Swing Keel????

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Guest
Hello all,

Yesterday I removed the swing keel / center plate from my Devon Potter, and it isn't in bad condition at all, but.....

It was probably galvanised originally, but has since been coated with summat black? I have started to clean it up, but it's very hard going, even with a belt sander. I have made enquiries, and I can get it grit blasted at a very reasonable cost, but the prices I am being quoted for having it galvanised seem to me to be a bit ridiculous, probably because.....

1. I am a bit impecunious.

2. I am as tight as hell!. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So I was wondering, if I was to have it grit blasted back to bare metal, is there a really good hard wearing coating I can apply to it, that will also readily accept anti fouling? I have some really good etch primer, that could go on as the first coat, and I did think about putting Hammerite on top of that, but I don't think anti fouling will stick to Hammerite very well.

Any ideas? or am I gonna have to bite the bullet and get it galvanised? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I had the centre plate on Kala Sona grit blasted and the yard primed it with what they were using on the hull of another steel boat that they were painting. I topped that with several coats of Blakes Keel Prime followed by antifouling. I can't see it all but what is visible is in good nick after about three years use. I haul out every year and add antifoul to what I can see with the keel dropped as far as I can without digging a great 'ole.
 
Thanks for that, I should have mentioned that at least initially the Potter will have to take the ground, unless I sell her before she has a chance to get her keel wet. I like to leave about 2-3 inches free, so that the keel can drop itself that much on a rising tide to keep the keel box clear, so I don't know if "paint" will stand up to that? Still I will have a look into steel primers and see if anything might have enough abrasion resistance?
 
If the black coating is that difficult to remove, why are you removing it? It sounds like just the sort of thing that you are looking for. Galvanisers always have a very high minimum charge, but you'd be amazed at what can be done within that minimum. They also charge by weight, because big things absorb more heat than small, light things, and heat is their biggest cost. Do you know anyone who is getting a boat trailer built, or anything else which requires galvanising? Combine with other boat owners to get together a really worthwhile parcel for galvanising. Weigh each partner's share so that the bill can be divided equitably.
Peter.
 
Hi Charlie.
If you want to go down the line of coating your centre plate. When I was in Manchester Lines we used an industrial epoxy resin called "Thistle Bond" it is prepared to bond with steel. unfortunately I am not to sure where you would get it from but a ships Candlers as apposed to "Yacht" may be a source of supply.
I have found this outfit they seam to supply quite a range of industrial resins.:- See here.
Then as Peter has suggested and group combined load to a Galvanises might also to the job.
Cheers David.
 
Gu-day! mainly because the black stuff has broken down in places, and it doesn't prevent the attachment of unwanted crew members..........I would prefer that Barnacle Bill stayed firmly attached to mother earth and left me boat alone /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Hello David,

many thanks for that site, will have a meander through it and see what's on offer, looks like there will be some other useful stuff anyway.

UPDATE! I had a phone call just now from a local Grit Blaster, he says he will grit blast my keel, and send it off to be galvanised as part of a load for himself!......about 60 sovs all in!

We-Hey! job done!

This wee boaty of mine wont know herself when her's finished, probably behave like a proper spoiled Hussey! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Excellent news Charlie! As I was reading through all the posts here, I was thinking of adding my tuppence worth - will still add it, for what its worth.
I have recently become a fan of the aerosol cans of cold zinc galvanising paint - works a treat on tools once they have been cleaned up and then sprayed with pure zinc.
Hence I was thinking that if anybody did not have access to hot galvanising facilities, spray on cold galvanising might be an alternative to consider?
It would probably be a good idea to then build up some paint layers (eg of zinc rich metal primer) and then perhaps use an antifoul primer (?) before the antifoul itself.
 
I've used the thick zinc-rich paint myself, but it is quite soft and wouldn't stand up to the abrasion that a centreplate would get. There is, I believe, a process of cold galvanising which involves tumbling the articles to be galvanised in a drum containing finely-powdered zinc. The coating would be thinner than normal galvanising, I think.
Peter.
 
You could try the old Chinese method...Heat up till very hot then apply tar this works well on shackles lasts for years.
 
I think from the description of summat black not being able to be removed with a belt sander.

It is more than likely an old type of antifoul. Antifoul is very difficult to remove with a belt sander as it gets hot and just sort of melts back into place and stuffs the belt sanding pads.

Reguardless of what it is, you should be able to grind it off with a grinder and a sanding pad attachment and 60grit discs.

When back to the metal, which you should be able to do completely. Solvent wash and epoxy are fine. Much cheaper than grit blast and galvanising and imho will last many years to come.
 
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