Why Is a keel strip important?

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Kayaks take a lot of abuse at the bow and stern. Sand beaches, the unexpected encounter with a submerged object and miscalculation of when the bow will touch the boat ramp when landing. Over time the gelcoat wears away and exposes the laminate below. By adding a sacrificial, and sometimes, decorative strip the wear is eliminated on the boats original gelcoat. The strip can be renewed as needed, but it usually takes years before any touch up is required. It's just a great way to protect your boat from unintentional damage.

 

What makes our keel strips different? Just one look and the difference is immediately apparent.

 

Traditionally, the fiberglass keel strip is applied in two steps. A layer of fiberglass tape is applied after careful preparation of the hull surface. Then a layer of thickened gelcoat is brushed on to cover the fiberglass and add the wear layer. We take things a step farther. The thickened gelcoat layer is soft, due to the thickening additive. It wears away quickly. We add the same layer, but sand it smooth and then spray on 22-24mils of standard gelcoat modified with an additive that hardens the surface and makes it more durable. In the end, our keel strips are more durable, smoother and look like they were done in the mold. As one client told us, "Your keel strip looks more like a factory keel strip than the one installed by the manufacturer".