Keel gasket

[BadgerJuan]

Hello,

Any thoughts on the effectiveness of the sail cloth keel gasket? What would happen if it was removed? I realize it's supposed to make the boat go faster, but would you notice the speed decrease when just cruising?

Mine is intact, but very stiff. I moor the boat over the summer and this past summer, our lake has been invaded by zebra mussels. They don't grow on bottom paint, but they sure covered the sail cloth gasket. I was considering painting the gasket with bottom paint, but that doesn't seem right. If I removed the gasket, I could easily paint the interior of the gasket housing to prevent growth.

[kuriti]

It's more about closing the hole when he keel is down. You would get a lot of geysers through the various bolt holes and the keel inspection port in rough weather or fast speeds.