• Welcome to Jetboaters.net!

    We are delighted you have found your way to the best Jet Boaters Forum on the internet! Please consider Signing Up so that you can enjoy all the features and offers on the forum. We have members with boats from all the major manufacturers including Yamaha, Seadoo, Scarab and Chaparral. We don't email you SPAM, and the site is totally non-commercial. So what's to lose? IT IS FREE!

    Membership allows you to ask questions (no matter how mundane), meet up with other jet boaters, see full images (not just thumbnails), browse the member map and qualifies you for members only discounts offered by vendors who run specials for our members only! (It also gets rid of this banner!)

    free hit counter

Keel Guard

Joe Hellaby

Jetboaters Lieutenant
Messages
247
Reaction score
218
Points
162
Location
Scottsville, NY
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2019
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
What size keel guard are you guys using on your 19 footers? Also, any recommendations on brand, I see on amazon they have KeelShield by Gator Guards and KeelGuard by Megaware?
 

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
Messages
8,468
Reaction score
11,232
Points
637
Location
SF Bay Area
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
i don't know what the manufacturers recommend for a 19' boat but they do recommend a length based on boat size. I just added 2' to the recommendation as I mine start just under the anchor locker drain, not lower.

I've had both products and they are essentially the same but the keel guard has ridges that run the length of it where as the keel shield has chevron shaped ridges that go side to side along its entire length, the ones I have and had anyway. Also the keel shield I had was white but yellowed within two years of install so I went with off white when I got the keel guard.
 

swatski

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 1*
Messages
12,806
Reaction score
18,566
Points
822
Location
North Caldwell, NJ
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24

swatski

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 1*
Messages
12,806
Reaction score
18,566
Points
822
Location
North Caldwell, NJ
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24

Joe Hellaby

Jetboaters Lieutenant
Messages
247
Reaction score
218
Points
162
Location
Scottsville, NY
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2019
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Ordered a 8' KeelShield, hopefully I'll get it installed this weekend
 

Joe Hellaby

Jetboaters Lieutenant
Messages
247
Reaction score
218
Points
162
Location
Scottsville, NY
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2019
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Got it installed yesterday. If I ever had to do it again, I would get the 9', in my option that would be the perfect size. But the 8' fit very well, good coverage
 

Bedlamfirm

Jet Boat Addict
Messages
83
Reaction score
54
Points
87
Location
Batavia Township, OH
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR192
Boat Length
19
Can you post pic of the 8' on the boat from underneath? I need one as we started going out on river and want to get an idea of 8' v 9'. Thanks.
 

malibu Dan

Jetboaters Commander
Messages
647
Reaction score
667
Points
197
Location
Phoenix
Boat Make
Boatless
Year
2017
Boat Model
Other
Boat Length
Other
Before this happens again...52097881667__0BDADA41-6EC9-4ACF-834F-1C531E5FEDA0.JPG
 

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
Messages
8,468
Reaction score
11,232
Points
637
Location
SF Bay Area
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
FYI- I just ordered a 10’ keel guard to replace a 9’ that was removed to change the color. My guard starts just under the bow ring, I went with the extra foot to protect that part of the keel that much better in case I beach anywhere with a steep drop off. I think the mfg recommends 8’ for a 21’ and 22’ boats and 9’ for 23’ amd 24’ boats.

So far I’ve had a white keel shield that started to yellow, an off white keel guard and soon a black one, black to intentionally contrast with the white hull. Surprisingly the black is a little less expensive than the white version, my pre tax and shipping cost was $206.
 
Last edited:

SCP1

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,329
Reaction score
903
Points
252
Location
DeForest, WI
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2021
Boat Model
212S
Boat Length
21
I would have ordered 1' longer if I had to do it again
My question is with the extra foot, would you have put the extra foot toward the front or rear? I’m seeing a big price difference between a 8’ and 9’.
 

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
Messages
8,468
Reaction score
11,232
Points
637
Location
SF Bay Area
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Depends on what you are after, more keel protection or a “better” look/view/presentation of the keel guard. It’s a classic function v form situation. I think megaware recommends that the guard be installed so that it starts just above the water line but if you want it close to the bow ring you will need another foot or so to maintain the same coverage as if you followed megawares recommendations regarding length and installation.

I’ve taken measurements before ordering in the past an just estimate the maximum length of my keel is in contact with the shore when I beach my boat. If I think I can install the recommended length near the bow eye and still protect the keel adequately that is the length I would buy. If you already have scratches from beaching get a length that will at least cover those scratches which also meets your installation location requirements.

Isn’t the price delta around $30 to $40? While nothing to blow off, $40 would only put about 10 gallons of gas in my tank here in NorCal and is nowhere near the cost of my insurance deductible if I took the boat into a shop to have the keel repaired (actually from a time perspective Unless the shop was next door, if I made just $13 per hour I would lose a more money if I had to take the boat in and get it back from a shop).
 

SCP1

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,329
Reaction score
903
Points
252
Location
DeForest, WI
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2021
Boat Model
212S
Boat Length
21
Depends on what you are after, more keel protection or a “better” look/view/presentation of the keel guard. It’s a classic function v form situation. I think megaware recommends that the guard be installed so that it starts just above the water line but if you want it close to the bow ring you will need another foot or so to maintain the same coverage as if you followed megawares recommendations regarding length and installation.

I’ve taken measurements before ordering in the past an just estimate the maximum length of my keel is in contact with the shore when I beach my boat. If I think I can install the recommended length near the bow eye and still protect the keel adequately that is the length I would buy. If you already have scratches from beaching get a length that will at least cover those scratches which also meets your installation location requirements.

Isn’t the price delta around $30 to $40? While nothing to blow off, $40 would only put about 10 gallons of gas in my tank here in NorCal and is nowhere near the cost of my insurance deductible if I took the boat into a shop to have the keel repaired (actually from a time perspective Unless the shop was next door, if I made just $13 per hour I would lose a more money if I had to take the boat in and get it back from a shop).
Agreed, my boat is still in storage and we getting 2 to 4 inches on snow today. I guess I will just have to patiently wait until I get it out of storage. I found a 8’ for about $70 cheaper but I only want to do it once. $70 for a foot, just irritating.
 

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
Messages
8,468
Reaction score
11,232
Points
637
Location
SF Bay Area
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
If you scratch up the area of the hull the extra foot would cover $70 will seem like pocket change.
 

SCP1

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,329
Reaction score
903
Points
252
Location
DeForest, WI
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2021
Boat Model
212S
Boat Length
21
Change in forecast 5 to 7 inches of snow. :banghead:
 

Joe Hellaby

Jetboaters Lieutenant
Messages
247
Reaction score
218
Points
162
Location
Scottsville, NY
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2019
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
My question is with the extra foot, would you have put the extra foot toward the front or rear? I’m seeing a big price difference between a 8’ and 9’.
I would have gone about 6" higher towards the bow of the boat. Sometimes when riding in choppy water, I get a small amount of spray from the front, coming from the keelguard. Never had any spray before installed. It's minimal, just slight spray on the front seats when going fast over rolling waves. I don't think I'd have any of that if I had it higher in the front. Mine is about 6" above water line when not moving, but dips below when going through waves
This is all from memory from last season, I haven't taken my boat out of storage yet, it was snowing yesterday :eek:
 
Top