Quick Practical Fix Today?

[Flumixt]

My glassed swing keel got the leading edge tore up. Might take 2-3 weeks to fix it proper. Just for the rest of this summer I pulled it together with duct tape. Seems to me that tape should be painted over to seal it gooder. Whaddaya think? Boats only in fresh water maybe 4-5 hours at a time max. If so I've these to choose from today cause its going in the water tomorrow.

Latex? Alkyd? Spar Varnish? Nothing?

[SamSam]

Latex. I think all latexs are alkyd. If the duct tape doesn't work very well, you might try metal foil tape that they use to seal air conditioning ductwork. Home Depots got it. Sam

[Flumixt]

Thanx but I believe the alkyds are oil based. I should have written: Water Based, Oil Based, Varnish, nuthin?

[SamSam]

Maybe I was thinking of acrylic. Anyway I was thinking of water based because it would dry the quickest. No matter what you use I think water will get past it. Whether you will have many or any problems because of that will become apparent. In the end everything is repairable. Sam

[PAR]

Acrylic is the proper term for latex and is water based. Flat and semi gloss versions of this, not particularly tough paint, will absorb moisture. Gloss will be much better.

Painting over tape will not help much. The foil tape, used on duct work, will have similar difficulties.

In the course of an hour, you can apply a skin of cloth over the area, and have a reasonable repair. If a few layers of fabric are applied, even some penetration resistance as well as water proofing. Resin choice is up to you, though epoxy will be the easiest for the amateur to work with.

Paint is fine for Jim Bob, the melon farmer, but isn't much good as a sealer on a centerboard. It'll work for one day's outing, requiring replacement and core drying out time after each. Your cloth repair can be down and dirty, with an eye on a full repair in the fall or when you have time.

[Flumixt]

Sloth! Pure sloth!

Well its crampt under there maybe 12-15 inches clearance with the keel and trailer crossmembers and axle etc and I just didn't feel like messing with resin overhead dripping on me laying on my back tho I was tempted to use polyester cause it sets up faster. Some years ago I had shot the whole bottom and keel with Interlux V-128 High Performance Epoxy and actually forgot it WAS epoxy and sort of thot not much would stick to it cause I think it has teflon in it. I was even surprised the tape stuck to it. I will lay some cloth on it tomorrow that is if working overhead can be termed laying.

Yer right I shoulda did that inna firs place and prolly woulda cept the mellon patch needed ta be hoed. :-)

Oh yeah - I woulda used gloss.

[SamSam]

Jim Bob the melon farmer. LOL! Somewhere there is a melon farmer named Jim Bob, I'll bet he would take offense. Or Jim Bobs in general might take offense.

I was thinking it would hardly take much more time to put some glass and resin on it as compared to tape and paint but figured since it wasn't mentioned it wasn't a capability or desire. Epoxy will stick to polyester but not poly to epoxy, but maybe if it's just epoxy paint on a poly layup it won't matter. Sam

[Flumixt]

Well just planning ahead I will:

Set up some shade to keep the sun off.
Set up a fan cause its about 100ºF today.
Set up some heat lamps to accelerate the epoxy. They can fight it out with the fan.
Try to mix a faster cure without causing a fire.
Set down a mattress and head/neck support as its on concrete.
Avoid coffee since I'll be under there a while.
Try not to spill stuff reaching around under there.
Try to use gloves.
Have a bucket of soapy water if the gloves bug me.
Try not to spill it.
Have a towel handy.
Hope I don't itch.
Hope I don't get motion sick from thrashing around with reading glasses on.
Try not to knock my reading glasses off on a X-member.
If I do try not to pick em up with resin on my gloves.

:-) I dunno. Tape starting to sound good again.

[PAR]

One more thing to keep in mind, while you're under there, Flumixt. Although it often is an excellent substitute doing over head work, try to not use your bald spot as a squeegee. Good Luck . . .

[SamSam]

Any chance you can disconnect the swing keel and work on it on a table? Of course, you'll miss out on that fun stuff then. How about screw any flappy parts down and slather the damage with caulking of some sort.?.? Sam

[PAR]

I guess it depends on how heavy the keel is and of course the boat. Boats up to about the size a Catalina 22 (one ton) can be jacked or hoisted reasonably easily. Supports placed on the bunks and supports, lowered down to bear the hull weight and sufficient room gained to lower the keel enough, to lather her up with fabric and goo. I use a chain fall and sling for this type of thing, but a hefty come-a-long and healthy tree branch could serve as well.

[Flumixt]

2 1/2 hours under sail this morning. Double reefed main, jib and topsail. Unpainted duct tape held beautifully. Un treated wood filler here-n-there stood up. I had glued the flaps down with Duco Cement before taping.

Dropping the keel right now would be a logistics nightmare. Its been several years and: Have to move a lot of stuff from under the hoist. Pull all top hamper off the boat for clearance. Keel bench has evaporated. Keel cart jig likewise. etc. Lots of stuff in the shed @ 100 feet from the house. In my opine the paint would have to be removed for any resinated fix. I spent a lot of time fairing this keel and don't want to mess it up grinding around under the boat. Will "do it right" next winter.

FWIW: with my head on the ground my nose tip is higher than the axle. Yeah I got a big nose. Big and long. My Dad's was long, my Mom's was wide, I got the best of both. :-)

Anybody with 2 first names SHOULD be a melon farmer. Not only that melon farmers don't know how to put blocks under the trailer wheels for more clearance.

Thanx for all your posts. We be a gone gone ten-fo?

[SamSam]

He'd be proud of you.

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