Thread subject: Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos :: 1971 Sourpuss 13 keel repair

Posted by Wixomhead on 06/16/14 - 12:30 PM
#8

No - after reading the above posts (many thanks), the reference section and whaler repair projects, and the super duper West Systems book, I cut the rotted (approx 24" long) section of keel out and ground down fiberglass on both sides of keel approx 3" back to try and achieve 12:1 slope per whaler repair instructions.

I say try to achieve because I really struggled to get a perfect slope. i went through a dozen 40 grit disks using my semi-professional DA air sander and 60 Gal / 5HP compressor. Bottom line it's thinner near the damage and thickest away from the damage.

My local marine shop recommended I try a new 3M "high strength" poly resin product (3M Marine High Strength Repair Filler http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/...NWRZfD_BwE is for bonding and filling repairs above or below the waterline), but after purchasing thought some more and returned it fort West Systems epoxy stuff.

Updated pics here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/115715...KPMxYqcywE

Next up I plan to cut a couple of 8" x 24", 2oz fiberglass mats, saturate with epoxy and lay across the damaged area. Was going to cut a piece of wood (any other ideas?) to replace keel and layer over more pieces of fiberglass cloth, in reducing sizes, per instructions.