Sail Life · video

What this video covers

A Fountain Pajot Helia catamaran keel requires repair after thermal imaging reveals water intrusion inside the structure.1:01 The keel, which relies on adhesive rather than mechanical fasteners, shows no external weeping, but sanding reveals three leaks on the top surface, including a crack between the two shell halves and holes previously used for expanding foam.1:06 The repair process involves removing the old, degraded foam, beveling the fiberglass edges with 36-grit paper on an angle grinder, and patching the holes with bungs secured by 1708 fiberglass and 2-to-1 non-blushing epoxy.3:55 The interior is refilled with 94% closed-cell polyurethane expanding foam to restore buoyancy.7:22 To prevent future seam separation, the edges of both the detached and mounted keels are reinforced with fiberglass.2:02 The final surface is faired with an epoxy-based compound, and the top is sealed with multiple coats of unthickened epoxy to ensure a water-tight barrier before reinstallation.16:00 Proper surface preparation and the use of non-blushing epoxy eliminate the need for extensive sanding between layers.14:45

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