Bob Eeg advised I not build new outer walls on the keel, but rather to just re-fiberglass the holes, however the 7 cutout areas of the keel (access to remove the steel punchings) are huge, as in imagine a wide river with a couple of bridges – the wide river is the cutout sections, the banks and bridges are the remaining existing keel walls. And so my fiberglass man is sanding down to the original gelcoat, perhaps even original fiberglass, and then building up a new fiberglass wall on both sides of the keel. Work will be on the keel only, not the hull. The void will remain for me to pour lead shot into to replace the removed steel punchings. My fiberglass man is familiar with gelcoating over fiberglass, but I was thinking that after sanding the new fiberglass to a nice airfoil shape as the keel requires, to primer and then apply a glossy barrier coat would be less work, hence less expense. I know 2 coats of primer and up to 6 coats of barrier coat is required, but the keel is not so huge an area, that after he fiberglasses and sands it, I could probably do the painting myself….(may need less than 6 coats since boat is trailered and only in water for a day usually – two days tops). He quoted me $2000 to sand, reglass and gelcoat, with the required sanding of gelcoat. He assures me him gelcoating is easier than painting. As the boat is on the hard in his boatyard, and I prefer him to do the work, I’ve agreed to go with the gelcoat. The boat is only in the water a day or two at a time – otherwise it is on the trailer in my yard, and so in the event I decide to go with the gelcoat I intend to apply wax to the gelcoated keel prior to sailing, will help speed, protect gelcoat from water penetration. Anyone have opinions as to which they would do to the new keel walls: gelcoat only or barrier coat?? Jim Hymes