Priming and painting an Iron keel
- Thread starter mister_j
- Start date
- Status
Why don't you wait?
Jeff: Why don't you wait and do it all at the same time. Check out the Interlux site for sealing the keel. They have a very good explaination of the process. Stripping the bottom is a big project so be prepared. There are several postings in the archives on the process. It seems that most of the owners have had OK success with the Peel-away product. I think that you can use the version that comes from the home improvement centers and you will save a bunch of money.
Jeff: Why don't you wait and do it all at the same time. Check out the Interlux site for sealing the keel. They have a very good explaination of the process. Stripping the bottom is a big project so be prepared. There are several postings in the archives on the process. It seems that most of the owners have had OK success with the Peel-away product. I think that you can use the version that comes from the home improvement centers and you will save a bunch of money.
Waiting may be the way to go
Thanks, Steve and Warren I think I may wait, and just do a little grind-and-seal until I do the whole job next Fall. There's a real wealth of info on that 28.5 site that I can use when I start. I've only stripped and redone 1 other hull...much smaller boat...and I'm not looking forward to it, I can tell you! Thanks again Jeff
Thanks, Steve and Warren I think I may wait, and just do a little grind-and-seal until I do the whole job next Fall. There's a real wealth of info on that 28.5 site that I can use when I start. I've only stripped and redone 1 other hull...much smaller boat...and I'm not looking forward to it, I can tell you! Thanks again Jeff
Stripping the bottom
There was a long thread on this subject recently in the Newsgroup rec.boats.cruising. It seems everybody has done it once; nobody has done it twice. When I did it I ground the paint off to the gelcoat (26 foot boat) and put on a barrier coat. The keel was iron and badly rusted and pitted. Grinding did no good, just polished the scale. We eventually resorted to chipping hammers and just sat there pounding away at it all day. Then we applied to appropriate zinc-based primer and barrier coats. It is a job I will never do again, nor will I ever own another boat with an iron keel. Put it off to Fall. Enjoy your summer.
There was a long thread on this subject recently in the Newsgroup rec.boats.cruising. It seems everybody has done it once; nobody has done it twice. When I did it I ground the paint off to the gelcoat (26 foot boat) and put on a barrier coat. The keel was iron and badly rusted and pitted. Grinding did no good, just polished the scale. We eventually resorted to chipping hammers and just sat there pounding away at it all day. Then we applied to appropriate zinc-based primer and barrier coats. It is a job I will never do again, nor will I ever own another boat with an iron keel. Put it off to Fall. Enjoy your summer.
About 12 years ago,
I had the bottom sand blasted, I sealed the iron keel with epoxy, and bottom paint. Each year, since then, I have small rust "blooms" a friend suggested I use Pettit Rustlok Steel Primer. I treat only those areas that "bloom" and this year I had only a few small spots to treat. Seems to work well.
I had the bottom sand blasted, I sealed the iron keel with epoxy, and bottom paint. Each year, since then, I have small rust "blooms" a friend suggested I use Pettit Rustlok Steel Primer. I treat only those areas that "bloom" and this year I had only a few small spots to treat. Seems to work well.
Very important
Knowledgeable folks say it is real important to cover the bare metal very quickly once the old rust has been removed. I have been impressed by the performance of PC-17, but don't know how it will do under water, and am currently testing V-50 - supposed to be totally impervious to any kind of osmosis or migration. The latter is touted as the best paint-type coating money can buy, and it might just take the place of barrier coat paints. Very expensive - but worth it if it seals the metal indefinitely.
Knowledgeable folks say it is real important to cover the bare metal very quickly once the old rust has been removed. I have been impressed by the performance of PC-17, but don't know how it will do under water, and am currently testing V-50 - supposed to be totally impervious to any kind of osmosis or migration. The latter is touted as the best paint-type coating money can buy, and it might just take the place of barrier coat paints. Very expensive - but worth it if it seals the metal indefinitely.
Iron Keels
Forget grinding or black magic chemicals. I've done that and tried it all. Do nothing unless you are serious. If you are serious sand blast the keel and coat it with epoxy within an hour. Rustlok, VCtar, rust converter and interlux 2000 are all temporary cover ups. Use 3M 5200 on the keel hull joint. Epoxy filler will crack
Forget grinding or black magic chemicals. I've done that and tried it all. Do nothing unless you are serious. If you are serious sand blast the keel and coat it with epoxy within an hour. Rustlok, VCtar, rust converter and interlux 2000 are all temporary cover ups. Use 3M 5200 on the keel hull joint. Epoxy filler will crack
Rusty Keel
The best way I know of is to use Ospho Phospate, readily available at West Marine, Kills the rust, it changes it chemically, the fare with whatever your choice is, and epoxy then paint.
The best way I know of is to use Ospho Phospate, readily available at West Marine, Kills the rust, it changes it chemically, the fare with whatever your choice is, and epoxy then paint.
To Cure or Not to Cure
In order for rust (corrosion cells) to form, 2 things are needed. One is Oxygen, which it gets from exposure to air and the other is an electrolyte (sea water) for electrons to flow from one place to another. Basically, a corrosion cell acts like a battery. If you cut off the air supply by covering it with paint, epoxy or whatever, and cut off the flow of electrons by keeping the surface clean and dry, you have stopped the rust completely. So, Capn Ron and Daryl are both correct. If you treat it like Capn Ron says , you should be OK. However, if you are looking for a miracle cure and do a half ass job of surface preparation and coating, then daryl is correct. The bottom line is, if you cant take the time to to it properly, you are wasting your time.
In order for rust (corrosion cells) to form, 2 things are needed. One is Oxygen, which it gets from exposure to air and the other is an electrolyte (sea water) for electrons to flow from one place to another. Basically, a corrosion cell acts like a battery. If you cut off the air supply by covering it with paint, epoxy or whatever, and cut off the flow of electrons by keeping the surface clean and dry, you have stopped the rust completely. So, Capn Ron and Daryl are both correct. If you treat it like Capn Ron says , you should be OK. However, if you are looking for a miracle cure and do a half ass job of surface preparation and coating, then daryl is correct. The bottom line is, if you cant take the time to to it properly, you are wasting your time.
cAST IRON kEEL
I have a C22 with the cast iron swing keel. What I did when refurbishing the bottom was this. I brought the 600# keel to a local shop and had it sandblasted to bare metel and immediately painted with Permatex rust inhibitor from the auto parts store. It chemically treats the metel to prevent rust. It'll work directly on rust to. I then coated with Interlux 2000 Barrier coat along with the hull bottom. Next I coated and faired the keel back to the original airfoil shape followed by 3 coats bottom paint. 5 years later there are no rust blooms save where I came a little to close to those things on the bottom of the ocean that come up and hit your boat! It is a lot of work and I'm not sure I'd go thru it again.
I have a C22 with the cast iron swing keel. What I did when refurbishing the bottom was this. I brought the 600# keel to a local shop and had it sandblasted to bare metel and immediately painted with Permatex rust inhibitor from the auto parts store. It chemically treats the metel to prevent rust. It'll work directly on rust to. I then coated with Interlux 2000 Barrier coat along with the hull bottom. Next I coated and faired the keel back to the original airfoil shape followed by 3 coats bottom paint. 5 years later there are no rust blooms save where I came a little to close to those things on the bottom of the ocean that come up and hit your boat! It is a lot of work and I'm not sure I'd go thru it again.
- Status