Bent Fin on H280 Keel

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ljcraigie

ljcraigie

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Aug 20, 2011
17
Hunter 280 Lake Oologah
The attached Hunter 280 photgraph shows the starboard fin on the keel is bent upward about 3-4 inches at the tip. Not sure how this happened but I think if I had an out of the water survey when I purchased the boat, it would have been noticed. My question is, Is it worth fixing? The marina says they would heat it up and bend it back into shape. I am concerned that it might crack.

I have been sailing the boat for just over a year and have not noticed any differences in port or starboard tacks.

Any thought from the experts?



Thanks for your replies

Larry
 

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Ken13559

Ken13559

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Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
No bother fixing it. Not going to make much different if you haven't notice it by now. Perhaps you'll want to balance the wing by ground/bending the other side? Just like what I have. Mantaray Wings, I called it.
 
B

Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,174
CC 30 South Florida
Jeezz that's bent. No biggie; its effect on sailing is more about weight than hydrodynamics.
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I've heard that these iron keel winglets are impossible to bend back. It's its unlikely to effect performance. Hell who knows, it make it better!
 
pk104

pk104

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Jun 30, 2009
208
Catalina 310 Atwood Lake
My son owns a 280 and when I looked at the wing it doesn't look like it does a lot of anything. After spending 42 years making steel I would suggest leaving it alone but check for cracking where it is attached to the main part of the keel. If you see cracks then it may need to be welded. It took a lot of pressure to bend it like that. It would bend back with heat but they will also need to pound on it with a big hammer at the same time.
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
PT,

I agree heat would help in general, but is there a way to apply heat to the winglet, and not have most of it soak into the keel? I can't imagine how you could overcome the heat soak of that big hunk of iron in the main keel. But you're the steel guy!
 
pk104

pk104

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Jun 30, 2009
208
Catalina 310 Atwood Lake
If you want to avoid heating the keel, have some one cool it with water on the opposite side.
 
ljcraigie

ljcraigie

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Aug 20, 2011
17
Hunter 280 Lake Oologah
Lead it is

Steve Dion said:
The 280 should have a lead keel according to the specs.
Click to expand
Thanks to all for responding and bolstering my plans to.leave it alone. Just curious, has anyone ever tried to straighten a keel find?

Larry
 
Ken13559

Ken13559

.
Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
Yup, I did. Got the yard yo heat it and hammer to straight. Cracked it instead so gave up.
 
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