Help - missing gelcoat

[Chadrock]

I was washing the boat today (first time this year ) and I noticed that I've rubbed my keel clean. I am camping at Lake Summersville this weekend...is it safe to put it back in the water?

 

[Bacchus_fl]

I would get a keel guard on it as soon as you possibly can.

 

[jetboater4life]

That looks pretty bad and I would not just put a keel guard over it. My unofficial and non-professional opinion would be to get it fixed and a keelguard or keelshield installed before you go back in the water. By not fixing it you run the risk of getting your fiberglass swollen with water and that will be an more expensive repair.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

You'll be fine for your next outing and probably the rest of the boating year. You need the seal the fiberglass after drying it out and before you install a much needed Keel Guard. You can seal the fiberglass with gelcoat or a marine epoxy.

 

[Bruce]

I agree with @Murf'n'surf . @Glassman do you agree?

 

[Bacchus_fl]

I agree. make sure the fiberglass is not cracked somewhere. It looks to me like it is just the gel coat which isn't worth refinishing before you put a keel guard on it. a coat of Marine epoxy and then the guard is a great idea @Murf'n'surf

 

[Craig]

I thought the fiberglass would delaminate if it stays wet?

 

[Bruce]

I thought the fiberglass would delaminate if it stays wet?

Yes, but not in a weekend. This issue likely began long ago.

 

[Glassman]

I agree with @Murf'n'surf . @Glassman do you agree?

Yes

I thought the fiberglass would delaminate if it stays wet?

Only if the integrity go the laminate has been violated. The vinyl ester resin should hold up just fine.

 

[Chadrock]

I appreciate everyone's replies...I was in a rush and on my phone when I posted. I think this is a result of tying the boat up to shore when we camp at Jordan Lake, it is a shallow lake and the keel ends up in the sand & mud. The missing gel coat is actually pretty long, I'm guessing 4 feet or so. There are no gouges or deep scratches. The keel is very smooth as is the transition from gel coat to the black primer to the red fiberglass. Oddly enough, I really haven't been out on my boat much this year...just an outing here and there other than a week in the water over the 4th of July. I haven't noticed any excess water in the bilge either.

My biggest concern is leaving the boat in the water this weekend. Like I mentioned in my original post, I am going to Lake Summersville for Labor Day weekend. It is a beautiful dammed up mountain lake just north of Beckley West Virginia, about 20 minutes from the New River Gorge Bridge. Absolutely beautiful...the water is deep and clear and the scenery is breathtaking. I was planning on leaving the boat in the water for the weekend, but it isn't a big deal to trailer it at night for peace of mind.

I once looked into having my keel treated with LineX...I guess I really need to do something about that now. Thanks again to everyone's replies.

Chad

 

[Bruce]

Seems like a LineX treatment would solve the problem perfectly.

 

[Craig]

Yes


Only if the integrity go the laminate has been violated. The vinyl ester resin should hold up just fine.

Not to hijack @Chadrock 's thread but if the surface of the resin is in tact you're ok ,but if there were a gouge which penetrated the surface then it can absorb moisture? Sorry, but good information to know.

 

[Craig]

I appreciate everyone's replies...I was in a rush and on my phone when I posted. I think this is a result of tying the boat up to shore when we camp at Jordan Lake, it is a shallow lake and the keel ends up in the sand & mud. The missing gel coat is actually pretty long, I'm guessing 4 feet or so. There are no gouges or deep scratches. The keel is very smooth as is the transition from gel coat to the black primer to the red fiberglass. Oddly enough, I really haven't been out on my boat much this year...just an outing here and there other than a week in the water over the 4th of July. I haven't noticed any excess water in the bilge either.

My biggest concern is leaving the boat in the water this weekend. Like I mentioned in my original post, I am going to Lake Summersville for Labor Day weekend. It is a beautiful dammed up mountain lake just north of Beckley West Virginia, about 20 minutes from the New River Gorge Bridge. Absolutely beautiful...the water is deep and clear and the scenery is breathtaking. I was planning on leaving the boat in the water for the weekend, but it isn't a big deal to trailer it at night for peace of mind.

I once looked into having my keel treated with LineX...I guess I really need to do something about that now. Thanks again to everyone's replies.

Chad

I had no idea linex was even an option, but makes perfect sense to apply on the keel.

 

[Chadrock]

A little update, the family had a great time at Lake Summerville last Labor Day Weekend. Thank you for all of the replies, it really did put me at ease knowing that my boat would be ok for the trip. This morning I dropped the boat off at Auto Marine in Garner for repairs. They are putting on a Hamby's Beaching Bumper. I had seen them at the local boat shows in Raleigh, it is actually epoxied onto the keel. I'll post some pictures when I get it back.

 

[Julian]

Curious to know how much they are charging for the "keel guard" and install.....always interested in how much my own labor saved me.....laying on my back in the driveway to install a keelguard wasn't hard...but the older I get the more inclined I am to have someone else do it!

 

[Chadrock]

@Julian rough quote was $650 for the keel guard. They have to rig up some stands and take the boat off the trailer to epoxy it on. I should get it back next week. I'll be sure to post some pictures.

 

[maboat]

....always interested in how much my own labor saved me.....laying on my back in the driveway to install a keelguard wasn't hard...but the older I get the more inclined I am to have someone else do it!

I feel the same way. When I first purchased my keel guard, it sat in the box for a whole season because I thought it would be a lot of work. But when I finally did it myself it turned out to be much easier than I thought. There is no way I'd pay somebody $650 to do it.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I feel the same way. When I first purchased my keel guard, it sat in the box for a whole season because I thought it would be a lot of work. But when I finally did it myself it turned out to be much easier than I thought. There is no way I'd pay somebody $650 to do it.

I think that the type of guard he is getting is more labor intensive to install. The Keel guards with 3M adhesive backing are far less expensive and an easy DIY project. I think that @Chadrock is the first to get such a guard installed. I'm thinking its a regional thing.

 

[Julian]

@Chadrock - I assume that includes the price of the guard itself? So @maboat it would only be ~450 to install...which still makes me feel ok about laying on my back for a few hours to install mine. Does sound like this product is more involved than just a "stick on" guard.....which would explain the higher install cost.