Jump to content

Keel Black Ballistic Black


Titan

Featured Posts

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

In light of the information you have put together are they going to pay for it?

 

So who is at fault here? Me for wanting it done in Winter? Fertan for not publishing curing times? Keelblack for using the best application time in their advertising gumph?

Your car comes with a set of fuel economy figures and a top speed - which are un-achievable. Should we be suing the car makers or just using our common sense?

I am not interested in trying to apportion blame here. I want to find out how this stuff can be applied correctly for the  benefit of all canal boat owners who may want to make a choice in the future. 

 

Edited by DaveR
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, DaveR said:

So who is at fault here? Me for wanting it done in Winter? Fertan for not publishing curing times? Keelblack for using the best application time in their advertising gumph?

Your car comes with a set of fuel economy figures and a top speed - which are un-achievable. Should we be suing the car makers or just using or common sense?

I am not interested in trying to apportion blame here. I want to find out how this stuff can be applied correctly for the  benefit of all canal boat owners who may want to make a choice in the future. 

 

I was just suggesting that as you want to give keelblack a fair trial and they did give you the wrong information, ie. let it dry for 24 hours and they didn't check that information is correct they might just be willing to provide at least the paint to put it right in the hope for some very positive feedback on their product.

They should be very pleased that you are not saying, dont touch this product, they told me wrong, I followed their instructions to the letter and its fallen off.

 

Just my thoughts n the matter.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

John one of my neighbors and myself used Keelblack last year it was in June and hot. Mine had a base of zinger so no rust at all Johns was heavily rusted due 2 pack failing and rusting underneath! both were powerwashed and johns was also fertanned. As soon as mine was dry I started painting on the keelblack it goes on very fast and as soon as I was back to the starting point it was dry and ready for more coats. Johns was washed off the next day and as soon as it was dry on went the keelblack both received three coats in 2 days and were left the couple of days required to go off. Would we use it again? yes we would neither of us has deterioration at waterline or under where we can see it, it really does have great impact resistance, and unlike my zinger its still black which is why I redid my boat as one side had gone silver in the sun.

I would not bother with normal blacking after using keelblack my previous boat always had waterline problems within months no matter what I used.

So what has caused other users problems? was the excess fertan washed off was the area clean enough who knows all I know is it worked for us

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just  had my boat blacked with Keelblack so read this thread with growing concern, but time will tell. What sold me on it was the experience of a nearby boatyard who swear by the stuff and have gone over to it exclusively.  I'll  report back if things go wrong

 

Top Cat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting.

When I used Keelblack, in September last year, due to delivery problems, there was a 48hr gap between applying the Fertan and Keelblack.

Hopefully I won't have any problems, but it looks like another docking will have to be done.

"As Fertan indicated no one has asked them about curing times so I wonder where Keelblack obtained this information?" It's in the current Fertan instruction sheet.

Keelblacks instruction sheet for June 16 states "  Heavy rust should be wire-brushed or ground back to bare steel then primed with Fertan in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and allowed to dry before Keelblack is applied."

This product has different application methods to normal blacking, which overall are no quicker, but the jury is still out, on suitability.

 

Bod

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

My boat is steel not plastic

I'm sure that there are urathane options for steel.

I was chatting with my wife and she remembers loads of boats in the US that had urathane treated hulls. I've drawn the conclusion based on responses here and some googling that it's not popular in the UK. Thanks for indulging my curiosity. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, SF2UK said:

I'm sure that there are urathane options for steel.

I was chatting with my wife and she remembers loads of boats in the US that had urathane treated hulls. I've drawn the conclusion based on responses here and some googling that it's not popular in the UK. Thanks for indulging my curiosity. 

Well we are quite backward with new things and Narrowboats you know. just read the thread where someone suggested a better shaped rudder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I have been given (almost) 10l of keelblack. After conversations with the manufacturer I'm going ahead. Pressure washed and ground off all the crap on  Saturday. Fertan Sunday morning 0600.Low pressure wash this morning 0600 I was amazed just how much crap came off from the fertan, then back to bed..... Up 9.00 and started painting, 3 coats today, 3 more tomorrow. Having worked with it its still bitumen, however its not spirit based so needs to be put on thinly, I cant see any reason apart from bad prep that it would be any worse than normal bitumen

When pressure washing on Saturday all the bitumen below the waterline came off so come 2019 if the keelblack stays on I'm on to a winner.

 

 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just had Chertsey done in Ballistic so ask me in five years. It certainly looks the business (i.e. it's not smooth and it's not shiny).

tunnel+bands.JPGblacking.JPG

So much of it seems to be about preparation - I've always used Comastic before - and always on shotblasted bare metal. Chertsey's was still unbreached - other than scrapes on the most exposed guard irons - after seven years. I wouldn't fancy the chances of any product on a surface that wasn't scrupulously prepared.

People will shotblast before applying two pack, because it's so expensive and they know that it's necessary to get optimum performance from it - but if you're going to shotblast, and black really well, a cheaper product might well work just as well - it's the shotblasting that makes the real difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But we all know that 2 pack lasts whereas Ballastic might not. Shot blasting is expensive and it makes sense to me to use a product which is tried and tested. My boat was docked last year after 5 years with 2 pack on it. Not a single pit anywhere to be found. A quick pressure wash and scrape, 3 coats of two pack and its good for another 5 - 7 years. I found 2 pack paint is not that much more expensive than bitumen, drying times and application are better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now we abandoned the boat in the polytunnel at lunchtime as its just to hot. Five coats of keelblack including weedhatch have been applied, tunnel bands done. We will be flooding the dock overnight Friday so about 60hrs drying time........hopefully enough ;)

34degC inside boat with it open, 20degC inside cottage just no contest as to where I want to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.