it in the water for less than a week at a time maybe you don't need to paint it at all. Also if you keep your boat in a fresh water lake bottom paint is needed less than in salt water.

 

[Wanderer138]

Painting the swing keel housing

Here's one way to do it. Raise the keel completely, tape over the opening from underneath and pour the bottom paint into the housing from above until it is near the top. Let it sit for a while to make sure all the little crevices inside are filled. Then go below the boat, punch a hole in the tape and let the excess paint run back into the can. If you do this before you do the bottom, it will save you the hassle of painting the keel.PeterH23 "Raven"