Hull / Keel joint

finefurn

finefurn

.
Oct 30, 2011
91
Hunter Cherubini 27 Mason
I have a 1984 Hunter 27. In preparing to paint the bottom I noticed this crack starting at the leading edge of the keel where it attaches to the hull. It extends about 8 in. The picture of the port side is what both sides looked like before I started probing with a screwdriver. The picture of the starboard side is what I ended up with after I picked away some of the flaking paint and/or caulk. What is the best way to go about repairing
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this.
 
njlarry

njlarry

.
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
Do a search here and on google on keel smile. Sail magazine also has some info on their website. It really depends on the condition of the keel bolts and if the keel stub joint is water tight. There are some water streaks on the port side but they could also be from rain and condensation on the cold keel. You might want to have a pro surveyor look at it.
Hopefully people familiar with your boat will have some suggestions. Often times it is a easy job of fairing. Has the boat had a hard grounding? Are the keel bolts torgued?
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
 
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R

Reg M

.
May 21, 2016
131
Hunter 31 Montague
I have had the same problem with my H31. After doing all the research I decided to go with the POR-15 treatment. It is a special paint which turns rust to solid and it is not affected by water. I first used a small grinder to grind away the filler along the hull to keel seam. Unfortunately I did not take photos as there are a lot of them in this forum. I only ground out a narrow track, about a half inch wide and maybe a quarter inch deep. Then I power washed the whole bottom, including the seam, as I had already sanded the bottom ready for antifouling. After that I used a leaf blower to blast the water from the seam and then left it for a few hours before applying the POR-15 with a brush. After the POR-15 dried to a full cure (I left it 24 hours) I roughed it up with 220 sandpaper and used 3M marine fairing compound to fill and fair the hull to keel seam area. Today I plan to sand it smooth and tomorrow the antifouling goes on.One caveat about POR-15 is that it is susceptable to UV rays and must be top coated. Good luck. I am hoping this works - we will see in the fall or next spring. Reg
 
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Domingo630

Domingo630

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Apr 27, 2016
19
Hunter 33 Detroit
I used West System 655-8 G/Flex Thickened Epoxy Adhesive to repair a hairline crack i discovered after haul out last season. I first used a Dremel to dig out a channel about 1/4 inch deep. I then sanded the bottom paint away a few inches above and below the crack, filled with g-flex, sanded, and repeated. A few coats of barrier coat and new bottom paint and i'm sailing again. I'm no expert, but it appears you may have some grinding to do to clear away the old layers of bottom paint to better assess the crack.
 
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