KeelShield

M

MOOSE

Member
Last fall I purchased a strip of KeelShield to protect the hull from rocky landings. As things are beginning to thaw out up here, I finally opened the package to read the installation instructions and, lo, they say the stuff should not be installed where the hull will be sitting on a trailer roller as it will eventually cause a delamination of the material. Well, of course, smack under the bow is the center trailer roller. For those of you who already have Keelshield, has this been a problem for you? What suggestions do you have?
Thanks,
Al
 
I had the Keel Guard on my 22. It was also on an EZ Loader 3800 roller trailer. Don't have it now, I don't think there was a roller directly on the guard however.
 
Moose: The only way around your problem is to relocate or remove that roller. Maybe you can put a roller or mini bunk out further, one on each side of the center keel? I think you can buy small bunk like boards that can be U-bolted on the cross tubes inplace of rollers. Maybe get rollers the same way... Don't feel too bad. I looked into the Keel guard. Found they don't recommend them over bottom paint which my boat has. :sad
 
AweMan.... no problemo! (good question to :!: ) RedFox was worn through to the fiberglass on the bow roller area, that's one reason i extended the keel-guard all the way up to the rub-rail :shock: Even protects and covers all the dinged-up gelcoat from the anchor :thup ... no delaminating has happened on it in a few years going now. I'll see if I can pipe-a-pic on here of my double "bow roller" set-up, latter. In my thinking, every C-D that gets hauled a lot NEEDS the stuff :thup :idea
Don't worry, 'bottom paint' is not the only problem for install... I followed the directions and even sanded the gelcoat off, under the stuff :!: I don't know if they still recommend that anymore. I thought it was weird :shock: since 'gelcoat' is part of the hull material in the first place... :disgust hmmm... :?
 
Moose, it may not be relevant to your question, but everyone should be aware that there are several different manufacturers of plastic keel guards, and there are some differences both in the material and the adhesive. KeelShield is one product, and the KeelGuard (by Megaware) is a different one. I am aware of this, because I am trying to decide which one to use. I believe that Les Lampman installs the KeelGuard at EQ Marine, and that may be what most of the C-Dories owners have.
 
..... pic is piped .... me thinks having two is less stress on it :idea


bow_stuff.jpg



OH... Mine is the "Keel Guard" also... two hundred frikin dollars worth :amgry :!: :!: :cry Sorry... havin a "BF" at the moment ... :oops: ) LOL :lol: It is a 10-foot piece.

out... poof** :bat
 
Chuck, what specifically are the differences you've found between the two manufacturers? KeelShield is what I have alright, and I figured it was substantially the same as the KeelGuard; both the material and the adhesive are guaranteed for life.
And Greg, tx for the pic. However, mine is an EZ Loader trailer, and the roller I'm talking about is further back on the underside of the hull, just back from where the trailer wishbones out. I guess I'm sort of concluding that if and when it were to delaminate at that single spot, a good shot of 5200 would set everything right again and it's probably not worth worrying about.
Al
 
Moose, here is the Cabelas link. They carry both. Do a search for the other. If you order the Keel Guard you get a free stainless Bowguard to protect bow from roller! (a $20 value) The keelshield comes in more colorful colors and two widths. 5" and 12" widths (12 sounds like good protection). And the lifetime warranty. Hard to say which is better? Check out their websites, too.

RF: with your ice breaker flat bottom, wouldn't you cover your whole bottom? :mrgreen:


Cabelas Link

Link edited by Da Nag
 
I like the idea of that bow guard! I think there is a certain possibility of 'delamination' if it is in a concentrated area (like a single roller)
I was considering putting a metal plate down where she breaks ice :idea: . Then again, i really don't do that often enough anyway. But back when I used to frequent an oyster farm where a buddy of mine was, I had no choice but to bust-in the lagoon that way.
I have added extra glass to the corners of my hull, back when I was doing some other repairs from previous owners and some trailer damage to :cry . Adding extra glass is a great idea and cost a lot less! just don't look purdy :roll: The venerable old RedFox is full of battle scars!
 
What about that roll-on Hurculiner stuff? Kinda like bottom paint that never rubs off. Do the whole bottom for a serious beach landing. I haven't used it, but hear it is tough stuff and nothing eats thru it. Real abrasion resistant. :thup Can be had in different colors? :thup :thup Doesn't the keel sheild or keel guard gets cuts in it from sharp coral or oyster/rocks?
 
