# Line-x keel guard?



## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

So I started another thread about gelcoat repair on my keel. Have any of you had your keel line-x'd? Are there any drawbacks? Does it add a lot of weight? Thanks in advance!


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## PG350 (Jan 19, 2012)

What about epoxy with graphite or another filler.


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

I'm not thinking I'm terms of repairing the gelcoat; I will have it repaired. I've seen some people use it to protect the keel. Another option would be an adhesive keel guard


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

I suspect the Line-X will rub off too easily from the sharp edges of the keel. The adhesive backed Keel Guard strips sound more durable to me. I graphite coated the bottom of my hull and have been grinding up and over rocks in the Potomac River for the last few weeks and I haven't got all the way through the graphite yet on the flat surfaces. The sharp edges of the chines and keel are holding up surprisingly well also, but I probably need to try the Keel Guard strips.

Nate


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

keel guard sucks if u have any kind of severe angle

does not work


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I did a search and found some ECC's done with color matching linex a couple years ago. I would be interested in hearing whether the linex works. I had to fix my keel recently after a small mistake. The stick on keel guards are hideous and I cant bring myself to stick one of these on the bottom of my skiff.


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

Nate I've never even heard of the graphite coating, sounds interesting. Where do you get it done/price/color? Anyone else use it?
el9surf I'm with you on the adhesive keel guard from an aesthetic point of view. Looks obtrusive and only a handful of colors. Some people swear by them though. I guess I would consider it if I knew they worked well and stayed on. I spoke with the gentleman at Sarasota Line-x several months ago; top notch guy. Apparently you can adjust the size and thickness of the applied line x. He does a lot of them but I haven't heard of any unbiased feed back. I'm just apprehensive to drop $500ish on a very permanent substance without a review.


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## PG350 (Jan 19, 2012)

I did the entire bottom of my boat with epoxy and graphite. It is very tough and easy to do. Just mix up a batch of epoxy then add in the graphite powder. You can buy the epoxy at any fiberglass shop or west marine and also west systems graphite powder at west marine. You would need to properly prep the surface then roll 3 to 4 coats or to desired thickness. Would cost you less than 100.00 if you did it yourself. After it is mixed, it is just like painting with a fast dry time.


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## swampfox (May 9, 2007)

Planning on doing a LineX keel skid plate on my HB. My Lostmen was chewed up by the oysters here in SC. And beaching it in the Glades on that concrete like oyster beaches.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

What pg350 said.  You'll have to grind the gel coat down to the underlying glass to get it to adhere and your options are Darth Vader Black, Inside of a Cow Black and Black as the Devil's Soul.  Paint doesn't adhere to it worth a dang.  I faired mine down to 320 grit just to see how shiny I could get it, but it ended up too thin in spots so I recoated it again and left it orange peel smooth after a quick fairing with 220 to knock off the lint.  I mixed it as thick as I could while still being able to spread it using a short nap epoxy roller.  Work fast and don't over handle it.  Do not use a foam roller; this stuff is thick enough to tear the foam off the tube and pull bristles from chip brushes.  I never found any rollers that didn't leave lint in the epoxy despite washing and drying my rollers.  I never could mix it thicker than 1 part graphite to 2 parts mixed epoxy if I remember properly and I think I used ~1:3 most of the time.

Nate


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

I used Gatorglide G4 on the entire bottom and 3" up the sides of my boat. Although the boat is not finished, the stuff is so slick that I have to be careful that I don't push the boat off of the table. I also made a mistake, unbeknownst to me at the time and not mentioned in the instructions, tape wont even stick to this stuff. I should have done the bottom last. I'm ready to paint and trying to figure this one out...
In hindsight I was wishing I had gone with graphite solely because of the masking issue I'm facing.
The airboaters swear by the stuff and they run them on dry land and it holds up. Thats why I decided to give it a shot


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

My caimen goes in on Monday. I'll let you know how it turns out.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Where are you taking it? Can you post pictures when its done?


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## erikb85 (Jun 13, 2014)

Im gonna have to do something along these lines to the bottom of my riverhawk. It will be splitting duty between oyster marsh backwaters of NC and big rocky rivers in Western NC and SW VA. I know its a thin hull and ill have to be careful but the occasional bump I dont want to sink me.

ive heard mention of aluminum powder and epoxy mixed being an extremely durable coating but ive not heard much feedback compared to graphite.


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## East_Cape (Jun 3, 2008)

I first put line-X on my canoes and kayaks back in the early 90's…
Then on the Gladesmen's in 05'. The line-x is great for keel protection and holds up VERY well and worth the cost. I would only do it if you know your gonna need it or after wearing down the keel. 
Tight lines!
Kevin


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

I'm taking mine to line-X in sarsota. Goes in on Monday and I'll probably pick it up on Wednesday.


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

I'm bringing mine in as well. I'll let you know how it turns out


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

You taking it to line x in Sarasota?


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

Yes sir


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## JRP (Sep 24, 2012)

Seems like the linex one is the way to go,they do all prep my question would be if it needs to be touched up is it a big deal and would it cause hull drag if you only went back say 3.5 foot for beaching? When fishing alone or want to bring dog its sometimes necessary to beach just put a sizable ding in new hull where I had beached numerous times a small rock under the sand.If You take your boat in I would want a picture first of the one you wanted to be on the same page as the guy before you get there.Looked at all his photos and can't find the one I liked it was recently there on a page with numerous pictures .The guy sounded real professional when I talked to him ,had numerous color blends I would want same color as hull sure would like to find that picture. Thanks


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Your vantage beat me in to be sprayed. I drop mine off today and yours was already in the booth.


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

Haha, sorry buddy. I dropped off sat. He didn't say when it would be done; hopefully by this weekend.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Brian told me that I could picked at the latest by Wednesday afternoon. Let me know how's yours turns out. He was doing a little bit of gel coat work for me too. Stupid oyster bars


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Vantagefish, yours is done.


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## swampfox (May 9, 2007)

We better get some good pics ASAP [smiley=1-thumbsup3.gif]


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

I'll be picking it up tomorrow evening. I'll figure out how to post pics


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## JRP (Sep 24, 2012)

Please post some pics thanks


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Hopefully I will get mine back today. I'll post some pics later tonight if I do.


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

I haven't figured out how to post pics.


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## Otterdog (Feb 8, 2014)

In the north west they use several Dupont Kevlar products to quiet and protect drift boat bottoms. These come in several compositions vacume molded and spray-on. I don't know the specifics on the different products but I know they decrease drag as well as quiet and protect hulls.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

Here's a couple of stock photos of what the color matched Line-X looks like.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

I got my boat back today. I'll post pictures later tonight.


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## MaGuyver (Nov 6, 2012)

Looks thicker than I thought it would. Did you have to pay extra for color other than black? Do you think it would help against oyster rash?


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## JRP (Sep 24, 2012)

Looks great thanks for posting pics ill be taking mine up soon thanks for posting pics.Even a white sandy beach can have shale concealed just below surface.This would also save you a bundle on fiberglass repairs in the event of a trailer problem.I wonder if there would be any drag? I still would not beach on an Oyster Bar but would save you should you accidentally bump into one. Thanks


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Sorry guys. I still haven't posted the pictures. Very happy with how it turned out and it will certainly save me some keel damage. I'll do my best to have photos up tomorrow.


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## MaGuyver (Nov 6, 2012)

When it is time to have it removed for what ever reason, can it be peeled off or does it need to be ground off?


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## JRP (Sep 24, 2012)

post pics thanks .


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

JRP check PM


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## MaGuyver (Nov 6, 2012)

Can I get a few pic.s as well


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