Changing a full Keel on my boat

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by discovery, Aug 25, 2013.

  1. discovery
    Joined: Aug 2013
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    Location: Australia

    discovery Junior Member

    You are right , I might be surprised at the difference. The hog timber that I would have been fairing and bogging to has been repaired before and isn't in real good condition. there is a little rot in behind where the shaft log is that the previous owner filled with sikaflex.
     
  2. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Location: Australia

    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    I would use epoxy and unidirectional glass, mostly running with the lengthways direction, to keep it in one piece, it would be a lot easier than a major alteration, and should not alter the handling characteristics.
     
  3. discovery
    Joined: Aug 2013
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    Location: Australia

    discovery Junior Member

    I have a fair idea of what I want to do, and how to do it, I just need to be able to keep it useable for now. I know it will never be a speed boat, but the changes I want to make ( removing most of the keel, chine flats, ect) are all aimed at making it the best it can be. further down the road will be a trailer, and I would like it to sit fairly flat, hence the reason for the keel removal ideas and the idea about the prop pocket. I have access to lots of second hand marine gear, and hands on knowledge (fiberglassers and shipwrights).

    Thanks all for your ideas. I wont be changing much for a while, but when the boat gets lifted next, could end up being very busy for a while.
     
  4. discovery
    Joined: Aug 2013
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    discovery Junior Member

    Its been a while, but recently I managed to do a little fairing around the prop aperture and what a difference it has made. All I did was to add 2 peices of 4 by 4 in the 90 degree corners, and shape them accordingly and glass over them. Lost about 75 percent of the vibration, and gained about 1.5 knots in speed. I got 2600 rpm (governed speed) @19.3 knots with the same prop that was overloaded at 17 to 17.5 knots

    Just need to get more time on the slip to do more fairing in front of the deadwood to thin the skeg and make it less abrupt flowing into the prop. Its a bit of a bugger paying for slip time and needing to have the boat going as much as I do.
     

  5. discovery
    Joined: Aug 2013
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    Location: Australia

    discovery Junior Member

    I managed to afford a little extra slip time to fair the prop aperture a little recently. Basically I got 4 by 4 blocks of timber, and glued them in the 90 degree areas of the deadwood. I then shaped them with a grinder and epoxy glassed the lot together.
    Big improvement, about 75 percent better for vibration, and picked up 1.5 knots approximately.

    I know its been a while, but being self employed and commercial fishing as welltakes the time away from you.
     
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