Keel Band for wooden rowing boat

[Boatno1lochleven]

Hi. I have a 19ft clinker built rowing boat that is presently undergoing restoration and in preparation for it’s completion I’m trying to find the best material for a keel band that runs down the stem post along the keel and turns up the sternpost for a short distance.
The boat is copper and bronze fastened throughout, i have concerns about using marine grade stainless steel and how that may react with the fastenings.
there are also suppliers brass d shaped profile bands available but apart from not being wide enough, I’m still concerned about the brass deteriorating in salt water.
Any suggestions on the above would be appreciated

 

[veshengro]

Accepting that the keel band is purely to protect the stem, fore foot and keel, and you are unable to find a suitable metal band, you could consider a sacrificial hardwood moulding. Easily cut to fit for width and profile. If you scarf it about water level at the stem and somewhere abaft the forefoot you would make replacement of the band, where the wear is most likely, fairly easy.
It would mean regular replacement if you are dragging the boat ashore often, but if she's afloat most of the time replacement would be infrequent.

Not traditional in the West but in the middle East, certainly around Aden. I noticed the big wooden Dhows had sacrificial forefoots and the fishing Dhows were always dragged up the beaches at the end of the day.
Just a thought.

 

[Boatno1lochleven]

Accepting that the keel band is purely to protect the stem, fore foot and keel, and you are unable to find a suitable metal band, you could consider a sacrificial hardwood moulding. Easily cut to fit for width and profile. If you scarf it about water level at the stem and somewhere abaft the forefoot you would make replacement of the band, where the wear is most likely, fairly easy.
It would mean regular replacement if you are dragging the boat ashore often, but if she's afloat most of the time replacement would be infrequent.

Not traditional in the West but in the middle East, certainly around Aden. I noticed the big wooden Dhows had sacrificial forefoots and the fishing Dhows were always dragged up the beaches at the end of the day.
Just a thought.

 

[Boatno1lochleven]

Hi Veshengro
Thanks for that, but I really would like something more traditional to boats in the Uk.
All I’m trying to find out is whether the metals mentioned for keel bands are compatible with the bronze and copper fastenings, particularly will marine grade stainless react with the fasteners.
Thanks again

 

[westernman]

What about this:-
Keelband Brass

or one of these:-
Rubbing Band & Keel Band

 

[Boatno1lochleven]

What about this:-
Keelband Brass

or one of these:-
Rubbing Band & Keel Band

have you read my original post?

 

[Tranona]

There is unlikely to be any issue between the fastenings of the boat and the keel band as they are not in direct contact with each other. Brass with brass fastenings will eventually dezincify. usually in the threads of the fastenings which are in direct contact with damp wood. This process can be slowed down by setting the screws in a sealant which partially isolates the threads from the damp wood. If the wood has low moisture content before fitting and a good sealant adhesive used to bed the band and screws, dezincification can be virtually eliminated. Much the same with 316 band and 316 fastenings where the problem is potential crevice corrosion in the fastenings.

 

[Boatno1lochleven]

There is unlikely to be any issue between the fastenings of the boat and the keel band as they are not in direct contact with each other. Brass with brass fastenings will eventually dezincify. usually in the threads of the fastenings which are in direct contact with damp wood. This process can be slowed down by setting the screws in a sealant which partially isolates the threads from the damp wood. If the wood has low moisture content before fitting and a good sealant adhesive used to bed the band and screws, dezincification can be virtually eliminated. Much the same with 316 band and 316 fastenings where the problem is potential crevice corrosion in the fastenings.

That’s excellent news. You hear so many stories about 316 stainless corrosion in certain areas. Stainless it is

 

[westernman]

have you read my original post?

I am surprised that you think that 38mm is not wide enough??
Brass is what has traditionally been used for this kind of thing and has worked well. Why do you think it won't work for your boat?

 

[veshengro]

She's 60 years old if a day. Copper fastened, steel bands on keel and bilge chocks and still working, so as stated by others, steel won't hurt your rowing boat.

 

[Boatno1lochleven]

She's 60 years old if a day. Copper fastened, steel bands on keel and bilge chocks and still working, so as stated by others, steel won't hurt your rowing boat.

I’m guessing they’re hot dipped galvanised? Not so easy to get done these days

 

[Boatno1lochleven]

I am surprised that you think that 38mm is not wide enough??
Brass is what has traditionally been used for this kind of thing and has worked well. Why do you think it won't work for your boat?

I hadn’t realised you could get 38mm. Where abouts?

 

[westernman]

I hadn’t realised you could get 38mm. Where abouts?

Brass keel- or rubbing band

Stainless steel also available - but brass would be traditional and original for your type of dinghy.

 

[srm]

Brass is the trad material for posh English boats. When I was in Shetland in the 70's and 80's galvanised steel was also used for the open boats around 16ft or so that were typically worked off a beach and pulled up the beaches for the winter. These boats were clinker construction, copper fastened. The local boat yard carried a stock of the flat "D" sections as it was also used to protect wear areas on the wood fishing boats.

 

[Tremyporth]

I always used brass in the past, but discovered a better, very effective alternative, as used on beach boats on shingle at Chesil Beach. Acquire a length of large diameter thick walled plastic pipe as used for underground gas mains. (Bright yellow), or water pipe (blue). Cut into longitudinal strips They may need slight trimming to reduce convexity of what was the interior surface so it fits flush onto the keel. The material is thick enough to countersink screw fastenings. Bends easily under the influence of a hot air gun. Lasts for ages, does not rust or dezincify. Not at all traditional, but if you keep the boat right way up and afloat it is not that obvious.

 

[srm]

@Tremyporth reminds me. The college I worked for had 16ft fibreglass boats for teaching school pupils rowing. When renovating them the bosun replaced the sacrificial wood strip with flat section hard black plastic to protect the keels.

 

[MisterBaxter]

Copper lightning conductor strip comes in various sizes and is cheaper than the brass and bronze profiles sold for traditional boats.

 

[Romeo]

Our club's St Ayles skiffs are finished with brass, but many west coast boats use strips cut from discarded fish farm piping. Free and plentiful (sadly). Also very effective for the job!