Steel Keels

[stretch33]

Advice please, All antifouling off keels and been told that giving them a few coats of West epoxy is good idea, they're more like bilge plates than keels boat has long keel plus these plates. Ideally want to get this done a.s.a.p. before they start to go rusty again. Any comments on using west epoxy for this job? Tips most welcome
Cheers Phil

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Evadne]

Not got around to my cast iron one this year, so no first hand experience but advice based on forum postings from the spring say you MUST prime the metal within hours of shotblasting to stand any chance of it sticking. You may get a bit longer with genuine steel keels though.
Various recommendations from Isopon through West and SP epoxies to Sikaflex followed, if I recall, so I'd suggest you do a search on iron/metal/steel keels as there may be more from previous years. My own feeling is that once primed, iron or steel is so unmovable (compared with wood or GRP) that any fairing will stay put, so choose your favourite.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Gordonmc]

I had new bilge-plates fitted last season, three-eighths mild steel with reinforcing bar on the rim. The steel was cleaned off and coated in "epoxy tar". Came in five gallon drums.

I don't know if West do a similar product.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[beneteau_305_553]

I think epoxy is only suitable for new, shotblasted cast iron keels where there is no chance of dampness getting between the epoxy and the metal, and has to be done with the keels off the hull.

I had some rust areas on my keel. I cleaned off the old paint with a scraper and painted with a zinc rich primer followed by the antifouling.

I then added a zinc annode about 300 mm from the sides of the keel and connected them together with electrical cable. The annodes corrode instead of the keel.

seems to have done the trick.



<hr width=100% size=1>Richard

 

[stretch33]

Thx for your replies, hull and bilge plates have been sand blasted, keels are now bare metal and all antifoul removed from hull leaving original epoxy coating - Blakes l understand. Intend to re do whole bottom with West over the next 6 months or so.
Phil

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[AndrewB]

IMHO you been given good advice so far and you should be careful about ignoring it. Conventional epoxy will only effectively prevent rust if the paint is applied within a few hours of a thorough sandblasting. Otherwise you might as well save yourself a fair amount of money and go with a conventional paint system over red zinc primer.

Epoxy tar or zinc rich epoxy primers would give you the best results on old steel. (See typical specs <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatpaint.co.uk/acatalog/Boat_Paint_Catalogue_Skipper_Two_Component_Primer_and_Undercoats_57.html>here</A>). But these are not easy paints for DIY work which may be why they are not available from International, Blakes or West.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[stretch33]

It would seem these plates are galvanised, worth coating in West epoxy or just give them two or three coats of red lead?
Cheers

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[[448]]

If they are easily removable, why not get them re-galvanised this winter. I made my own bilge plates some years ago, got them galvanised (Scottish Galvanisers, Glasgow), and they lasted years before the rust came through.
Cheers, DAVE

<hr width=100% size=1>