Keel Seal

[sirius]

I have read a number of posts about leaking keels and people thinking about having the bolts loosened and the keel re-sealed. It seems that the advice is to keep the bolts tighly fastened, and dig out/re-seal around the joint between the keel and hull.

So, does anyone have any advice on the sealant I should use? Ideally quick-curing so the boat can be back in the water soon.

Simon

 

[Jacket]

Theoretically the sealant needs to be suitable for use underwater, so in the past I've used Sikaflex, which has worked well.

Make sure you clean the keel area down to bare metal/ GRP, and prime well. Be generous in the amount of sealant you use, and fillet it against the hull and keel, so that there's pleanty of area to form a bond.

I have used standard builders sealant once, in an emergeny, and it lasted well, despite not having time to dry properly before being craned back into the water. However, I wouldn't recomend it unless you're desperate.