Alright, so, picture this: I’m staring at this sad, old, kinda-rotting keel on my little sailboat. It’s seen better days, that’s for sure. And I’m thinking, “Right, time to get my hands dirty.” I’d been putting it off, but the wobble was getting worse, and I didn’t want the whole thing falling apart on me mid-sail.

So, first things first, I gotta get the boat out of the water. No way I’m doing this job floating around. I have a friend with a trailer, so a quick phone call, and that’s sorted. We hauled her out, and I set her up on some sturdy blocks. Made sure she was level, because, you know, gravity is a thing.

The Prep Work

• Inspection Time: I crawled under the boat and really looked at the damage. Lots of scraping, some deep gouges, and yeah, definitely some rot where the wood was just… mushy. I prodded it with a screwdriver – bad sign.
• Gathering Supplies:I made a list and had to go to the marine supply * up:
  • Larch timber (because I heard it’s naturally water-resistant, and who wants to do this again in a few years?)
  • Marine-grade epoxy.
  • Fiberglass cloth and resin.
  • A bunch of sandpaper, different grits.
  • Some new bronze screws (the old ones were corroded and nasty).
  • Safety gear! Seriously – gloves, a dust mask, and eye protection. This stuff is messy.

Getting Down to Business

I started by removing the old, damaged wood. This was… not fun. I used a chisel, a mallet, and a healthy dose of swearing. Some parts just crumbled away. Some were stubborn and needed serious persuasion. It was a workout, let me tell you. Got some splinters, too, but hey, that’s boat work.

Once the rotten wood was out, I had this kinda raggedy hole in the keel. Next, I cleaned up the area. I used a wire brush to get rid of any loose bits and then wiped it all down with acetone. Gotta have a clean surface for the epoxy to stick properly.

Then came the cutting and shaping of the new larch timber. I’m no master carpenter, but I measured (twice!) and cut the wood to fit the space. It took some fiddling, some sanding, and some more fiddling to get it just right. It was like a really annoying puzzle, but eventually, I had a piece that snuggly fit into the damaged section.

Putting it all Together

Time for the epoxy! I mixed up a batch according to the instructions (very important, those instructions). I slathered it onto the new wood and the inside of the keel cavity. Then, I carefully inserted the new piece of larch, making sure it was flush with the rest of the keel. I clamped it in place, and added some weight on the boat, to make sure it had good contact.

The epoxy needed time to cure, so I took a break. Watched some TV, had a beer. You know, the important stuff. I let it fully cure, about 24hrs.

Next up: fiberglassing. I cut the fiberglass cloth to size, mixed up the resin, and started layering it over the repaired section, extending it onto the surrounding keel for extra strength. This part is messy and sticky. Gloves are essential. I did a couple of layers, letting each one cure before adding the next. It’s like making a really strong, waterproof bandage for the keel.

Finishing Touches

Once the fiberglass was fully cured, I sanded the whole area. Started with rough grit to get rid of any bumps and then worked my way down to finer grits to make it smooth. This took a while, and my arms were aching, but it’s gotta be smooth for the paint to go on right.

Finally, I applied a few coats of marine-grade paint to protect the whole thing from the elements. I let each coat dry completely before adding the next. The paint is super important, especially with the sea water.

And that was it! Took me a good few days, with lots of breaks and plenty of head-scratching. But the keel is solid now, no more wobbles, and I’m pretty proud of myself, even if it’s not the prettiest job in the world. It’s sturdy, and that’s what matters. Now, back to sailing!