Keel questions

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dmosier

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Sep 30, 2011
20
Hunter 23 Clarks Hill Lake
D2D336E3-6685-45AB-B259-0E21FAAA75C6.jpeg D2D336E3-6685-45AB-B259-0E21FAAA75C6.jpeg 9094BF15-6282-4B9A-8AFE-08405A48C00E.jpeg D2D336E3-6685-45AB-B259-0E21FAAA75C6.jpeg 9094BF15-6282-4B9A-8AFE-08405A48C00E.jpeg D9A5A8D4-F425-4646-9D1B-1B3BF32B6E68.jpeg AA395003-1997-4EDD-AC14-5C457E5EE931.jpeg CC762F19-2086-4E19-9A52-1062DA7755D0.jpeg E5F7AD86-3D00-44DF-BF59-C9EEF518CC10.jpeg 4B0C76D7-0B39-46E8-BF10-C888278E6806.jpeg 3D71507E-A63A-41AC-914E-76AB17A049B3.jpeg

I have a newly acquired Hunter 23 (1987). The boat needs a lot of work. I am currently getting the trailer road worthy so I can move it to my shop. I plan to start at the bottom work my way to the top then rebuild the interior (more on that later).

I have attached pictures of the keel. I was only planning on painting. However, after a closer look I have concerns.

Where would you start? What should I look for? Looking for advice.
 
decktosser

decktosser

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Sep 7, 2011
116
Hunter H23 Southwind YC, Milford, Kansas
Well, here is what I would do.......first, because it appears that there is some separation from the hull. I would make certain that the keel bolts are snugged up and not leaking. To check for leaks you can fill the bilge with red dye water and see if it is leaking out through the keel/hull joint . Assuming it is not, I would then begin to repair the rust on the keel. I would probably sand it down with heavy grit paper and then decide if the really rusted spots needed to be filled in. If so, fill in with something like MarineTex and fair. The entire keel should then be painted with zink chromate and then painted with anti-fouling paint.

I am sure others will also have advice for you...keep us posted. I will be interested in your interior restoration....
 
D

dmosier

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Sep 30, 2011
20
Hunter 23 Clarks Hill Lake
I will check with the die as you suggest. I don’t think they are leaking as I have a significant leak into the interior and can testify they hold water.

Thanks for the input. I was afraid I would need to drop the keel.
 
Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,304
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
I had a steel keel on my O'Day 23. After you have checked the keel/hull joint as decktosser suggested, consider getting the keel blasted back to bare metal. Be prepared to seal the bare keel right away, or rust will start again. The steel can be prepped with a preservative and then sealed with epoxy. There will be some rough spots where the steel scaled, so fair these with epoxy mixed with filler. Then several layers of epoxy. Finally, fair the keel/hull joint with epoxy and filler. I had ten years of service in salt water after doing this, with very good results. If you just repair the spots you see now, you will forever be chasing rust on your keel.
 
BigEasy

BigEasy

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Jun 21, 2004
2,533
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
I do have some concern about the vertical crack, that area needs to be investigated thoroughly. My ‘88 Hunter 33.5 with cast iron keel had same problem with rusting after 10 years in salt water. Apparently hunter applied gelcoat to the keelstub / keel interface on these boats and the gelcoat eventually cracked. Check for leaking keel bolts, if they are ok, then clean out the groove at the stub, get the keel blasted down to bare metal and immediately coat with interptotect 2000 epoxy. Fair the keel with filler where significant rusting has occurred and recoat with several coats of Interprotect. Fill the groove at the stub with 3M 5200 and recoat with your favorite ant fouling paint. A temporary fix would involve sanding the keel to remove some antifouling paint, sand/grind out the rust spots, coat exposed metal with interprotect, fill/fare, more interprotect, and finally antifouling paint.
 
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isaksp00

isaksp00

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Apr 27, 2010
1,240
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
From my experience you'll need an angle grinder and a coarse wire brush wheel plus grinding wheels. That steel is tough. Assuming the keel bolts are ok and no leaks there, you really only have cosmetic issues. You could defer the keel prep if you have more critical repairs to get it sailing this season. We'll, maybe not if you are in salt water and thus need antifouling paint.
 
D

dmosier

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Sep 30, 2011
20
Hunter 23 Clarks Hill Lake
6A389751-ABBC-4122-8B34-E4A359DF0286.jpeg 12DF55FE-CD2D-49F4-A188-F5D69220B48A.jpeg 6A929FD7-1E61-4E08-BCA4-B608061BEEBB.jpeg 846FD9D0-5A36-4C2F-B5D3-B78F6AA216DC.jpeg DDBFAD58-A4DF-4BEE-87C1-0F1C1BB47D12.jpeg 54D0A63B-8BA5-40FC-9037-2619669ECDAD.jpeg

I took some pictures of the keel bolts today. I did not have a chance to get die yet but I will. In the pictures you can see the bolts before and after I dried out the boat today.
 
Last edited:
Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,304
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
The keel bolts look to be in very good condition.
 
B

Brian M H23

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Oct 3, 2006
1,003
Hunter 23 Philadelphia
I think you'll find this keel is quite well attached to the Hunter 23, for being only 2 foot draft.
It looks like the keel was coated in fairing compound which had poor adhesion and is failing all over the place. At a minimum you'll want to scrape/ blast anything that isn't well adhered. After alll the "loose stuff" is gone you'll have a much better picture of what's going on.

Get used to the water in the bilge - it's rare to have a 23 that doesn't collect rain water.
 
C

Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,051
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Before any more comments, there is a crack in this cast iron keel on the starboard side near the front of the keel extending downward to the bow and also damage at the bottom of the keel which needs further attention. I am concerned for structural integrity. I cannot tell but the washers bent inward which needs more investigating. I am waiting for dmosier to get back with me. Thus the request for a further inspection by the owner and possibly a surveyor. There is other things from looking at the photos but cannot tell until a further inspection.
 
Hayden Watson

Hayden Watson

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Apr 5, 2009
2,783
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
I would want to find out why there are doubled up keel bolts. That is usually only done if there was a problem with the original ones.
 
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Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,051
-na -NA Anywhere USA
If anyone can please put in a photo of their h 23 wing keel bolts in the bilge, that would be appreciated. Thanks Hayden. That was a good question or statement to call.
 
isaksp00

isaksp00

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Apr 27, 2010
1,240
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
I can't get to mine right now, but I think that mine has bolts side by side like that. I'm not sure they are doubled up as an afterthought.
 
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