25.5 keel question

[divermon]

Please for give me if my questions are very silly, i have only owned small 420's, lasers, and Escows. i am new to larger keel boats.

I have been in the market for a larger sailboat for about a year and came across this hunter 25.5. The boat was spotless inside and out with brand new sails and a spinnaker, the price was way to good to pass up so i bought it. Here is the question, the keel is the deep draft (4'6") and i would have preferred the shoal draft (3'3"). What is the Keel on this boat made of? Is it more then just fiberglass? is there a way to cut it down to the 3'3"?

My second option is at the junk yard there is a 25.5 with the shoal draft, the keel is in good shape but the hull is toast. Would my keel just unbolt and the shoal draft bolt right back in place?

I am sorry again if these questions are ridiculous, I am green when it comes to boats with keels.

Thank you for any input.

 

[egodsey]

The keel is cast iron. There are five stainless steel studs threaded into the keel. The keel is then bedded to the fiberglass hull and stainless nuts are torqued down on the studs. In addition the keel was probably bedded at the factory with 3M 5200 ... which means it will NOT be easy to remove.

In my opinion it would be almost impossible to "cut" the keel down. And only slightly less impossible to remove a shoal draft keel from a junker and reinstall it on another hull.

In my opinion the 25.5 is a bit over sailed as is. Thus I suspect the shoal draft version may be even more so ... even if the keel is shallower (but longer.)

The fin keel version is a joy to sail ... well balanced ... responsive and light on the helm when trimmed properly ... is the draft that big of a problem for you?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

If you are able to get into the wreck and take a pattern of the keel bolts to see if they match the boat you own, then it would be difficult but doable. If you do not have the experience of removing a keel and rekeeling it, then I would suggest you either pay a professional to do it or leave it alone. It can be dangerous should you try to undergo a project by yourself without the experience.