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Keel Damage

woolamaloo

Member III
My marina pulled my 30+ for the winter and I stopped by to measure for my stove replacement. I noticed a couple scratches on the aft edge of the starboard side of my keel.
keel-aft-edge-starboard.jpg
The fore edge is undamaged. While I was puzzling what may have done that, I walked to the port side to find this:
keel-aft-edge-port.jpg
Remember, this is the aft edge. I had a wonderful sailing season with nary a docking or collision fiasco. I didn't spend any nights on the hook and only once ran gently aground for 2 seconds inside my own marina.

I went to my yard manager (an experienced and trusted advisor) and ask if he noticed the scratching and he replied, "Sometime this summer, you docked against a rock in some marina. It's no big deal. We could fix it with fairing compound but will likely just get knocked out - it's not deep enough. Do you want us to grind it smooth for you?" So, here's my question: Is this really no big deal? Does anyone have any wisdom they can share about this happening? What's the best way to repair this?

It's times like these that I'm delighted I have a 30 year old boat instead of a new one. On my "experienced" boat this feels like just another minor tribulation. On a new boat, this would seem like a tragedy.

Thanks,

Jim
Woolamaloo
1985 30+ Hull #685
 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
Could be?

Sailing across the Gulf I have been amazed at how many crab pots there are 15 miles offshore from Tarpon Springs all the way to Marco Island. They are EVERYWHERE and a true hazard to navigation. You cannot go through after dark without breaking out the wetsuit and diving to remove them from the keel. (I know from personal experience).

Perhaps you you picked up a crab pot without knowing it and dragged it around for a while. I agree with the yard guy, it's no big deal. Ours was marred from a dance on the rocks during hurricane Ivan.
 

woolamaloo

Member III
Sailing across the Gulf I have been amazed at how many crab pots there are 15 miles offshore from Tarpon Springs all the way to Marco Island. They are EVERYWHERE and a true hazard to navigation. You cannot go through after dark without breaking out the wetsuit and diving to remove them from the keel. (I know from personal experience).

Perhaps you you picked up a crab pot without knowing it and dragged it around for a while. I agree with the yard guy, it's no big deal. Ours was marred from a dance on the rocks during hurricane Ivan.

Rick,

I'm glad you agree it's no big deal.

Crab pots are unknown here. We have fish nets in Lake Erie but they're huge contraptions designed to trap perch. They often have a dozen buoys spread over a hundred yards for a single trap. Getting caught in one would be a nightmare - and impossible not to know.

I'm guessing it was from docking against a rock in a shallow harbor. I weathered a couple pretty nasty storms in unfamiliar ports. I hope it was at one of those instead of my home marina.

How did you repair your Ivan damage?

Thanks,
Jim
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
I'd expect rock damage to be more vertical. I'll vote for chain. That time you drifted around on your own anchor.
 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
Rick,

I'm glad you agree it's no big deal.

Crab pots are unknown here. We have fish nets in Lake Erie but they're huge contraptions designed to trap perch. They often have a dozen buoys spread over a hundred yards for a single trap. Getting caught in one would be a nightmare - and impossible not to know.

I'm guessing it was from docking against a rock in a shallow harbor. I weathered a couple pretty nasty storms in unfamiliar ports. I hope it was at one of those instead of my home marina.

How did you repair your Ivan damage?

Thanks,
Jim

Fairing compound. There are still so e small dings in the wing but they are superficial.
 

Pat O'Connell

Member III
E28+ Searching

Hi Respected Sailors
Looks like chain damage. We have had very similar chain marks when our 28+ has searched forward on the mooring or anchor line and then fallen back on the chain part of the anchor rode or the mooring chain. A little glass and then glass filled compound with a couple of touches from a belt sander fixes bigger shark bites than what I see here pretty good. I think the 28+ and the 30+ are very similar shapes and may search similarly.
Regards Pat 1981 28+
 

e38 owner

Member III
Not a big deal however if the boat is out for a while I would lightly sand bottom paint to remove. Fair if wanted and paint with 3 coats of west epoxy then bottom paint. Will make is smooth and fast. Tip epoxy after each coat
 

clp

Member III
If the yard guys says, it will 'just fall out', I would be in question of how they apply it. The stuff doesn't just FALL off, or NObody would use it..
 

woolamaloo

Member III
If the yard guys says, it will 'just fall out', I would be in question of how they apply it. The stuff doesn't just FALL off, or NObody would use it..

Ha. They actually said it would likely get "knocked out" the next time I run aground. I think their point was that it's not that deep and won't make much difference - and they were trying to make me feel better. But since I never run aground :0 I'm going to fix it. Based on the recommendations above, I'll prep the areas and use fairing compound.
 

woolamaloo

Member III
Never say never... haven't yet has much better karma:0

I was completely kidding. In this case, "never" means not THAT often. :) With that 5' 10" curb feeler I'm shocked every time I get it back to the dock without plowing through some mud. My first soft grounding was literally three minutes after I pulled the boat away from the dock for the first time after taking ownership. I was right in the middle of a river channel heading out to Lake Erie and couldn't figure out why I had slowed to 2 knots. Luckily, my more experienced friend helped me make the mental connection. And even more luckily, it was just soft silting and we were through it in (a long for me) five seconds. It is times like those that I'm glad to have an experienced boat.
 
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