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Posts: 23
| Hi guy's-
I have a Lund & was thinking about purchasing a keel guard. I have been told by a few people that they are only useful on Fiberglass boats & that Lund specifically says not to use them on their boats. I have not seen anything in the boat's paperwork about this & I am awaiting a return call from Lund about this issue. Anyone have any thought's or know this to be true? Thank's in advance |
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Posts: 1088
Location: Hayward, WI | I do not think that they would work well without a smooth surface to attach too, which you have on a fiberglass boat. I have installed one on a Crestliner before, but that is not riveted and is smooth and it worked well. With all the rivets and seems on a Lund keel I don't think it would stick well, or seal out water from getting behind it. |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
First question for you... What specifically are you trying to prevent by having the keel guard on the boat?
The reason I ask is that many of the aluminum boats with a riveted keel piece on them are built with a thick piece of aluminum so as not to loose shape, and can handle many many runs up on sand beaches, pulled up on rocks, etc. My current boat (2005 alumacraft) shows little scratches and dings from being around canadian granite, and multiple places where the boat was pulled up on sand beaches..but in no way is that keel guard wearing down to the point it is no longer structurally sound, or losing it's ability to protect the keel.
Steve
Edited by VMS 12/19/2011 5:13 PM
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Posts: 23
| Steve-
The reason I was asking is just that...at a couple launches I use they are so shallow I can't pull in far enough without having the keel run up the paved launch ramp & drag across it for a pretty good distance. It's not bad in warmer weather because I can stop the boat short, hop out & load it on the trailer by hand after backing the trailer in way deeper than I usually do & being in the water at that time of year is no big deal. In the cold though different story, as colder water is a bit harder as far as slipping/safety concerns(I have to go in mid-thigh high to trailer it). I guess I would rather beat up a Keel Guard instead of damaging the actual keep after repeated contact with a solid object. Thanks |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Is the bow painted or natural aluminum? I rented a boat in Canada that I know had been beached into many rocks and didn't leak. If youre worried about astherics, its a good idea. If you're worried about leaks...forget about it. I beat the crap put of mylast aluminum boat and it never leaked a drop. |
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Posts: 32
| I put a keelguard on a Sylvan Alaskan and never had any problems with it coming off BUT it never went over 25mph. It was nice on the shallow river ramp I use pulling it up on the ramp without sounding like i was tearing the keep off. It wouldnt hurt anything to try if the bottom of your hulls was unpainted but I wouldnt if it was painted. |
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| LineX
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=line%20x%20for%20boats&source... |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | On the hull?!!!
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| Yep
It's just going on the keel.....it barely if at all touches the water when on plane. It will last forever. |
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Posts: 3867
| Leaky rivits on the bow can be hillbilly fixxed with stainless steel round-head screws with lock washers and nuts. (And when those get knocked loose I replace them with larger ones.) |
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Posts: 23
| Thanks for the help guy's |
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