gel coat repair question

Owning a boat is a learning process, right? So we beached our boat a few times and now have some scratches in the red gel coat. I'm hoping someone can educate me about how big a problem this is:

1.) Should I fix it right away because the lack of gel coat in those areas allows water to permanently damage the exposed hull underneath?

2.) Does anyone know of a good way to be able to beach a boat without scratching the hull? I've been thinking about getting a keelguard, like this: Any feedback or other ideas? Seems like a keel guard protects a limited area....


Thanks - feel like an idiot, but that usually precedes knowledge...

Dave