Rusted keel

[Motco80]

Hello everyone.

Wondering about the keel putting out rust at some area after coating with epoxy(hemple)
The marina did the job abd they grind it up pretty good before, and also use epoxy filler at some areas to get smooth surface.
Why it still putting out rust signs trough the epoxy?
(The boat is on dry dock for 6 months)
The rust came out 1-2 months after application.
The marina manager advised me to coat the keel with fiberglass and then to apply the epoxy.
Any thoughts?

[neilpride]

The ideal is to sandblast and then apply the epoxy primer, if they used a grinder and have left residues or have not cleaned it well before painting or have not reached the pores well with a grinder , rust appears sooner rather than later.

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by Motco80

Hello everyone.

Wondering about the keel putting out rust at some area after coating with epoxy(hemple)
The marina did the job abd they grind it up pretty good before, and also use epoxy filler at some areas to get smooth surface.
Why it still putting out rust signs trough the epoxy?
(The boat is on dry dock for 6 months)
The rust came out 1-2 months after application.
The marina manager advised me to coat the keel with fiberglass and then to apply the epoxy.
Any thoughts?

When did the marina perform the repair? If it was six months ago and it started rusting while in dry dock it is time for them to do the job again at no charge to you.

[Pete7]

Cast iron is porous. Unless they have extensively washed the salt out then dried it, there is little chance of stopping it. We have two iron keels so our approach is to use rust killer which dries to a hard black surface and then patch paint. Occasionally I will strip a side and start again.

Do not cover the keel in glass fibre, that would be a disaster in a few years time as the rust will build up under the glass. If that is the best the yard can recommend, I can only think they want to kick the can down the road a few years so they don't have to deal with the current problem or again for the next couple of years. They are being lazy!

Peter

[Motco80]

This is what I thought and told to marina director.
He said he will grind it up again in the rusted areas and coated it again.
You think it will be enough?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Motco80

This is what I thought and told to marina director.
He said he will grind it up again in the rusted areas and coated it again.
You think it will be enough?

For a while, so long as he uses a rust killer too.

You just have to accept it will always rust, so just patch it up ever few years. the good news is that lump of iron will be around long after we have departed this planet. You can't see it once afloat and it isn't going to affect the yacht in anyway. so just go sailing and don't worry about it

Pete