Changing keel on a Hunter 44DS

[Jack Barnes]

I have located a Hunter 44DS that looks interesting but it has the keel that draws 6 feet rather than the shoal draft keel. How much of a problem is it to change the keel in terms of cost and is it something that you would want to have done at all?

Thanks

 

[ggrizzard]

If you could find a donor shoal draft keel, it would cost as much to buy it and install it as the boat you're looking at cost, I suspect.

 

[DayDreamer41]

Is the 12" difference really worth the expense? I would think not, I am sure that you could find the manufacturer who does Hunters keels and possibly buy from them but I can't believe the effort would be worth while. Just my humble opinion.

This may be of interest for you, you could contact them and get an order of impact as to how much a new keel would cost to fabricate.
http://ibroomfieldandson.net/

 

[seadaddler]

Very Very costly and sorry to say should look at other boats and had a friend change keels but he owned from new and expects to keep it long time and went from up north to Fl.
Nick

 

[Calif. Ted]

You could get an estimate.
https://marskeel.com/production/oem-keels/

 

[Hunter Ad Bot]

And now a word from the sponsor...

Hunter faucets and parts

Replacement fixtures, hoses, sprayers, washers, and more.
See the product

 

[Hayden Watson]

I read an article where a Catalina C25 owner attained a keel from a wrecked C30 wing and did the swap. All work was done in his barn and the material cost was not too great due of course, he did not charge himself labor. ;>) Given the recent number of boats destroyed by last years hurricanes you could possibly get a donor keel. If you are handy and resourceful it could be done.

 

[Calif. Ted]

You'd need a big barn for a 44DS, I wouldn't swap a keel, and here on the west coast shoal keels are not preferred.

 

[Franklin]

If I am not mistaken, the keels are totally different on Hunters and should not be exchanged. A shoal keel is longer and therefore the hull is made different.

 

[seadaddler]

The Hull is not different but the keel is completely different and I had a choice of a shoal keel or deep keel
when I ordered my boat,the keels are different and you will need to order a new keel from mars keels or from another keel from same model Hunter.
Nick

 

[smokey73]

I can't find the link but I recall a company that makes a "bulb" conversion that you can order, cut the end off of your keel and install the bulb. I'm not sure about specifics and structural issues, costs, etc but am sure I saw something like that.

 

[smokey73]

I found the link. Marskeel makes the conversion:

https://marskeel.com/production/repair-modifications/draft-reductions/

Also there is a Practical Sailor article on this too.
https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/37_4/psadvisory/Pondering_the_Keel_ectomy_10347-1.html

Just some thoughts.
Dan

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I am not sure of the specific cost but a keel is not cheap. Then you have the cost of shipping from Canada where Mars Metals is located, lifting off truck, travel lift to lift up the boat for removal and install, materials to include bottom paints, sealants and labor. To do that by a do it your self individual is very dangerous on a 42 foot boat because one thing is to properly position that new keel under the boat upright and if you do not have the where all or intelligence to do that, I would encourage anyone to let a professional do that. I speak from experience as a former dealer as that keel weighs a lot.

 

[smokey73]

Absolutely!!! I'm not suggesting that you do or do not make the conversion but in any case, whether its a whole new keel or the conversion bulb in the Marskeel link, this is a job only for an experienced professional!! I'm not even sure I'd want a "run of the mill" yard do the work unless you have a great deal of confidence in their skill set for this job. The consequences for a keel failure are too severe to take any chances!

A lot depends on where you are planning on sailing. In many places you can manage the extra 12" or so by prudent navigation alone, which you should practice no matter what you have for a draft. In other places it can be managed by timing the tides. In most of those places the tide ranges are large enough (like the ICW in SC and GA) that you could get through with even a 7 foot draft but you'd have narrow tide windows for that and might be limited in how far you can travel in a day having to time the tides. So where you plan on sailing and how you plan on sailing/transiting are as big a factor as the keel depth alone. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Brian M H23]

Let's pretend, instead, that you are house shopping and you really like homes with 10' ceilings.

Let's now consider what you say to the realtor, when they take you to see a home with five foot ceilings and they say, kneeling in your otherwise dream home, "You can have this fixed!"

 

[DayDreamer41]

It appears that the only the OP has not returned, or is suspiciously watching from the boundaries.