Thanks for the recommedation for Classic Marine. What a nice company! Ordered the keel-band on-line on Sunday, they phoned me Monday morning and it was delivered this morning (Tuesdsay)! - Price was much more reasonable than the "competition"

Where's the best place to buy some brass keel band? - thinking of replacing the whole lot either side of the plate case if it's not a silly price. Thanks, Dave

Try Geoff O'Neill at Welsh Harp

Pinnel & Bax have a range of keelbands including brass.

Classic marine might do it but the cheapest way is to find a bout that's about to go on the bonfire.

Not sure I'd do that myself - it's always tricky removing keelband without kinking or even breaking it, have seen all sorts of manky bits of steel used to fix it to hulls.  The problem is sourcing the really narrow one.  It shouldn't be that pricey.  There used to be a brilliant metal merchant in Tooting called Geoffrey King Metals but they have been gone for over 5 years.

Classic Marine have supplied any keelband I've needed in recent years - courier postage can be a bit expensive but from memory they will ship up to 1.5m (slot gasket length) in strips strapped onto a piece of 2 x 1.(50mm x 25mm so as not to mix currencies)at about £1.80 per 300mm HTH

I googled non-ferrous metal suppliers in Birmingham (cause that's where I live...) and came up with a backstreet emporium that had all sorts of wonderful stuff suitable for boat building (stainless and aluminium off cuts).  They also had a reels of 1/4" and 1/2" keel band.  I popped in one lunch time and picked up 4m for £4.50.   Yes, that is 4 metres.  It gets a bit kinked on the roll, but its easy enough to straighten out.  http://www.johnkeatleymetals.com  Not sure what they would charge to send stuff....