Keel Guard useful or no?

[WWV]

Newbie here doing research for future endeavors. I've used a product called KeelGuard (https://www.keelguard.com/megaware-keelguard/) on my ski boats for years and find them invaluable for this/my particular application (ski boat that I beach from time to time). It protects the keel during beaching and also from sticks, small logs, debris, etc during movement.

Having said all that, I can't find any info online that these have been applied to 40'+ cats and/or if it would even be useful? Anyways, thought I would ask what opinions were and if this is even a problem out there that needs or could be solved?

Oh, I tested before and after application and I found absolutely no difference in performance so in a motor situation, it proved to not be a detriment. Some even claimed (online of course ) that it gave them an extra smidge of speed due to it channeling water.... Again, just throwing it out there.

Thanks in advance.
WWV

[TurninTurtle]

The purpose of the things is to protect the boat from scraping on the concrete boat ramps when you nose up to them when having people get aboard.

Its a material that resists abrasion pretty well, but it is something that will eventually wear through.

If you never beach on a shore that tends to grind up gel coat, you don't need it.
One beaching on rocks and you might wish you had that or something else to protect the hull.

[WWV]

Thanks for the reply.....

Actually, I've never heard the concrete ramp part but that makes sense. Everything I researched 6 years ago told me for rocks and beach, etc. I researched and installed this solution because I beached my boat when I first got the boat in what I thought was totally sand. There was thin, 2" stone in the sand and it cut through my keel like a hacksaw. Also, FYI - I've had mine on my ski boat with over 500 hrs of pretty hard use and they are still not showing signs of wear. And I've beached the boat many, many times and it's spent the majority of the time in AZ in the heat.

Would the keels on cats be better served with a little more protection like this? Or is it not even an issue..? Again, I'm just starting to do research and I'm asking all the dumb questions...

Thanks,
WWV

[TurninTurtle]

again... depends how much you'll be beaching it and where.

If it gets beached in mud they won't have any effect.

Rocks or pavement and you'll want them the first time.

If it never sees less than 2X needed draft... you'll never need them.

[Stumble]

Despite being able to I think beaching large boats is generally a bad idea. Anchor 50 yards off shore and swim in, or take the dinghy the rest of the way.

[Training Wheels]

I've thought of getting a bit of keel guard to put on my bow, to protect it from my anchor.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[valhalla360]

A key difference is ski boats tend to live on trailers. Large cats tend to live in the water.


How will the bottom paint stick to it?

[foufou]

I knew a wooden sloop that had a railroad track for a keel guard. At 15 tons a bounce of the rocks saved that keel a few times

[captlloyd]

Multi-hulls due to their lack of much draft have the ability to be beached in a lot of areas. So anything protecting the keels is not a bad idea.

[WWV]

So if I'm reading the consensus correctly, I think I"m reading......."It couldn't hurt".

Anyways.....interesting responses and much appreciated.

WWV

[SailFastTri]

Not a good idea to beach a large cruising cat. Boats that are kept in water full time need bottom paint and beaching will wear it off. Keel guards would not hold bottom paint either and if you don't beach the boat why have it?

So to sum it up, it's not appropriate for that application.

[WWV]

I was wondering same thing on the anti-fouing paint so I just googled this particular product and anti-fouling. One of their FAQ's say that it holds anti-fouling paint? Anyways, just throwing it out there.

"Can I apply the Megaware KeelGuard over boat bottom paint or anti-fouling paint?

If your boat has anti-fouling boat bottom paint applied, it must be removed to expose the original gelcoat where the KeelGuard will be installed. If desired, boat bottom or anti-fouling paint can be applied over the Megaware KeelGuard once it has been installed."

WWV

[Redreuben]

How do you fasten it ? Drilling into the hull for mechanical fixings like screws "may" create more problems than it solves ?
Just thinking out loud.

[TurninTurtle]

The typical keel guards are glued on.

Or just have some Rino-Liner or similar applied to the area most likely to be scraped up.

Again... for boats that you never intentionally beach.... don't bother. This stuff is to prevent repeated scraping from grinding through the hull. Its not going to protect from accidentally running onto a reef.

The guy who added railroad track material as a keel guard.... needs to learn how to avoid reefs.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by WWV

I was wondering same thing on the anti-fouing paint so I just googled this particular product and anti-fouling. One of their FAQ's say that it holds anti-fouling paint? Anyways, just throwing it out there.

"Can I apply the Megaware KeelGuard over boat bottom paint or anti-fouling paint?

If your boat has anti-fouling boat bottom paint applied, it must be removed to expose the original gelcoat where the KeelGuard will be installed. If desired, boat bottom or anti-fouling paint can be applied over the Megaware KeelGuard once it has been installed."

WWV

But once you run it up on the beach, the paint will be scraped of and then stuff starts to grow.