I used a 1/2 PVC pipe. While you're in there, I'd take a hard look at the tabbing around that keel and the stringers. If you see black glass, it's likely moisture wicked up under the tabbing. I had to grind out a lot of it.
My tank bed was installed like yours was. and it laying hard on the stringers at the hull joint. I'd look at that joint too and look for any splitting in the stringer tabbing. I ended up entirely rehabbing the stringers and ground them out. I also added a fillet to help take a little stress off the stringer to hull joint.
Yours might be fine, but I'd take a really hard look at all of it and like Strick said, get that old fir keel out while you've got it all apart.
Good luck! It's all looking good.
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