Hi, Has anyone had the same problem i have ? I have a new carbon keel for my boat and its slimmer than the old keel that its replaceing. When its fitted into the keel box there is a fair bit of movement as there is a gap of about 3-4mm all round the keel shaft to the edge of the slot in the hull.Any ideas of how to fix this problem? Kind regards David Marten.

Step 1 – Insert the fin ensuring that it is home i.e. right up the slot.

Step 2 – apply masking tape to fin close to the hull but not so it goes into the gap. The idea is to mask off the fin so you do not get glue on it in the next step. Do no use low take tape, it will bleed.

Step 3 – Make up 2 x 12mm wide slithers of 3mm hard balsa wood so the grain runs the length of the fin. Sand both edges so there are nice and neat.

Step 4 – Remove the fin and gently sand the area of the fin that goes into the boat up to the masking tape.

Step 5 – Super glue the balsa strips along the tape line to the fin. ( across the fin )

Step 6 – measure the fin slot width at it widest point and gently sand the balsa strips down ( 400 Water Paper) removing a little on each side and try hard to get it the same on both sides. Offer it to the boat often and trial fit sanding and offering repeatedly.

Step 7- once it drops in and I mean drops in easily, Mix up some epoxy resin – not the 5 min variety. Using your finger rub the resin onto the balsa coating it thoroughly. Rub quite hard so you finger gets hot.

Step 8 – Let it set for 24 hours – rub your handiwork down gently with 600 water paper on a block so it is nice and smooth. Trial fit it again – too loose – mix a little more glue and cote it again.

Ok so now you have the bottom – time for the top same process but you only have to pad out 25mm in the area of the thickest part. Don’t be tempted to rely on the fin bolt to centre the fin in the top.

NOW you can take the tap off and go sailing.

This is the process I used to adapt a Creed fin to an ISIS – THe ISIS fin is 2.5mm thicker than the Creed fin

Sound like work – it is.

Some bright spark will undoubtedly suggest you wax the fin and squirt glue mixed with micro balloons into fin box. Let the Glue set, Pray, and if the gods are with you the fin will release free. However more often than not you will either break the fin box to hull joint getting the fin out or the fin will refuse to budge because you used car polish or other thoroughly unsuitably / unreliable method and not 6 polishing of bee’s wax followed by PVA release agent … and even then the force on the fin box will be excessive.

Hope that helps.do you need pictures ?. PS I did have boat that the fin was permanently attached to.. I will not tell you how or by who. I leave that part of the story to you.

Hi Dave, Thanks for that very informative anser. Pictures would be a real bonus. Thanks again i will give it a go, Regards David Marten.