Hello, I recently acquired and old fiberglass hemlock canoe that is missing the aluminum keel guard. Does anyone know where I could get one or have any ideas for an alternative?

One thought I have if I can't find aluminum would be rubber, available from McMaster Carr. Any thoughts on if that would be a good option?

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/trim/rubber-trim-7/inside-width~1-4/inside-width~0-25/

I would think any of the commercially available skid plate kits could work or be easily modified to work.

Hmm. Interesting idea. While the commercially available kits are typically only made for the bow and stern sections, I could probably get some 1" wide felt tape, run it the length of the boat and epoxy it on. I'll have to consider this and maybe get a small piece of felt to test out before trying the whole keel.

An aluminum keel guard is just a bother. Any blow that would damage that heavy glass and resin keel is just going to rip off the aluminum strip. If you use screws to attach it you are creating places for water to enter the laminate.

Kevlar felt would be an option, but it will add a lot of weight to an already beastly heavy canoe. Felt is light, but it takes a huge amount of resin to wet it out. That is where the weight comes from.

If you really feel a need to add to that keel 6 oz glass cut diagonally would fold over the keel. I would round off the edges of the keel so there are no sharp corners for the glass to fold over.

Personally, considering how the canoe will be used, I would do nothing. Check the keel after use and make sure any dings are coated well with resin so there is no place for water to enter the laminate.

sedges: " I would do nothing. Check the keel after use and make sure any dings are coated well with resin so there is no place for water to enter the laminate.
"

This sounds like a reasonable option. I'm not taking this thing on any expeditions, so I don't need to worry about something happening in the backcountry. I build wakesurf boards so fiberglass and epoxy are readily available and I could easily make repairs if I ever need to.

It really is the kind of canoe you might have on hand at a lake cottage.

Unless you plan to abuse the canoe, you can just paint over that wood. You can buy epoxy paint that is quite durable.


If you want more protection than that you can buy fiberglass and some epoxy. Cut a thin strip of glass just wide enough to cover the wood and brush on a few thin coats of epoxy. Let cure, sand smooth by hand and then paint.

Tip- cut the glass a little wider than the keel. You can cut off the extra glass when the epoxy is almost cured but still soft. It cuts like butter in that state. Don’t try to fold the glass over the keel because you’ll never get it to make that corner. You will use get bubble at the turn.

Tom