Bow protection

[tparrent]

I picked up my CD 22 from the shop today (fuel pickup in the second tank had deteriorated after replacing the other one in the spring) and as I hooked it up I saw a big chip of gelcoat down to the fiberglass about 6 inches above the bow eye.

I do not know when the damage occurred as I had not seen it when I hooked up the boat to take it to the shop. I use a valet launch service so I don't typically see the front of the boat. The damage could have been at the shop, while retrieving the boat or while retrieving the anchor.

I have a guy fixing the damage but I want to protect that area from future damage as well.

I have looked through the forum and seen a couple of suggestions from a few (and more than a few) years ago. I'm wondering if anyone has updated thoughts.

I would like to protect the bow against anchoring or trailering mishaps so the shield should probably go all the way from the bow eye up. I've also thought about a keel protector for beaching though I don't do that often.

I won't be doing the work myself (because I am really bad at boat work!) but would like an installation that is reasonably easy so my boat storage guy can do it. That means no milling of aluminum or other fancy stuff. He can certainly work with epoxy or self adhesive.

Thanks!

[Pandion]

There are good discussions of scuff protectors here and here.

If your bow dings are being caused by your anchor, as was true in my case, I highly recommend installing a Mantus Anchor Mate. I have had one of these since May, and it works like a charm. Anchor snugs right up into a rubber cradle, with no clatter and no gelcoat damage. I have no affiliation with this product.

[ssobol]

I put on the Scufbuster as described in this post: http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=23862&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&sid=45bd6f2ec2f034ed2c141eaa4c6e0f70

Took a couple of hours and looks nice. Been on for a couple of years now with no issues.

[Pandion]

Here's what the Mantus Anchor Mate product looks like on my (mostly) unblemished bow:

[thataway]

The SS plate I put in place Jan. 16 is holding up well. (as linked above) No corrosion or rust. But it only "protects" a fairly short area.

Many of the old planked class runabouts had a "cutwater"



These are custom made and in the classics screwed in place with bedding compound such as "Dolphonite bedding compound". There is a person making them for classics--at $17 per welded inch--which means that he is using a pattern, the 18 Gauge 316 SS is cut to the patterns and then welded in the center.

There are some amateurs on some of the classic boat sites who make their own, but it seems very tricky. Ironically many of the "Cutwater boats"-have a SS plate on the bow--but I doubt it would fit a C Dory.



To employ some one who is not familiar with fabrication would probably be a mistake.

The pre-fab units are like the shield or the shorter ones which go right above and below the bow eye. which protects the bow gel coat from the trailer roller (or a hit off center from the roller bracket.

[tparrent]

I don't quite understand what problem the Anchor Mate is solving.

If it was my anchor that hit the bow, I assume it happened as it swung back when coming out of the water. I probably should have brought it up slower but a badly timed wave could have swung the anchor in nonetheless. Would the Anchor Mate somehow prevent that?

I actually think the most likely cause of the damage was hitting the bow post on the trailer (man, my nautical terminology is rusty!) either when loading the boat or when trailering it. The boat valet guys tend to drive pretty fast over some real rough roads without necessarily securing everything as well as I would so the boat could have bounced a bit on the trailer.

[Pandion]

With my boat, the Anchor Mate solves three problems:

1. If I accidentally bring the anchor up too fast, it catches it softly, with less stress on the chain, before it crashes onto the bow roller.

2. I have had my anchor hit my bow. Most likely to happen when I'm bringing it up slowly, to avoid a crash landing on the bow roller. Now I can bring it up a little faster.

3. It holds the anchor cocked in a better position for more reliable self-launching. Before I got it, my anchor has occasionally gotten hung up on the bow roller bail.

[tparrent]

Thanks - I thought it might help with self launching the anchor. I typically have to either pop my head through the v berth hatch or (my new method) stick a boat hook out the front hatch and give the anchor a nudge.

[Pandion]

I haven't had to visit the bow for that purpose since I installed the device.

[hardee]