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As a kid, I had the good fortune to grow up learning the waters of Southwest Florida. Back then, Naples was a little-known dot on the map before hitting the Everglades and Florida Bay.
My family made countless sailing trips from Gordon Pass in Naples up to Redfish Pass into Captiva. We explored in and around Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. Those waters and islands will always be part of my soul.
With my father’s work demands and our school schedule, he’d always plan trips as early in the summer as possible to avoid the height of hurricane season. It worked out for the most part, but we were still taunted by our fair share of forming storms.
One such summer trip, we planned for my parents and I to sail up to Charlotte Harbor and rendezvous with my sister, who would be returning from road trip with her friend.
My father always took Mother Nature seriously. He also taught me there are times when all you can do is to use your best judgement with the information at hand - be smart about your decisions, don’t put yourself in harm’s way, but know you can weather any storm.
We left the dock in Naples that morning aware of a low-pressure system in the gulf, but conditions were not favorable for development; it was predicted to break up before day’s end. In fact, the morning was quite promising, as we turned north from the buoy at Gordon Pass. However, Mother Nature has mind of her own, and it seemed she had different plans...
Today, I began the process of adding the weights to the bottom of the keel. Before proceeding, I dry fit the weights to the keel and ensured the screws would properly fit through the keel to secure both sides. I also drew a line along the keel to show where the weights would be applied, so I knew my limits for applying the epoxy.
Then I sanded the weights themselves with 120 grit sandpaper and cleaned them thoroughly in preparation for epoxying them to the wood keel.
The one the left is sanded, the one the right has not yet been sanded.
I used a Dremel tool to sand clean the holes where the screws will set.
I mixed a clear coat of epoxy and hardener, then brushed it onto the wooden area where the metal weights would be attached. (I used gloves to work with epoxy and employed my daughter again as the photographer for these steps.)
Using the brush, I applied the clear coat to the inside of the metal weight.
After the clear coat was applied, I sanded it into the metal.
Here’s a photo of the weight and the keel prepared with the clear coat.
Proceeding quickly, I mixed the pre-thickened epoxy in the same container over the clear coat and added the phenolic powder to bring it to the proper consistency. (On the table, you can see the screws and the bolts that will be used to secure the weights.)
I dabbed the thickened epoxy over the clear coat of epoxy on one of the weights
Putting the first side in place, I secured it to the keel with the screws through the holes.
There was a little bit of resistance, but that just told me the screw was threading itself with the wood.
Adding some of the thickened epoxy to the other weight, I used the screws to guide it in place on the other side.
I used an old flathead screwdriver to keep the bolts in place as worked, while I screwed from the other side.
Here’s how the bolts are seated in the holes in the weight.
I needed to mix more thickened epoxy to be able to fill in the holes and the gap between the weights.
It was not a great day for epoxying, and, in hindsight, I could have been a little more diligent. I struggled a little to get things filled in, and I realized that for some reason the weights did not quite line up. I figured I would over-apply the epoxy around the metal weights so I could sand it off later in hopes of bringing it to a more consistent shape.
You can see how handy the brick pavers are in the process. I used them again as a makeshift vise to hold the keel as I applied the epoxy and let it dry.
I got a nice fillet by using a craft stick to scrape the epoxy where the weights join the keel.
I let the epoxy dry and came back to look. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what I was thinking, since I didn’t use the stick to scrape off the excess epoxy along the weight.
Here's another view looking at both weights. I didn't quite line them up perfectly, but it's pretty close and very secure.
All in it all, it wasn’t the neatest job, but nothing a little more sanding can’t fix.
(seems like there's a reoccurring theme...I'm definitely not a master when it comes to epoxy, but I get the job done...
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