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Keel protection


Likeit73

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Would like to know if anyone has used any keel protection. Products like keel guard, keel shield, or invisible mask. One of the beaches we go to has some tiny stone that can be abrasive to the keel when we beach it. We could anchor it but it would be a huge pain, their is a drop off about 15ft from the shore that is about eighty feet. If you have had success or not, with any of these products, I would like to here some comments. Thanks

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Asking about keel protection/beaching from this group of folks is like going to a Golden Retreiver Puppy Forum and asking what size stick to ought boatbeat your 8 week old puppy with when they accidently pee in the house.

I'm just kidding....kinda.

I paid an extra 1k for gelwork because the previous owner beached the boat and I was not educated enough to look for that when I bought the boat...

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Asking about keel protection/beaching from this group of folks is like going to a Golden Retreiver Puppy Forum and asking what size stick to beat your 8 week old puppy with when they accidently pee in the house.

I'm just kidding....kinda.

Now that's funny.

RTS, you got lines like that just laying around?

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I guess you guys will be beating me with that stick then! Your 2 main choices are Keel Shield and Keel Guard. I bought the Keel Shield as it was available locally and a a bit cheaper. The difference is the composition of each. I might have the names backwards, but I believe my KS is primarily made of PVC and the other is some sort of high dollar unobtainium plastic which is supposed to last longer. Personally I don't power load my boat on to the beach so I have been really happy with it on both of my wb boats to date. The lateral spread 5" IIRC has worked great at keeping all manner of scratches off the keel to include unseen log strikes in the river. On my white boat is was a little visible if I didn't keep it cleaned, but on my current ebony hull it is almost invisible. If the eventual new owner decided he didn't like it, it could be pulled off. Granted it will be an a$$ whooping of the first magnitude to get off, but doable none the less. The manufacturers say not to use either one if they come in contact with the trailer bunks or rollers they will flatten out or dent. I ran mine from right at the SS trim on the bow all the way to where the hull flattens out (@ 14'8") IIRC and I do have 2 spots where the bow roller makes contact with the guard, but it is hardly noticeable being black on black. All you wake boat purists can laugh if you want but black is a b***h to take care and I still have all my glass on my boat! :) Got a picture over in my boat house if you want to take a look. Bill

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Anchoring off shore for the OP is not really an option. He said 15 feet out is 80 feet deep. I too beach my boat but I am careful where.

So, check with the manufacture of the different keel protectors and see what they have to say. Then call each one back and ask why they are better then their competitors.

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Thanks Wdr, this is the kind of info I'm looking for. I don't want to know weather I should beach it or not. I try to anchor as much as possible but it's virtually impossible to anchor at the beach we hang at because of the huge drop off. Our new boat has a ebony hull so I like the fact you said it is not visible. Our old boat had a white hull and there was enough damage over the years to justify something like this. Lucky I found somebody that shopped like Ndawg12 (no offense).

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Thanks Wdr, this is the kind of info I'm looking for. I don't want to know weather I should beach it or not. I try to anchor as much as possible but it's virtually impossible to anchor at the beach we hang at because of the huge drop off. Our new boat has a ebony hull so I like the fact you said it is not visible. Our old boat had a white hull and there was enough damage over the years to justify something like this. Lucky I found somebody that shopped like Ndawg12 (no offense).

:biggrin: I saw it but had goggles on, I didn't realize gelwork was so darn expensive!!

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I ran the keel shield two boats ago. worked well, never knew it was there. Problem was mine was a white hull, and the shield got dirty or yellowed and was pretty visible. But it was a cheap boat and didn't look great to begin with.

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