MacGregorSailors.com

I had the Admiral shopping at BassPro the other day ( I encourage her to visit the boat section as well as the golf section) and she came home with a query about why not install a Megaware Keel Guard on our X for when we beach it. It would be nice to avoid the scratches and dents from rocks, oyster beds, etc. but I've shied away from it for concerns about how it would affect the handling under sail, and the speed under power. I think only four feet would be enough from water line back to the first bunk on the trailer.

Any one have experience with this glued on strip of heavy plastic to act as a sacrifice strip? Best attached before or after bottom paint?

Thanks in advance.

Heath has one on his boat - offers the 7-footer on the catalog page at about same price as BassPro. I wouldn't be concerned about any effect on sailing - just never gotten around to it. It's absolutely rare that I have occasion to beach the hull, but I'd surely want the Keelguard if beaching was more available around here.

Hi Night Sailor....there are two major brands, one available on this site, and most big marine shops carry one or the other. We chose Keel Shield. We haven't had any violent beachings, but, so far it seems to work well...and I feel better about beaching on more coarse gravels. I will post a new mod now which describes our experience. DIY installation is a bit tricky in my opinion, however, ours worked out well. Jack

I appreciate your posting in the mods section on KeelShield installation. When I got a email reply from Keel Shield to my query about about certain dimensions, they refered me to your posting on this website for instructions on installation!

After looking at the KeelShield site and reading it's lab report, which is real, I decided it was worth a few extra dollars to get KeelShield rather than KeelGuard. I hope to have the yard install it for me while the boat is up on stands for bottom painting.

I saw one on tlperrine's 26X last weekend. He liked it and said he didn't think he could get it off if he wanted too. He said he installed it while it was on the trailer but I don't know what brand it was. It's black as I recall.

Dan, it is a Keel Guard. After spending my first year making several landings on boater unfriendly beaches here in CO, I had several scrapes on the gel coat. I am pretty happy with this modification. It is something that once applied doesn't lend itself into being reinstalled. So just take your time, and it wasn't too bad. Not sure how it affects boat speed, but I don't notice anything significant. Terry

This keelguard looks like a good investment as we are purchasing a new blue hull M and will probably be beaching frequently in some not so soft places. We won't be painting the bottom.

The photos I've seen show it going up past the water line.


My idea was to install it right at the waterline where it is needed so it won't cover the blue hull portion. After all, it's the hull below the waterline that will make contact with the bottom.

With the freeboard being all blue and the wet surfaces being white, won't the keelguard look strange crossing between colors?

Is there a reason it needs to go that far above the waterline?

I suppose I could use a blue keelguard, but my concern is that it will look strange on the white bottom.

Hi Guys

There is a product called paint protection film,3M call it Scotchguard or scotchcal.The best stuff for the boat is "race quality film",its not cheap but it is very effective,companys like XPELL,based in St Antonio supply the product,it is used mainly on cars.

I have a complete roll of the stuff,i intend to use it to protect the hull from scratches.

you put it on using johnstones baby shampoo,put 3 drops in 2 pints of water and spray the solution liberaly,its best to use isopropanol alcohol,dilutant 30% to water to stick down the edges and afterward use a hair dryer or heat gun to "seal" the film

remember that you get the beat results when you stretch the film

its interesting that someone has copied the "shield" terminology,i came up with the name paint shield about 4 years ago,to describe the product

It could just be my imagination but I think my X tracks noticeably better under power since the KeelShield was installed. An unexpected benefit. I don't need hands on the wheel until gettng above 12 knots or getting into high crosswinds and waves. I've beached the boat on sand and gravel several times now and it does the job of protecting the gel coat nicely.
It has made not difference that I can tell while sailing under genoa alone, which is all I've used since the installation.
I installed about seven feet of it, from bow bootstrip back to centerboard slot.

I installed a keelshield on my X in 2004. This summer part of it came loose when I did the mac bump and the winch strap wasn't loose. As others have said, be sure the winch strap is loose when you do the bump- especially if you install a keel guard or shield.

Greg wrote:I installed a keelshield on my X in 2004. This summer part of it came loose when I did the mac bump and the winch strap wasn't loose. As others have said, be sure the winch strap is loose when you do the bump- especially if you install a keel guard or shield.

I don't understand why that strap being loose would make a difference. I am looking at my boat as I write and where the Guard would be is no where touching anything?? I went out and looked real close and the above is not actually the case but it appears if I were to cut the first 2 inches off the V bunk support on each side, I would have complete clearance.( at the center where it makes a V)
I have also sprayed my bunks with silicon weather proof spray lubricant and I no longer need to do the bump....believe it or not I can now easily crank my boat all the way to the sweat spot.

When the strap is tight, it pulls down on the bow.



The boat didn't move forward all the way on the bump and the guard peeled loose from the force.



I didn't lube the bunks which would have helped and may have prevented the problem.

Also notice the guard has yellowed. It was white when new and practically unnoticeable.