Anyone ever put a metal cap on the keel like the old runabouts? Not sure how you install/seal them, but was thinking about it. Likely won't do it as I got kevlar tape for the keel, but still considering metal.
I used a steel strip bedded with roofing patch compound. It was a pain to drill and countersink the holes. It covers the entire stern post and up the stem.
Others with better budgets have used copper I believe.
![[Image: BowUnfinished.gif]](http://www.floatingbear.ca/sailingfiles/Weekender/BowUnfinished.gif)
I have a bunch of aluminum channel a friend gave me and I was going to use it as it is the perfect size for the keel, havent thought about bedding it yet but I was thinking of drilling my holes oversized and filling them with epoxy and tapping them out to the screw threds then bedding it with somthing.
Sacrificial Strip I used an aluminam strip 1 1/4X1/4 from the water line at the frount all the way back and the cost of the strip was $14.00 as best I remember, but not very expensive and does a good job. Bud
Hmmmmm.... I like the idea of that aluminum strip.Where might one find such an item? I wonder if this would be a good place to use some of that 3M caulk for bedding.
A metal keel "shoe" is always a good idea. It needs to be bedded well of course, but it offers much better protection then fabrics embalmed in plastic goo. A metal shoe can be removed for repairs easily, much more so then cloth set in epoxy. Silflex 292 or 3M 101 would be good bedding compounds. Bonding the holes (drilling over size, filling with epoxy, etc.) is also always a good idea, particularly in underwater areas.
I'm in. Anyone with a dealer? I can probably find one with some minimal research.
I went to my nearest recycling plant where people bring cans and scrap metal and they have scrap metal in abundance and got mine, Now I got mine free because I knew the guy on duty at the time, good deal.
I too have a local junk guy near by and use him to advantage often. I find good bronze, which he thinks is brass and I don't attempt to suggest I know better. The same is true of stainless, though I got caught using a magnet on some, a few years ago and he now understands the reason, but I still get a great price. For a 20 dollar bill you can get all the stainless you need for you project, but will likely have to cut and drill it yourself. A saw will cut it, if very slowly and use the, sharpest, real metal drill bits you got, because you'll dull them easily on this stuff.
A machine shop can use a sheer, press and brake to make your life much simpler. They can drill too and it's often worth the headache to have them cut and drill your pieces.