CONTINUOUSWAVE

I live in central Texas where lakes and river shorelines have everything from rocks, sand, and concrete slabs to beach your boat on. Some don’t have docks for after launch. I’m concerned about keel damage.

I have checked -out both Gator Guard and Keel Guard. but neither will work on my 2007 Dauntless 180 due to the chines.

Q1: is there another keel protection solution?

Q2: like Rhino lining?

Q3: can I just beach without protection?

Q4: If beaching without protection, what do I need to watch for on the keel?

Keel Guard or similar products are added to the keel only rather than the chines. Most installations go five to six feet aft of the bow eye. Typically this is all that is necessary to beach a boat.

When beaching my boat on the precast concrete planks covered in barnacles at the local boat ramp with no courtesy floats, I would throw down the "throwable device", a square seat cushion with handles, and lift the keel on to it and pulled the boat up.

If you must add protection to the chines, a stainless cutwater is more appropriate. It will need to be custom fabricated and attached with screws. The need for this level of protection speaks to the possibility that a gel coat fiberglass hull is not appropriate. An aluminum hull would better suit your use.

I like Phil's approach: carry some sort of blanket to interpose between the rough shoreline and the beautiful fiberglass hull of your Boston Whaler.