Restoration: MarsKeel Brings History Back to Life with a Custom Keel

May 8, 2025

The keel of any yacht is more than ballast. It’s one of the foundations of stability, and safety. But what happens when that foundation is missing entirely? That was the challenge posed by the full rebuilding of SY Doris, a Herreshoff Manufacturing 78’ yacht, first built in 1905.

 With the original keel long lost to history, MarsKeel Technology in Burlington ON was called upon by Snediker Yacht Restoration to manufacture a completely new one..

A feat of engineering precision and craftsmanship, built from the keel up.

MarsKeel was entrusted to create a custom keel weighing approximately 43,000 lbs for the fully rebuilt yacht, based on a new set of drawings for the keel provided by the client. The company produced a full-scale pattern, which was then used to craft a precise mold for the casting. Every step was handled in-house, from pattern design to pour, ensuring compliance with tight tolerances and to the naval architect’s intent.

To maintain safety, Marskeel designed a pair of embedded lifting points, allowing the keel to be safely moved at multiple stages in the production process. There were a pair of engineered and professionally fabricated lifting brackets used to lift the keel from our lifting points in the keel. The brackets allow for our safe handling and loading as well as unloading of the truck at the customers location.

The casting process was as always, a continuous pour, a MarsKeel Technology standard. This is done to eliminate potential structural flaws caused by cold joints, thereby ensuring strength throughout the casting. To provide the customer with the highest possible casting quality.

MarsKeel Was the Right Partner

• We designed and built the pattern, ensuring precise shape and form.
• Our custom keel process meets unique legacy specifications while upholding modern engineering standards.
• We fabricated lifting brackets to exact specs for safe handling.
• All work was completed on time, solving problems collaboratively with the client.
• Our continuous pour method results in consistent material strength and integrity.

MarsKeel delivered a 43,000 lb custom keel for a historic Herreshoff yacht rebuild, engineering a precise solution without an existing reference point. Completed on time and on budget, the project highlights MarsKeel’s ability to blend heritage with superior engineering, delivering tailored solutions that meet today’s performance standards while honoring classic design.