Encapsulated keel:chunk missing.

sailboy21 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008

Got the boat dried out today. Positioning was a little different than last time, and revealed this. I knew I had to have done some damage when I hit a reef about a year ago. Sure enough... Good news is I got my thruhulls fixed, the paint is holding up and there are no blisters...

So, given winter is fast approaching and humidity is 100% here year round a haul out and wait to dry method would be useless. Unless I could get it into a heated garage there is no point right now. So, until I sail to Mexico what should I do? My old friend "Splash Zone" comes to mind. This stuff would at least seal it up and prevent more seawater from wicking in to the laminate. I will leave it ugly so I know where it was. Sound like a plan??? Any other products that might work better?

Thanks all for any advice you have. I am floating off tomorrow at noon so whatever is done by then is done for an indefinite period.

sailboy21 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008

KeelHaulin · #3 (**permalink**) 11-14-2008

I would grind it back a bit to feather the edges; paint in some fast setting epoxy and then as soon as it is tacky mix up some epoxy putty and use it as a fairing compound. Put plenty of epoxy putty on and then when it sets sand off the excess and paint.

sailboy21 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-14-2008

Good idea but its wet! I ended up putting the cans of splash zone in front of the oil heater until they were nice and warm to the touch. I took a bucked of hot water down, cleaned up the wound a little bit, splashed some hot water on her and went to work. It seems to have worked, was set nice and hard in the morning.. but..

Now: I have a real reason to go cruising. "Hunny, I need to sail to Mexico to haul the boat for a bottom job."

So many layers of old paint on the old gal.. ick...

KeelHaulin · #5 (**permalink**) 11-14-2008

Not sure why you were worried about wetness? Is there water leaking from the hole? Oh well no matter since you have patched it and it is already back in the water.

When I was saying you should grind it back some I meant that you should grind back until you get to dry fiberglass; then paint in resin and then patch with epoxy putty. My thought about using the resin was to wet out the glass and form a surface that the putty could more easily bond to.

chucklesR · #6 (**permalink**) 11-14-2008

Marine stores sell 2 part epoxy putty that sticks to wet, plaster it on, smooth it out, paint it and splash it.

sailboy21 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-14-2008

I could have ground the entire keel away before I found a dry spot... There was a lot of exposed mat that has been soaking up water for the last year. No telling how far it went. I think it would be difficult to get a conventional epoxy to stick or cure under the conditions. Just not the environment to do any real glass work. Temperatures below 40, rain etc etc... I was just happy the splash zone fully cured...

sailingdog · #8 (**permalink**) 11-14-2008

Believe that MarineTex is one of those Two-part epoxies that will stick to wet surfaces.. even cures underwater IIRC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucklesR

Marine stores sell 2 part epoxy putty that sticks to wet, plaster it on, smooth it out, paint it and splash it.

Rockter · #9 (**permalink**) 11-15-2008

That's not a bad one there Sailboy.
A deep fin keel may not have weathered it so well.

sailboy21 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-15-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockter

That's not a bad one there Sailboy.
A deep fin keel may not have weathered it so well.

What? You mean they don't just bounce off rocks at 6 knots?

BTW: In British Columbia don't aim for the marker!