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The hull's exposed keel rests on wooden blocks on a concrete surface; the vessel is supported in a shipyard by metal stands, with a chain and equipment visible nearby.
  1. Boat Building & Repair
  2. Boat Repair
  3. Fiberglass Boat Repair
  4. Techniques & Tips

Repairing a Keel with G/flex Epoxy

By: Don Gutzmer

GBI Technical Advisor

Spring 2014

By Don Gutzmer – GBI Technical Advisor

The advantage of repairing a keel with G/flex Epoxy is that it is a toughened system that has a tensile elongation of more than 30 percent, which would prevent cracks from reappearing in the fairing compound. A local boat owner called our technical line and asked about repairing his cast-iron wing keel with WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy. He asked if a technical advisor would be willing to take a look at the cracks on his keel and recommend the best way to repair it. After looking at the boat I gave the customer a callback and recommended using G/flex® Epoxy. He asked if I knew of anyone in the area that could do the repair. I told him that I would be willing to take on the job and thought it would be a good opportunity to write an article about repairing a keel with G/flex Epoxy.

Here are the different steps I used to repair the keel with G/flex Epoxy. The pictures will help tell the story:

 

Object: panel. Action: a long crack runs along a seam near the center. Context: rust stains and grime on the surface, with a rope hanging along the right edge. A metal cylindrical post shows a small rust patch and a hairline crack along its length. The industrial setting includes blue hoses in the background.
Boat hull is being sanded with a yellow sponge by a hand. Scraped, lighter patches show work. The scene is at a marina with other boats and rigging in view. Hammer in a gloved hand strikes a gray concrete wall, chipping around a small hole and leaving dusty yellowish edges and debris on the surface.

 

A corroded vertical shaft protruding from the bottom of a ship’s hull, stationary. The vessel is supported on dry-dock stands; a gloved worker holds a yellow object in the foreground. A gloved hand operates a tool at a curved hull seam, likely welding or grinding; patch material and metal surface are exposed, in an outdoor shipyard with scaffolding. A hand holds a red sanding pad pressed against a blue-gray boat hull exterior, scrubbing a patch and leaving light streaks; setting with faint industrial frames visible in the background.
Object: large gray conical metal component mounted on a wooden base. Action: a person in orange touches its side. Context: outdoor workshop with gravel, metal framework, and a chain.

 

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