Jet ski keel protection.

I have a unique problem with a repair I might do. My client is one who fishes off his jet ski. The constant beaching has worn the Gelcoat away on the keel. The fibers are now exposed. I know how to sort the problem but he would like me to build a stainless steel keel protector. This involves forming the 1,6mm plate to the shape of the keel. It will have to be rolled first to get a curve in it in order to possibly match the profile of the keel and then cutting, welding and polishing to finish the area that has rocker. Bonding the cap (for want of a better name) to the keel will be problematic at best.
Using the tried and tested solutions (composites) will only result in us having to repeat the process on a yearly basis. His opinion. I don't know of anything I have here that will stand up to the constant abrasion (beach sand). Can anyone suggest a material that might work. I've gone through the list, Glass, Carbon and Kevlar and the last two won't cut it IMO.Thanks in advance.

 

Plastic sheeting. The type sold as "starboard" which is the same as used in cutting boards. You can heat it and form it in place.

 

Gonzo, thanks a bunch. I'll try source it tomorrow. I put the guy off the SS idea already and now you just made it easier.

 

Hey
A friend of mine has made a stainlesss steel one for a jetski before.

Get the number and speak to Rob van der Merwe at Specialist Composites in Port Elizabeth.
regards
Justin

 

Heres a thought.
Repair the bottom of the ski, use thicknessing wax sheets to build up to the thickness of a laminate that suits you and then take a mould off the wax, you could then produce 'false' bottoms which could be replaced when worn off the shelf and bonded onto the existing hull with Sikaflex or another urethane.

cheers
Justin

 

Hey Justin, Thanks man. I wanted to use sheet wax to produce a tool but the guy was adamant on the stainless. Once we got the metal issue out of the way he started to come around and if I can't source the polymer sheet that Gonzo suggested I'm going to make a tool and reproduce the "belly pan". The guy has two Sea Doos with the same problem so your idea is also excellent.

 

http://www.keelshield.com/

 

These work great, are easy and fast to apply and there a couple of different brands to choose from.