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favorite keel bolt coating?

2K views 9 replies 10 participants last post by  boatpoker 
#1 ·
So i finally got out the wire brushes to see just how corroded my keel bolts were in the bilge after 30 years. they ended up cleaning up very nicely with no signs of corrosion. even washers underneath look pretty good. now that my bolts are clean and bilge is dry i want to possibly coat the tops of the bolts to keep them clean.

they are 316 stainless. i read about coating them with epoxy but that seems like a major headache to clean off especially since i plan on dropping the keel next year to redo the seal and check bolts.

anyone have other suggestion to coat them? clear silicone? a corrosion inhibitor like CRC?
 
#2 ·
After 30 years they show no sign of corrosion.

\Are you on a fresh water lake? If you are moving from fresh water to salt i would consider it, i would think a good wire brushing then epoxy.
If your boat is going to be in the same environment as the last 30 years, i just do not see an upside to putting anything on them.

A wise man once said, "If it aint broke do not fix it."
 
#3 ·
With keel bolts it's usually the part you can't see where problems arise - under the nut and/or where it passes through the hull.
 
#5 ·
So i finally got out the wire brushes to see just how corroded my keel bolts were in the bilge after 30 years. they ended up cleaning up very nicely with no signs of corrosion. even washers underneath look pretty good. now that my bolts are clean and bilge is dry i want to possibly coat the tops of the bolts to keep them clean.

they are 316 stainless. i read about coating them with epoxy but that seems like a major headache to clean off especially since i plan on dropping the keel next year to redo the seal and check bolts.

anyone have other suggestion to coat them? clear silicone? a corrosion inhibitor like CRC?
What is the expert condition on using POR-15?
 
#6 ·
I wouldn't cover them, I have seen them uncovered after that long and they're fine. But as suggested its the salt waters' ability to move around that keeps them alive. Now the part you don't see is the wild card, dropping the Keel is the only way to know for sure. Sounding the studs may be viable but tricky, of course occasional torqueing and if one breaks off in the process then you're pretty screwed.
 
#7 ·
The best coating for them, because they are 316 stainless, and reported to be in good shape, is a layer of oxygen.
 
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