Does anyone know where I can get a replacement keel shoe for my Parker 27? I dropped the keel yesterday to give it a clean and discovered the original has disappeared. There doesn't appear to be any bolt holes so I presume it was just held on with mastic or similar. It's been suggested I just replace the are with a thick lay up of GRP but it is obviously not going to be as robust as a bronze shoe. Does any one know where the originals were made and whether the firm who made them is still in business ( they may still have the original molds)

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Martin,

Which bit is the "keel shoe"? Are you referring to the "buffer" set into the bottom skin of the hull at the aft edge of the keel? If so, is there a recess in the bottom skin for the "buffer" to sit in?

If it is the part I refer to as the buffer, then I can tell you how I replaced the one on Dark Star. I have done bits of work on most of the other keel components too, so if you can confirm where the bit you are concerned about is located I may be able to give some information.

Regards

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Hi Dick, the keel shoe is the bronze leading edge of the keel that is semi circular and is a deep 'u' shape ands protects the bottom front edge of the keel when grounding. I found out that the originals were made by Irons Brothers in Cornwall. Unfortunately they did not keep the original mould when Parkers went out of business, however, i made a replica in GRP and body filler and have had it cast by E&D Engineering & Development in Lymington. they charged a very reasonable £136 including VAT and delivery.

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Martin,

Thanks - not the part I was thinking of at all - the 275 has a cast iron keel so is quite different.

Sounds like you have a solved the problem in style!

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Hi Dick, after further research, I found that a bronze shoe was an optional extra and that the remains of what I thought was was a GRP botch up, was in fact the original shoe in GRP which had been constantly repaired, due to taking the ground when driving up beaches. The bronze shoe which was originally made by Irons Brothers in Cornwall is no longer available (they disposed of the original mould when G W Parker closed down). If any one now wants to have a Bronze shoe, which is obviously much more durable, I have a mould which I made, available to borrow, and only requires a little additional filling and fairing (about 12mm on the upper edge) when fitted, due to shrinkage of the bronze in casting. I used Fabril which is a GRP filler paste. I also cross drilled and put in two 8mm Dia bronze rods peened over at each end to make sure it doesn't fall off, having first drilled two oversize holes and filled them with epoxy so that the wooden core is not water compromised. I can recommend E&D Engineering and Development, in Lyminton, who cast the shoe for me and only charged £136 including VAT and delivery. They normally do a bronze cast once a week but I was fortunate that they had a four day run of bronze pouring to do, so having posted the mould to them on saturday, they had it on monday, poured the mould on tuesday and after cleaning up the casting, got it out to me by Fedex on friday and I received it on monday midday and had it fitted that afternoon, including antifouling.

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