Rust streaks on lead keel

[ElCapt Drew]

Hello everyone,


I am looking for some opinions on rust spots appearing on my keel. I'm trying to make a plan on how to address this issue once the weather warms up a bit.



The boat in question is a Freedom 32 (Hoytt). It has a lead fin keel that is bolted on with "J hooks". There are conflicting reports of 5200 or epoxy bonding the keel to the keel stub from the factory.



The two clean pictures were taken Oct 2018, about 2 weeks after haul out. The boat did not go in the water for the 2019 season. So, sometime in the past year the rust marks started to show up. Obviously, this is concerning to me.


A couple points of note:


1. This boat did have a grounding years ago. To what extent, I do not know.

2. The rust streaks are only on or near the keel, but they do not follow the keel joint very cleanly. Some streaks appear to start both above and below the joint as well.
3. The bilge holds water and does not appear to leak out from anywhere.


Appreciate any input.

[DefinitelyMe]

Sorry, I don't have much to add. Mainly just commenting to follow the post.

It doesn't look like they have any pattern at all, or association with the keel bolts. Unless the rust is travelling beneath the paint/filler/glass etc. and then popping up randomly. Is it delaminated from the lead?......

[tkeithlu]

I'm thinking (always dangerous, according to my wife) that small amounts of water inside the keel stub have gone through freeze/thaw cycles and have forced their way down and out. I think I would start by drying the bilge really carefully. I would hope for draining this spring. I'd clean the outside so I could see new leakage. I'd look for soft spots in the fiberglass. Once I was sure it was drained and dry inside, I'd probably seal the bilge and the outside of the keel to prevent it happening again. Once done, I think I'd go sailing.

Getting to the inside I think will be just about impossible. You'de have to disassemble the entire keel. There are situations where thread contributers say you have to do that, because it's a safety issue. I doubt that this is one of those cases.

It's a tough one, Captain, really a judgement call. I hope others will add their perspectives to your post.

[Gary Mc]

If it was my boat I would sand down the keel joint to bare lead and clean gel coat and get a better look. It certainly appears that some discoloration from the joint has seeped out.

Is it definitely rust of just bilge grime?



Good luck
Gary

[ElCapt Drew]

To answer some questions:
1. No, the only paint/filling compound that is coming off the keel is near the joint or where it has been scratched off. (The joint seal is a soft material and it seems like the filler didn't like to stick to it well.)
2. I can't be sure if it is actually rust or something else. It certainly is rust colored.



I do like the idea of starting small, such as sanding down to the gel coat and seeing what that reveals. Of course, one cannot help but envision their keel bolts rusting off .

Now that I've been looking at it awhile, it does seem like there are some visible stains on the "clean" pictures that seem to match up with the "dirty' pictures. Possibly a reaction of the lead keel to one of the layers of bottom paint?

[taylormobile]

Perhaps a previous owner used a carbon steel wire brush on the bare lead. This would embed small bits of carbon steel into the lead. Once you are sanded to the lead you can use a mild acid like vinegar to passivate any carbon deposits on the lead.

Steve

[zstine]

torque the keel bolts. If they have eroded significantly, you might break one... better on the hard than on a hard beat.

[boat driver]

agree with torquing the keel bolts. The idea that the seam has soft material that nothing sticks to suggests 5200.

A hard grounding could have loosened up the forward bolt- are you positive the bilge is not leaking down the bolts?

[Tillerjockey]

you sure the keel is lead and not cast iron ?

[Cheechako]

I'm not convinced I'm seeing any rust... not sure. But it does seem to consistently start at the mating connection. I dont see extensive cracking of the bond at the interface...? One wonders if it's an interaction with the paint and the lead or whatever the lead was primered or (as mentioned) prepped with?
You could grind a small spot at the worst crack in the interface and see if there's rust or water I suppose...

When you bottom paint change to red oxide color... then you'll never know!