Bruce Kessler pointed out that his Northern Marine 64 has a sacrificial steel strip beneath its keel. Actually, aboard Spirit of Zopilote the strip runs all the way from just below the boot top back to the after end of the keel. He used the term "sacrificial" because the steel plays no structural role; it's simply there to protect the fiberglass in the event of a hard grounding. Bruce also had the same arrangement on his 70-foot Delta. Seems like a good idea. I'm wondering (and Bruce doesn't know) what kind of steel ought to be used (I presume something soft), how thick, and how it should be fastened to the keel of a Nordhavn 47. The boat ships soon, and it's too late to have it done at the factory, so this is something I'll try to tackle in commissioning.. Any thoughts? Thanks, --Milt Baker P.S. I am also posting this on the Nordhavn owners board; no need to reply twice!