Rust Treatment

MJWB

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Recently bought a bilge keeler in good nick. Been out of the water for sometime and I'm keen to get her in and enjoy the season while it lasts. The antifoul is in fairly good nick though I intend to redo it before she goes in.

At the top of each keel, on the inside, where it is out of the weather both wet and drying breezes there are small spots of rust showing through, spots a couple of mm across. Very little but I'd like to do something about it before putting her back in the water. I've been thinking about clearing the coatings back, then some rust treatment, followed by re-priming a few coates and anti fouling.

Can anyone advise on the best approach for a quick solution please?
 
Go sailing and stop worrying. When you next bring the boat out it'll be unchanged from now, so you can deal with it then. It's been like that a long time and it's not about to become serious in the next few months.
 
My approach on keels and rust is to do at least enough to give the antifouling a chance to stay on, otherwise it can't do its job.

So in the situation described, as a minimum I'd rub down the area smooth, pop a couple of coats of primer, I use Primocon, on, and then antifoul. The hull/keel joint I'd prepare the same, but wipe some sealant into the joint, letting it go off before priming and antifouling.

And see how it is at the end of the season.
 
My approach on keels and rust is to do at least enough to give the antifouling a chance to stay on, otherwise it can't do its job.

So in the situation described, as a minimum I'd rub down the area smooth, pop a couple of coats of primer, I use Primocon, on, and then antifoul. The hull/keel joint I'd prepare the same, but wipe some sealant into the joint, letting it go off before priming and antifouling.

And see how it is at the end of the season.
Thanks
 
Fern tan might be your friend when you next anti foul. My impression is iron keels always rust and you just sand. back and repeat the following year whatever you do but using certain plus primer and then anti foul seems the approach many follow.
 
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