Is "KEELGUARD" a good investment

[icantdive55]

Does anyone one have any experience with the product called "KEELGUARD". If you have, is it worth it.

 

[Wildcard]

I haven't used them but it looks like a good idea if you put your boat on the beach at all. Also looks like it may affect the waterflow and thus speed.

 

[Uncle Pug]

OE2X has it on his 24' RIB as his work sometimes calls for getting the boat up on the beach or nosing up to a rock. Good idea in his case. I bought a kit on sale at West Marine for half price but decided not to put it on the Whaler since I don't beach the boat and I figure it does add some drag. If and when the keel does get scraped up I can always put it on.

 

[Nemrod]

I just installed it on my BW 190 Nantucket. While I do not intend to beach the boat you never know so I bought the kit. It installed easily and without much fusss except that it would not form over the large lift strakes on the BW. So, I just installed it below the first strake and downward. looks good and does offer protection at the most vulnerable spot and is otherwise invisible. Had I tried to run it over the large strakes I do not think it would have conformed to the surface regardless of what they say. I installed on a warm day and really it took a couple of hours. I am pleased that it will offer critical protection to my forward keel. I recommend it. I also recommend DriDeck, super nice people and a great product for divers on boats and dogs like it too. I suggest getting a color in the KeelGuard product that most closely matches your hulls color so as not to accentuate any tiny wiggles you may wind up with. The eye picks up on contrast much better than similar colors. be sure to clean and prep per instructions and use the adhesion promoter they provide. Seal the ends with marine sealant, burnsh the sides down smooth and tight. N

 

[chrisc]

I had one on my 35, it worked OK. I lost about 1-2 mph with it and it looks bad. If you beach in sand, rocks, etc, you'll still get scratches just on the outside of the strip. Watch out when removing it, it will pull off the paint if you don't use a heat gun. I learned the hard way.

 

[Nemrod]

I lost no speed with my installation and it looks good. Let's my wife hold the boat steady on a concrete ramp while I bring the trailer in. N

 

[icantdive55]

Thanks to all for the good information. It has been useful. I plan on giving it a try. I just bought a used Avon 4.65. My first fiberglass bottom boat. My current boat (soon to be going to the bone yard) is a Novurania GS5.30. It has a rubber bottom with a wooden keel. What's interesting to me is that I can get 28 mph out of my Novurania with a 70 hp motor and that is the same speed I get with the Avon and a 48 hp motor. I would have guessed that the Avon being much smaller and smoother on the bottom would have out performed the bigger boat. Oh well guess I'll have to mount the 70 on the Avon. Hopefully I won't loose any mph with the KEELGUARD but I will check it out.

 

[Nemrod]

Amazing that you have a Novurana, I do also, and here is mine. I used it with engines in the 25 to 40ish range. Mine is still in great shape. I occasionally consider selling it since I have a new Boston Whaler and a kayak but I cannot bring myself to give away the best dang dive boat I ever used.
If you loose any speed worth mentioning I will be very surprised. The area is minimal compared to other junk like live well scuppers on my Whaler. N

 

[icantdive55]

I know what you mean. I bought mine in 1984. At that time the GS 5.30 was the largest I could get. I've put a lot of miles on that boat. Novurania told me that I could expect to get 20 years out of it with excellent care. Well I got 21 and the care was far from excellent. I suppose that it to will be the best boat I've ever owned. It's hard to explain, it's something you have to experience. When I think about the all the times I got somewhere I shouldn't have been I can honestly saw that the boat got me out. Your boat does look in GREAT shape. I wish I had taken better care of mine. I let so many people sit on the pontoons while we bounced and occasionally flew over the waves that the fabric on the top of the tubes is completely broken down. They won't hold air and when I leaned on one the other day with my knee I got a 2" tear. It's time to retire it.

 

[Rafael]

Check west marine they are having a sale right now