Posted by Yan Anderson on
URL: https://forum.seahawk17.org.uk/Removed-from-Trailer-Bottom-Paint-and-Keel-tp4025458.html

Hi!

Mustang is having a bit of pre-season love.  I was going to be keeping her on the trailer and dropping her in the water each time I want to use her but I've been offered a Trot mooring on the River Stour outside Christchurch Sailing Club which I'm tempted to take for convenience.  I believe its fresh water so hoping she doesnt get too gunked up saying in the water.  Either way I want to make sure shes got a good coat of anti foul and the keel is in good order before I launch her.

I've removed her from the trailer.  My technique was as follows:

1. drop trailer nose
2. prop stern on stands
3. raise nose a lot
4. balance a 2.4m 4x4 fence post across 2 more stands to take the weight of the bow, leaving space in between for the trailer to pass through.  bearing 10cm either end with a 2.2m clear span! I was worried it would be too much but the post took it well with no major deflection.
5. lower the trailer against until Mustang is floating in the air
6. withdraw the trailer
7. pop a few blocks of wood under the front of her keel
8. remove the beam and re-secure the stands on her bow.



Here is the keel.  What do you think?  It's well greased.  I was thinking of trying to fully remove it and have it sandblasted and galvanised as Brian said he wanted to do.  I'm not sure if I've got the height to remove it fully though!  Possibly if I drop it and then slide it forwards I might get the clearance.



This is what the bottom paint is looking like.  A fair few chips either into old layers of paint or right down to the fibreglass.  I was thinking of just sanding it smooth and then using Hempel Primer Undercoat which is good for directly onto GRP and old antifoul then going over that with a couple coast of Micron 350.  



Any advice or sage wisdom welcome!