Great experience with KeelShield / Gator Guards and their warranty coverage

[FloJet]

Well, yes I was... for about 48hrs.
Until I found this yesterday morning

Damn. Sorry to hear that Swatski. How the hell would a rock be sucked up like that? That's crazy force pull to do that.

 

[jetboater4life]

I have a white keelshield on mine and not long after I installed my UBB bunks (and didn't round off the edges of the bunks enough) I had the trailer in too shallow and smack caught an edge of the bunk. My keelshield took the brunt of it and got damaged about the size of a quarter where it hit the bunk. No hull damage thankfully. However, instead of replacing it, I took some 3M 5200 and filled in the damaged spot and made it look like the original keelshield. You can tell I messed with it if you look closely but it looks pretty good and I saved myself the hours of work you mentioned above.

 

[SCP1]

Today I finished my KeelShield reinstall. I am very happy, and also pretty tired.
Let's just say, these things really are not designed to come off. Easily. I mean, at all.

I knew it was going to be brutal, and I dragged my feet, I read and reread the removal instructions (uploaded below), they do not tell you it is going to be easy. But, finally went to work on it this weekend, I had perfect weather - warm and dry.

First step, removing the damaged KeelShield was the easiest, actually. It takes two people and a heat gun, but it does eventually come off, and in my case - in one piece. You can see the rip in the middle of it, it got bigger as we were tagging and pulling on it, and you could tell the urethane material was fatigued from the impact. I sure am very glad I had it in place.
View attachment 37468

The rest of it was just brutal cleanup. And I mean - ten times worse than removing hydroturf. The urethane strip/belt comes off, but the 3M compound/adhesive does not... I initially tired just about every solvent including goof off, pure acetone, brake fluid, you name it - nothing touches it. Nothing.
So, the only thing I was left with was just a slow scrape of small sections after good warm up with the heat gun. Here you can see - the majority of the material is removed on the starboard side of the keel, and I'm working my way down on the port side. That took most of the time, spread over two days. Once that thick stuff comes off, the rest of the glue is semi-amenable to brake fluid, and more slow scrape.
Did I mention slow scrape?
View attachment 37467

My best friend:
View attachment 37463

After the clean up, I used the activating fluid/sheets and reinstalled the new KeelShield with no major issues. At 9ft, it was a handful, but I had it warmed up nicely laying in the driveway in the sun, and it went on strait with no issues. I used a roller, and then more roller in sections warmed up gently with the heat gun.
View attachment 37464


As per Gator-Guards recommendations, I finished it off by running a bead of 100% silicone along all the edges.
View attachment 37465

Done.

I sure hope will never have to do it again!

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Thinking of starting 2 inches from the front hook, is that about what you did? Starting in a few minutes.

 

[Dean P]

Have a few chips in the keel. Should I repair them or can I get away with adding a keel guard product over it?

 

[biffdotorg]

Have a few chips in the keel. Should I repair them or can I get away with adding a keel guard product over it?

Exposed fiberglass is what you most definitely have to fill. It will take on moisture and rot out over time. If you plan on covering it, and don't care about color match, you could fill with Marine Tex and sand. It's a rock solid filler that I have used for gelcote repair on waverunners. It is paintable once sanded as well. But get it sanded smooth and prep it as usual for the Keel Shield.

Good luck!

 

[Dean P]

Exposed fiberglass is what you most definitely have to fill. It will take on moisture and rot out over time. If you plan on covering it, and don't care about color match, you could fill with Marine Tex and sand. It's a rock solid filler that I have used for gelcote repair on waverunners. It is paintable once sanded as well. But get it sanded smooth and prep it as usual for the Keel Shield.

Good luck!

I was afraid I might have too. I just ordered the Marine Tex and the Keel Guard. Thanks for your help!

 

[biffdotorg]

Marine tex is cake to work with. Just be careful how thick you apply it, as it will just take longer to cure. You will want it totally cured before covering up so that it gets solid.

I started sanding and painted on one hole, and I was able to put my thumb through it. I did it over and let it cure, and then it was as solid as before. It's as easy to work with as sheetrock mud.

Good luck!

 

[vxooxv]

Reviving this thread. What length should I go for a 21' boat? Also - I see some folks who install all the way up to the eye hook and some that install around the water line, is there a significant preference to either or is it just for looks much past the water line?

 

[Dean P]

Reviving this thread. What length should I go for a 21' boat? Also - I see some folks who install all the way up to the eye hook and some that install around the water line, is there a significant preference to either or is it just for looks much past the water line?

Going to the eye hook is good. Get well above the water line. I believe mine was 9' long and that's what I did (started just below the hook)

 

[swatski]

Reviving this thread. What length should I go for a 21' boat? Also - I see some folks who install all the way up to the eye hook and some that install around the water line, is there a significant preference to either or is it just for looks much past the water line?

My is a 9ft in the 240, seems just about perfect. Wouldn't go any shorter, but also not need for anything above water line.
The KeelShield is great product.

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[Dean P]

My is a 9ft in the 240, seems just about perfect. Wouldn't go any shorter, but also not need for anything above water line.
The KeelShield is great product.

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I disagree. I think it's good to keep the end of the guard well above the waterline. This prevent it from trying to tear it off (which is very difficult but still...) and if it matches the hull, why not.

 

[swatski]

I disagree. I think it's good to keep the end of the guard well above the waterline. This prevent it from trying to tear it off (which is very difficult but still...) and if it matches the hull, why not.

I agree, but it also depends on chines' layout and how the boat sits on the bow roller.

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[d_coyne1984]

I cant remember what length I bought for my AR192, but it was whatever they recommended for a 19' boat. I started mine about 16" down from the bow hook and it worked out about perfect. It was just long enough to reach beyond the bend at the bottom. I am pretty sure it was the 6' version.

 

[mrcapi937]

Putting this on my todo list.