First Sail Boat!

[shemandr]

Photo below, looks a little weird but works well!

A little weird indeed. Like a Turduckin. Wouldn't the boat need some engineering modifications to make that work? I would think you can't just swap out a fin keel for a bilge keel. The hull would need re-enforcement in the keel locations especially since the windward keel would be canted in a sense. Dave C. provided the answer. They were built in England - a fact I was ignorant of.
Bilge keels have the reputation of being sluggish. Too much drag. But the report of this model seems to taut it's performance. I can see the stability caused by that windward keel being like canted ballast allowing the boat to sail more upright (And maybe with more sail area) but is that enough to overcome the extra drag?

 

[rgranger]

I agree... it does look strange. But interesting.

 

[jssailem]

it does look strange. But interesting.

Imagine flipping the hull upside down.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Most bilge keels I have seen have a keel running about 60% the length of the boat.

That may answer the question of why bilge keels have a reputation for sluggishness. That Hunter doesn't look sluggish.

Nice choice and welcome to the forum. Thanks for sharing pictures.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[jssailem]

bilge keels have a reputation for sluggishness

Not sure, but would guess that sluggishness was not a design consideration. Allowing the boat to sit on a mooring ball when the tide went out and left the boat drying in the mud flats were probably the design priority. That and having a shallow draft to get over the many shoals in the area yet still having a sail boat.

 

[rgranger]

Imagine flipping the hull upside down.

you are a sick man....

 

[nightowle]

Personally, I've liked the sailing manners of most Hunters although I've only sailed the deep or fin keel versions. Leaks are probably the most common complaint, but a boat of this given age any should have rectified. You'd find evidence of leaks with a survey and most are easy to fix. So, I'd say go ahead with it. You'll find it to be a nice cruising boat.

 

[shemandr]

I'll say that two basically narrow length fins with bulbs would have a lot less drag than two 1/3 boat length keels. Those classic bilge keels have no foil shape, do not get the ballast low and are low aspect ratio. Perhaps that's the reason for the sluggishness.