Moose, C-Weed beat me to it with his response to your question about the difference between KeelShield and KeelGuard. According to KeelShield's website, they have conducted "independent" tests which show their adhesion to be better, and they also tout their urethane material as tougher than KeelGuard's PVC. Both claim they have low drag. KeelGuard is the original, and it's pattern has fewer grooves, and looks a little better to me. Both have lifetime guarantees. If you Google the two names, you will find that there was actually a law suit between the two companies, apparently over one disparaging the other's product. It would be interesting to know why Les Lampman chooses the KeelGuard.
 
I noticed today when my boat was coming off the lift at Des Moines that the factory installed keel gaurd has a slight gap as the it raised at the bow. Is this something I should be concerned about? It appears as if it is screwed in place about every six inches.
 
I assume you mean the brass stem guard. If that's coming loose, I'd be a bit worried as it probably indicates that the screws are pulling out and that water is seeping into the wood into which they are installed. This should be corrected soon. It's not too hard to do - drill out and seal the old holes with epoxy and shift the stem guard and inch or so in either direction to get fresh area in which to install the screws again. Personally, I would have the factory do this as they had some previous issues with 2002/2003 boats in which the stem gaurds were installed with screws that were too long - resulting in some water inside the space between the v-berth and the outer hull - e.g. water logged foam. The factory has repaired this problem at their expense for most people that I know of and if you have the same or a related problem they may do the same for you (5 year hull warranty). In any event, you may want to remove the inspection plate in the porta potty area to see if the foam is wet at all and you probably also want to feel for soft spots near the stem guard holes.

Roger on the SeaDNA
 
Roger,

Sure enough I have a 2003 22 ft Cruiser

I will call the factory and see what they have to say. It is deed the brass stem guard. I can't tell on initial inspection of the screws are loose.

Any body from Kenmore's is going to have great advice. I grew up in Kenmore. My folks live on the 18th hole and my brother on the 13th hole of Inglewood.

thanks a million for the tip
 
Hi everybody,
My name is Steve and I am with keelShield. As I was searching for a cape dory sailboat I came across your site. If anybody has any questions or needs any help, please do not hesitate to email me at steve@keelshield.com or 800-354-0991.
Thanx to all,
Steve
:cocktail
 
I had KeelGuard applied to both sides of the outside my gunnel to protect it from the anchor line/chain when deploying and retrieving it. It does protect but it is also coming loose in several places. I am not impressed with the durability.
 
Had occasion to see a stem guard flopping in the water, basically sticking strait down from the top 2 or 3 screws. After it was removed it was very apparent that the stem guard is a STRAIGHT piece of brass, and not precurved to match the stem curve of the boat. Left me a bit disappointed. Also, realizing how much area that 1 inch wide piece of brass does not protect, I am considering either Keelguard or Keel Shield brand of bow protection and am wondering how they are working over long term, since this thread is several years old already.

If you did it, would you do it again? How is the adhesive actually working? Would you do it with 5200? Would you color match the hull or the trim? And most importantly, has it provided the protection you hoped for, (ie, saved from having to redo gel coat or worse).

Hoping for some practical, and as usual, helpful feedback.

Thank,

Harvey
SleepyC
 
Let's add 2 more questions Harvey.

How long of a piece did you use on which model of boat. I have a 25 and was wondering what length would be "correct".
 
When I bought my 16 footer from the C-Dory factory, I requested Keelguard. (That was two? three? C-Dory companies ago - hard to keep track!) They had to re-install it twice. By the time I sold the boat, the third attempt had stayed in place for about a year.

When I bought my Venture 23 from the Cape Cruiser factory, again I requested Keelguard. After three years it shows no signs of coming loose. I'm guessing it's an 8-foot strip (I know it is slightly longer than the standard metal strip they were using). I think they used an epoxy to attach it, but I'm not sure. I remember thinking at the time maybe I should have gone a little longer, but didn't have any real reason for feeling that way. I am happy with how it has worked out. I don't take my boat out of the water more than once or twice a year, but so far I see no evidence of dings or scratches on the keel aft of the Keelguard. The Keelguard itself seems pretty much unscathed and firmly in place.

Bottom line: Very happy with the Keelguard. Make sure the surface preparation and installation are done carefully.
 
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