Boat on stands. Repairs can begin. WARNING Pictures.

M

Major Catastrophe

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Well, we got the trailer out today without too much bother. The boat is unmovable on the stands, but I will be blocking the keel and strapping the legs together, as we don't want any leg spreading around here.

I have orderd the KeelGuard keel protector, which arrives Tuesday, which gives me two days to repair the damage, and clean back the anti foul and primer from the keel, ready for the protector.

I am then going to touch up the anti foul and hopefullhave it back on trailer for next weekend ready to tow to Essex for Easter.

Sorry if this is boring, but it is nice to get some feedback and advice even if it is not quite as exciting as an 82ft Thames Barge.

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The Damage

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Pics are great thanks, lets see more of them.

Good luck fitting the KeelGuard, When i ordered a brand new boat, back in 2003, i spec'ed it with a KeelGaurd strip, when it arrived i flew to Swansea to inspect the boat, the dealer showed me the strip still to be fitted! He advised agaisn't it, saying it would make the boat look awful and slow it down a bit, but personally i think he was just worried about the fitting of it, cause it did look a challenge, so instead the dealer swapped it for a Zodiac tender saying take this, and you'll not need to beach it. Which for me, turned out too be the better option.

I'm sure you'll manage it fine.

Good luck,

Cheers

Alistair.
 
Thanks Alistair, I did a considerable amount of research on the Keel Guard and spoke to two owners who have it fitted.

"The KeelGuard is a composite Polycor PVC based extrusion with special plasticizers and UV inhibitors. This material has been tested by independent laboratories and 3M, and found to provide the very best blending of abrasion resistance and bonding qualities." or so says the website.

Quite frankly, it is only a bit of tough plastic bonded to the keel, and I am not that worried if lose a knot or two, but I would prefer the speed loss to having to repair the keel everytime I recover the boat because it hits the trailer axle. Not only that, but there are often logs and wood in the Menai Straight during the spring tides, it will cut down on strike damage.

For a 21 foot boat, I think it is a good addition. Need to get some acetone to make sure the area is very very clean.

At least with KeelGuard you don't have to drill nasty holes in your keel.

I will post more pics as I progress.
 
Great pics! Its amazing how many keels get a bashing on trailers, and equally amazing how many peeps just leave it that way /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

If there is a boat builder/repairer near you, they will, without doubt, have acetone.

Like Alistair says, please post the pics of your progress.
 
I'm popping up all over the place these days , but the barge is for next weekend , today we started work on our 25ft Birchy , and guess what we found . Yup , identical keel damage. I had intended filling , sanding and repainting , but if this keel guard is any good , it might be worth using it . As the others said , keep the pics coming. And I'll try and do the same
 
looks a bit dodgy

the boat will tend to force apart those supports. I wd have two of three safety blocks under the keel, not jammed perhaps but just so that it did go it wouldn't be land on people working underneath. In fact, i wouldn't go under that boat as it is.
 
Not a problem, do as Divemaster recommends.
That boat won't move, look at the width of the
bases of those super stands.
Belt an braces don't hurt
I reckon tcm got himself a job with Health an Safety
 
I've done it. Blocks are within 1mm of the keel, so it will be interesting if it settles overnight - I will report tomorrow - but those stands, off ebay for 167 quid, are extremely robust.

Dave Tevera25, I will let you know how easy it is to fit the Keel Guard next week and will take pics of progress, and Dave Snelson, I got acetone from chemist this afternoon, it is actually nail varnish remover, so I felt obliged to tell rather nice young lady who served me that it was okay, I wasn't turning.

Hmm, my nails do need a burnish.

I am going to blast away anti foul away from keel area with pressure washer tomorrow and then sand primer back to clean fibreglass. I will then fill the damage with Marine Epoxy.

On Monday, I have to go to Nottingham to pick up an outboard I got for my tender and in the afternoon I will sand the repair.

Keel Guard kit should arrive Tuesday. Need to get fan heaters out and warm up keel to get the best curing temp for the adhesives and try to fit the guard.

I am knackerd again as I am still working single handed, but very pleased that I managed to get 1.5 tonnes of boat off a trailer and onto stands by myself.

Putting it back on the trailer will be a doddle, but I couldn't have done it without the specially built support I made to fit the keel so that I could jack it up.
 
Chris - Woah!... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Nail polish remover from Chemists contains oils that replenish the oils in skin. Straight acetone rips your skin off in the way it dries it out, so I don't think this will work - your keel protector wont stick. I may well be wrong, but I don't think you have bought what you need, and that is pure acetone.
 
No, it's okay. I have a bottle of pure 100% acetone.

50 ml for £1.09

It was on the same shelf as nail varinish removers, which I noticed contained acetone, along with all those lovely essential oils.

Thanks for the warning though.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I had intended filling , sanding and repainting , but if this keel guard is any good , it might be worth using it .

[/ QUOTE ]

Dave, I just re-read your post. You should still fill and sand - you must not attach KeelGuard to a painted surface - before fitting KeelGuard.

How did you damage the keel?

Can you fit KeelGuard to an 82 ft Thames barge? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Would not fitting a keel roller have been a bit cheaper and easier than fitting the keel guard?.........Hate those swing beam roller trailers. Don't know if its just me but they don't seem to provide enough support.
 
[ QUOTE ]

50 ml for £1.09


[/ QUOTE ]

You was had. Should be £5-6 per gallon. 50ml is a bit like one sheet of toilet paper - not enough for one good wipe, let alone a whole job's worth.

[/PBO]

Andy
 
£5-6 per gallon. Do tell where from ! Last place I checked they were asking £11 for 5 litres. This was 100% pure acetone not nail varnish remover, so I thought it was the purity I was paying for.
Mal /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Would not fitting a keel roller have been a bit cheaper and easier than fitting the keel guard?

[/ QUOTE ]

We discussed this a few weeks ago. Once the boat is on the trailer, there is a clearance of 2 inches between axles and keel. Boat is not designed to be towed with weight taken on keel. Not only that, but SBS trailers tell me you cannot drill the axles as it would dangerously weaken them, they are not flat and both of them carry brake lines underneath so you cannot fix rollers with u bolts, but as I said, there is not enough room for a roller.

I am going to strap two bits of car tyre to axles.

Easiest solution was to protect the keel.

As for the acetone, I don't have a lot of use for the stuff and a couple of small bottles will cover the area of the KeelGuard.
 
I wouldn't get under that in the state the stands are in at the moment.
It's like supporting cars on jacks; they seem stable until something moves a little, and then everything goes.
I would put chains or wires between the posts, as high as you can, and put timber between the stand bases to prevent them moving inwards.
I know it sounds over-the-top, but you'll be in no condition to be wise after the event.
 
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