keel gaurds and boat fenders?

[Hoffer]

2 questions.

anyone use the rubber keel gaurds I see for sale? They arent cheap - but if they work I guess would be worth it. i am taking a newer boat to canada now sometimes - and will pull up on rocky shorelines every once in awhile. I would like to save the keel from scratches etc...last, are they hard to install??

How about those flatter style boat fenders?? Do they work decent for protecting the boat when docking? I have tried the hard rubber tube style ones - and they work - but dont store well....these flatter ones are more fexible and look like they store well - but do they work as well??

Thanks for any advice on both!!

[sparkydm]

Yes they store well but just don't have the cushion needed for heavier boats. I think they'd be fine for small lightweight boats

[Shack]

I give an A+ for a Keel Guard. Takes about 2-3 hours to install, but well worth it.

I think I have taken mine further than what it was designed for this year .

[Hoffer]

as far as the flat fender gaurds I have a 1650 crestliner fish hawk which I woudnt think wold be too heavy for them??

With the keep gauds....why do they take so long to install?? I was thinking of just buying a 5 foot or 6 foort length...I thought it would be a simple deal to just peel off the backing and tack it on to the bottom?

Do you have to really "rough up the bottom" to make it stick? The bottom of my boat is pretty much "pristine" not a scratch or chip out of the original paint.

I almost hate to scratch it up to install a keel gaurd- but I guess if that is what it takes - I will do it. With a 16 foot boat - will a 5 or 6 foot section be long enough to cover the bottom part of the keel where it would come against any rocks etc...

[PerchJerker]

I have a keel guard that was installed by the manufacturer. It's on a glass boat. It's not very common to see them on aluminum boats.

You need to rough up the hull so the adhesive gets a better hold. The part you rough up will be covered by the keel guard. The ones you use separate adhesive for stick better than the ones that already heve adhesive and a peel-off backing. About the only problem people have with keep guards is when they come loose.

I use Hull Hugr fenders, they're flat so they store really well and they work really well too.

[Hoffer]

Hey perch jerker - thanks!

I know I havent seen the keel gaurds on the aluminum ones much either. the only reason I am interested is becuase a couple times a year I will go to canada and sometimes pull up on a rocky shoreline to park - and I was hoping to protect the bottom - its a 2003 model fish hawk - but its in perfect condition - and I just hate to see it get all scratched up!

PS Glad you like the hull huggers - that is what I am going to go with! They seem like they would store well unlike the big tube style ones. Do you use 2?? Just one for the bow and one for the transom? or do you use 3 - one in the middle?

[PerchJerker]

I use 3. My oow cleats are far enough forward, where the boat is narrower, that sometimes the middle of the boat can hit the dock before the bow fender hits. My boat has rails along the gunnels which are great for getting the perfect positioning for boat fenders. On my previous boats I tied the middle fender to things like rod holders, grab handles, or my vhf antenna.

[Hoffer]

Yeah thats exactly what i was wondering!

I actually have 2 cleats - one on the bow gunnel - and one on the transom gunnel.

However, I have a "handle" that the fishhawks put in that would be right in the middle where the passenger seat is - perfect for the middle fender gaurd.

I am glad you posted this - as I am going to order them on the net today. I went to cabellas yesterday to buy them - but they only had one - and it was white - and I am looking for black. Now I will order 3 of them and that will be good. They are only around 14 bucks each - so spending the 14 on a 3rd one is worth it. i have a newer used boat - but its ingreat shape - and I just want to keep the dock rash away for as long as I can

[PerchJerker]

I keep 3 Hull Hugrs in my boat becasuse they store pretty well. If I'm going someplace where I know I'll be tied up to a dock a lot, like a week-long trip to a resort, I'll bring along my round fenders too and put them all on the boat at night (I HATE dock rash). I usually stash the round ones in a livewell, or in the splashwell, or just leave them on the dock by my extension cords.

[LMITOUT]

I use the Hull Huggers too and they work well.

[Hoffer]

shackbash - do you have a fiberglass boat or an aluminum??

Mine is aluminum and I have been researching things and I am now having second thoughts about installing one on my aluminum boat. Apparently if you have a painted bottome - you have to sand off the paint in order for them to stick - otherwise they can come off and bring the paint off with them...

I was just hoping to try and keep my keel decent if I pull up on some rocky shorelines. I guess thats just the price to pay. I do have one area up in canada that we usually pull up to. i think I will try to pull up about a foot from the rocks - then put down an anchor in the back of that boat and just try to get it to float about a foot off the rocks- then I can just step off the bow to the rocks and hopefully keep the bow off the rocks.

[ocf1]

I personally do not own a boat but I would think that is an upgrade that will protect your boat. If you do have to sand the paint off it will be covered by the keel guard right? So all everyone will see is the keel guard.

[Cheers]

I had keel guard installed on my aluminum boat and had very poor results. It was installed by the dealer. After a few years it began to peel off. After 8 years it is completely gone except for the glue.I cant get the glue off, it will take the paint off with it when I try. It is a bad thing! Dont buy it !

[Shack]

Quote:

shackbash - do you have a fiberglass boat or an aluminum??

Ya, fiberglass.

I have not heard to many good results for Alum...