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Keel Black - Is it any good


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But to have it put on costs a few bob with the blasting.

 

Our boat was blasted when new, to remove mill-scale and give a good key, it was then primed with an epoxy primer before being painted with the blacking. However ever four years when we re-apply the blacking with simply pressure wash clean, treat bear metal areas and re-coat with two coats all over, that has now been done five times, no further shot blasting since she was launched 25 years ago.

 

Typically we re-coat every four years, however last September it was five years since last done and the paint was basically as good, just a little more mechanical damage as you might expect from the added mileage.

There was also a thread elsewhere in which a member switched to this product from another with only reasonable manual preparation and appears to have achieved a good result. I guess he will know for sure in 4 years time!

 

I am sure that any other quality paint, applied well and with the right prep on re-coats would work just as well, but it simply isnt true that blacking has to have all fallen off and gone rusting after 2-3 years and almost start again. Much better to re-coat before the previous coating breaks down, and with the cost of drydock time and labour outstripping the cost of even the best paint for good reason, why not use something that gives you a good life time is my view. My aim is for it not to rust, or as close to that as I can practically get, not 'good enough it does 50 years' but good enough that with continue maintenance it will last near enough forever.

 

Anyway, each to their own!

 

 

Daniel

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  • 2 weeks later...

People talk about cost but the more pertinent question is coverage to ensure you are comparing apples with apples.

 

Keelblack sesms to cover about 8-10sqm to a litre and the owner of Poohsticks used it and got two coats on a 72 footer out of 9 litres. That make is very comparable with lower cost bitumens which only go half as far and are thick and hard to put on. Being able to apply it to damp steel so that there is no risk of water stopping the stuff from sticking is a huge advantage.

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  • 3 months later...

I have just blacked my 36ft boat with Fertan and Keelblack. Fertan goes a long long way, I took all the old blacking off to bare metal and coated with Fertan. I only used about a litre and that was too much, you can put a light coat on with a sponge on to bright work. I bought 10 litres of Keelblack but only used about 7 litres to give it five coats. It is very quick and easy to put on, but not in full sun, it just dries too quickly. Invest in some cheap brushes and throw them away after one coat. Rollers just don't work.

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I pulled mine out in august it was a year ago when it was blasted and zingered and the zinger blacked, unfortunately the black went silver!!! So this year I keelblacked it, the zinger was perfik [apart from being silver] the keelblack was easy to apply and a little went a long way 20 litres did 3 coats on 2 widebeams so we were very pleased with the results.

For me the keelblack is decorative as the zinger is the protection but its nice to know that more protection has been added.

In johns case he 2 packed his years ago and that has not been a great success so the keelblack for him was for protection, we will let you lnow how it is in 2 years time

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  • 2 months later...

£140 good god

 

We use this stuff and it has worked a treat, 25ltrs for £45

 

 

 

Just cause it doesn't say marine on it doesn't mean it won't work

In my experience the preparation is more important than the bitumen. I have used spencer coatings standard black and if I prep the hull thoroughly with a rotoblaster (about £40) the adhesion is great and three thick coats will last 3.5 to 4 years before retreatment is neeeded.

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I have to declare an interest in that I am Keelblack however Keelblack is still operating - just having a website problem as a result of changing hosts (glitches always seem to happen on either a Friday or a holiday). It will be up and running again shortly. Meantime a call to the office (manned more or less 24/7) on 0333405 4045 will work. Please tell your friends that we're still there to help them. And thanks to the correspondents who mentioned our helpful responses - we will always try to help you even if it is to point you at the right product if it isn't Keelblack. What goes round, comes round..... Merry Xmas and NY. MF

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  • 6 months later...

I've looked up this thread having just had my 62ft nb pulled out of the water ready to begin preparing it for blacking and I'm wondering what blacking paint to use. I know it's only been just over 12 months since the OP, so probably too early to tell still, but are those of you who used the Keelblack last year still happy with it?

Also

1. allowing for 2 coats and a few more around the waterline, will 10 litres be enough?

2. I'm going to treat any rusted areas with Vactan. Is it okay to apply the blacking straight on top of that once it's dry? I know you can with Fertan so I'm presuming it's the same with Vactan.

Edited to add 3. I presume it can be applied over the top of the existing bitumen type blacking can it (once I've jet washed & prepared the surface etc)?

Edited by Grassman
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Martin. I'm one if the owners,of Keelblack so at the risk of sounding biased,  I have,adked for permission to declare my interrst and reply. 

Keelblack ALWAYS works PROVIDED it or the rust prevented it I,applied over is correctly applied. I don't have experience of Vactan but I do of Fertan. I believe you do not wash off Vactan but you do Fertan which begs my (perhaps amateur) question of what happens to the rust that the Vactan has converted ?  Keelblack will stick to almost anything and will NOT  come off unless what it applied to comes off, so that is my doubt with Vactan. Where the Fertan converted oxide has not been washed off, Keelblack will have adhered to the dust which may not be bonded to the steel. This has akways been the cause of the few failures of KB over Fertan.  Preparation is crucial as are a) applying KB THINLY and B) allowing a good 36 hours curing time before relaunch to reach optimum hardness.  Do not be seduced into a (cheaper) 3 day docking window as this allows insufficient time to treat the rust effectively , apply KB  and give time to cure before relaunch. 5 days will give you adequate time and will work out cheaper in the long run. Our website is informative on all practical aspects and we are always available to give impartial assistance and advice.  MF

  • Greenie 1
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Martin. Omitted to respond to the quantity question. 10 litres will give three good coats of KB and allow you to keep 1/2 litre for running repairs then use the rest up around the waterline or all over if you have sufficient. Dont keep it. It will go off after 6 to 9 months (tendency of all emulsions to separate).  MF

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3 minutes ago, mdf said:

I believe you do not wash off Vactan but you do Fertan which begs my (perhaps amateur) question of what happens to the rust that the Vactan has converted ? 

It is encapsulated within the vinyl primer that forms the base of Vactan. After treatment with Vactan you're left with a smooth (but not shiny) surface which acts as a primer for further paint. 

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