Wing Keel

[Allen Glasson]

In preparing the bottom of my 13 year old (new to me)H23 for painting, I noticed calking where the wing keel enters the fiberglass bottom. I removed the calking since some of it was loose.It also appears that the wing keel was originally fiberglass covered. My plan is to re-calk and wire brush the steel wing keel and paint with rustoleum paint. Then paint the hull with anti fouling paint. Is all this normal, and what is the best calk to use??? Any advive is welcomed.

 

[Wanderer138]

Check the archives

This was discussed as recently as a couple of weeks ago. The rustoleum sounds like a interesting idea (inexpensive).PeterS/V Raven (and wing-keel H23 owner)

 

[Dave Condon]

keel

Use 5200 marine sealant aroung the joint. As for the keel, you probably had epoxy on it. If rusting badly, remove the old epoxy. Fill any holes with an epoxy filler and sand smooth. Then use a metal primer such as zinc chromate. Epoxy the keel. Then apply anti fouling following the instructions on the can. Don't worry about the bottom of the keel as it will be scraped when running aground,Crazy Dave

 

[Jon Bastien]

I wrote a complete article...

...about this process about two weeks ago. It's titled 'H23 Keel painting - Interlux's solution'. Check the 'smaller boats' forum, or the forum archives. I will note that I got a lot of advice to be careful with what I used to prime the keel with - Many paints don't adhere to each other very well, so it may pass that the bottom paint of your choice doesn't stick to Rustoleum; it'll flake off after the paint's dry and the boat's in the water. It's a bit more expensive to use the Interlux solution, but if I do the keel right the first time, I should never have to fair/grind it down again-- I will only need to sand the keel lightly and apply another coat of bottom paint. As for Crazy Dave's advice to ignore the bottom of the keel, he's probably right; The first year you use the boat you'll find EVERY shallow spot of your cruising grounds using the "Braille Method." I'm planning on cleaning mine up, fairing it, and sealing it, because I found (while SCUBA diving under my boat) that I have a HUGE pit in the bottom surface of the keel. You can't see it while it's on the trailer, but my keel is on its way to becoming hollow! I'm still scraping the bottom of my boat, and will let you know how it all turns out. If you decide to go ahead and use the Rustoleum, let us know how it turns out!--Jon BastienH23 '2 Sheets to the Wind'P.S. - Congratulations on your purchase of a H23! There's a wealth of information in the archives about this boat, and I have yet to hear of an owner who didn't like their 23...