Preparation for Antifouling Paint

[landonshaw]

I was sanding my fiberglass haul preparing to paint and removed a number of "chips" of some type of epoxy that covers the gap between my lead keel and the boat. The keel is bolted on with long rods and where they come together in a few places this material has chipped off. Any suggestions on what could be used to repair.
Secondly, where the nut end is on the keel, there is a hole where the nut is that holds this rod. I need to dig it out due to some rust?? So will have to refill. Any suggestions on this filling material. I assume the same as above.
Thanks, Dave

[bruce smith]

Those rods are keelbolts. May want to have them checked out. Why the cracking? Why the rust? A few of them could be broken, allowing the ballast keel to wag around a bit, cracking the fairing.

[boatman61]

Simple DIY check on keel bolts... 2 people needed...
Get a long screwdriver, a hammer and a long metal chisel/punch (no wood handle)
Place screw driver on top of the nut/bolt, place good ear to top of screw driver.... get other person to place chisel on convenient spot 'below' your screwdriver but firmly on the bolt/nut and strike it with the hammer... you should get a good metalic ring... carry on with all the bolts... if they are all ok the sound will be consistent... if you get a dull 'Thunk' thats a suspect bolt...
The 'hard stuff' at the keel/hull join is a filler/sealant to keep the joint watertight... it dries out and cracks over the years... scrape it all out as deep as possible, clean area on hull and keel to bare GRP/metal and then refill with Sikaflex or a similar quality marine product...
I also use the screwdriver technique to check my engine if irregular... it acts like a stethoscope and isolates the problem quite well... old trick I picked up in my biking days....

[landonshaw]

Very good testing method. Thanks, I'll try it.