JB Weld Protection for Outback Keel and Bottom

Has anyone experimented with the putty and have any thoughts on their experience?

I have not used it, but I'd be concerned about the steel rusting in saltwater, even if it does say "non-rusting". I'd think that if reinforcing is necessary, then glass fibers would be the way to go.

Got back from my trip and picked up my warrenty hull, they replaced my 2019 ob with a 2023!

A little heart wrenching to scratch up my brand new hull but will feel great once it's protected. Here is my old hull for a template of what to protect and my first go at taping. Planning on getting the jb weld on tomorrow, hope I have enough!

Got back from my trip and picked up my warrenty hull, they replaced my 2019 ob with a 2023!

A little heart wrenching to scratch up my brand new hull but will feel great once it's protected. Here is my old hull for a template of what to protect and my first go at taping. Planning on getting the jb weld on tomorrow, hope I have enough!

How many packs did you get?
Make sure to put some photos after it is cured.
If you have any questions feel free to PM.

Paul

Super fun project.

Once this sets I'll set up the electronics and the rest of my mods. I'll make a summary post once I'm done, thanks for the help 123eng!

Looks great!  Congratulations on the new hull!

That looks pretty slick!     But the bottom of your 2019 looks far far far more worn than my 2014!    Do you do a lot of dragging to the water?

I bought this as a used rental/demo from Ukiah, and I figured it would be in nice shape compared to a Humboldt rental but actually since Ukiah has better weather throughout the year it was worn to shit from being used all the time. (Usually being a rental voids the warranty but my hobie rep still pulled through!)

The first thing I did when I got her was sand smooth the bottom and fill in major cracks with an HDPE candle. After that I wasn't the nicest to her up here in humboldt but nothing too crazy.

A couple rock launches at the cape and lots of pulling over sand at trinidad and shelter cove, some dragging over concrete boat launches in eureka. Also a couple river trips with Eric during lower flow but really not that much damage from those. I just used her all the time and didn't baby it. Lived on top of my CRV most weeks, you can see the tie down lines, I'll be sure to loosen the straps up after I park this time around lol.

I'll try to be a bit more careful with my new hull but since the last one was used I didn't have any issues dragging, abusing and drilling holes in it lol.

 

Hah well that would do it for sure being a rental.  I'm not exactly perfect with my hulls either, but I do make every effort to try and not drag if possible unless on some sand or pea gravel. With the angle of a launch ramp I usually offload my kayak right at the waterline with 1/3 of it (rear) in the water already and then get it setup to launch after I re-park.  But I can lift the front and get it to float out when i'm ready to launch, so I never really need to drag it.  Anyway, that looks slick and hope it keeps your yak floating for many more years to come!

Hull Update. Its been dragged over rocks at our lagoons and trinidad beach so far for some crabbing. I noticed last week some increased drag and inspected to find some chipped pieces and a flappy piece of the weld sticking up.

123eng recommended chipping it up and re applying some weld. It seems that the feathering technique is really important on the edges, and to make it ramp down to very thin, my delamination's occurred where it was thicker and the edge wasnt feathered properly. Or where the edge was exposed, its better to have the edge of the weld not in the same plane where it will contact the ground.

redid some areas and added some more weld, using the extra I cured up to reinforce my pvf nose guard (this time the weld from the hardware store cost $20/10oz  )

protection is looking good otherwise!