What should I use for fairing my keel?

[djn]

Hi All, I have scraped and chiseled 35 years worth of epoxy and bottom paint off my keel including the dead wood. All the different materials that make up the keel and deadwood are uneven, not but much but still uneven. What should I use to fair it all together before I paint it? Thanks.

[Wild Wassa]

I like using a direct to metal primer, 'Valspar' if the metal is clean, after sandblasting or grinding. A dose of Phosphoric acid stops the rust forming quickly on the clean/bare metal.

I find several baths of Phosphoric acid good for when the rust is extreme.

If I'm not stripping all of the paint from the metal because the paint is in good condition, I'll wash down the lot with several coats of Oxalic acid before moving on.

If there is anti-foul, I'll remove it. Normally the anti foul on its last legs, when I get a boat with anti foul.

If the prep isn't good not much else will last long. I put much time into the prepping prior to fairing keels.

Normal epoxy also works well as the primer on metal, it is what epoxy was made for. I don't use zinc primers, and I fair with additives added to the normal epoxy. Glass macros are good for the bulk of the work, they work quickly and sand relatively easily.

If the keel has been treated badly, the boat gets run up in the beach or in gravels, I don't expect the new surface will be treated less badly, so I use compression strength fillers in the areas that show the hardest use.

For boats dry sailed I use 2 pack polyurethane paint. For boats on moorings epoxy paint.

A keel that I faired, about two weeks ago is on this thread. http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77944 ... I posted 4 photos on the thread.

I don't fair full length keels, only swinging keels and drop keels on trailer yachts. I like fairing keels, it is sculptural.

If you want to see photos showing the fairing of a keel from sandblasting to finish, let me know.

Warren.

[tattooed john]

If you want to see photos showing the fairing of a keel from sandblasting to finish, let me know.

Warren.

Go on. Show us Warren. Please.