I just bought a used 1996 H26 and put it in the water the first time beginning January. I am currently in Malaysia and there are no Hunter dealers in the country that I'm aware of. While motoring back from a remote anchorage to the marina in about 3-4 foot waves, I heard a terrible knocking on the bottom of the boat and the keel uphaul line was very tight. I was trying to loosen the line (the week before I had swam under the boat and verified the keel was in full down position and the rope was not tight at this point)when the line broke, and all fell silent. Due to the weather at the moment I could not swim down and check anything. I know I did not hit anything as I was near a lighthouse in a fairly busy bay and there is nothing on the charts that indicated anything. I was also in about 80 feet of water at the time. In any case, when I was able to swim down and check a few days later I discovered NO KEEL, no nothing. How can it happen that when I am just motoring along the keel breaks. Is it not made to get through 3-4 foot waves?? The boat had been sitting on the trailer since 1996 except for about 1 month in the water. It looked and showed like brand new when I bought it and all seemed fine. I was able to do a bit of sailing the days before the keel broke off and sank and all seemed to be fine. Any ideas on what happened here and what to do about it? Has this happened to anyone else? It makes me wonder if I'll have to swim down and check everytime before I go sailing to know if it is there or not, not a good thing at all. Since there are no Hunter dealers or service centers in SE Asia, does anyone know if I can ship the part here and install it myself? If I can't fix it, I have just boat a very slow motorboat..... Thanks for any and all advice, Pat
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David King
Keel problem
Pat, Scary! I have a 1997 h26 that has been in salt water for five years. During the survey when I first bought the boat four years ago, the surveyer saw some galvanic action damage on the keel pivot assembly. Also, some deterioration on the water ballast valve. It was repaired and I bonded the two togeter with an internal wire attached to a zinc bolted to the rudder. Last haulout, no problems. But since first noticing the problem, the thought has occurred to me that even if the swing keel assembly were to completely be destroyed, the 3/8" line controling the keel would hold it roughly in place. Maybe not so. I'm anxious to read other responses. David King "Molly"
Pat, Scary! I have a 1997 h26 that has been in salt water for five years. During the survey when I first bought the boat four years ago, the surveyer saw some galvanic action damage on the keel pivot assembly. Also, some deterioration on the water ballast valve. It was repaired and I bonded the two togeter with an internal wire attached to a zinc bolted to the rudder. Last haulout, no problems. But since first noticing the problem, the thought has occurred to me that even if the swing keel assembly were to completely be destroyed, the 3/8" line controling the keel would hold it roughly in place. Maybe not so. I'm anxious to read other responses. David King "Molly"
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B
something to consider...
if you know the location or general vicinity in which you think the keel dropped then you might want to consider having someone scuba dive for it and then hoist it back up. I have never sailed the south pacific but from what I'm imagining the water visibility is probably pretty good which can only increase your chances of finding it, but ofcourse this idea is contingent upon a)finding a diver and b)will they be able to dive to the depth that required to locate it. I think you said you were close to port at the time it broke free which is also working in your favor. Good Luck B H23
if you know the location or general vicinity in which you think the keel dropped then you might want to consider having someone scuba dive for it and then hoist it back up. I have never sailed the south pacific but from what I'm imagining the water visibility is probably pretty good which can only increase your chances of finding it, but ofcourse this idea is contingent upon a)finding a diver and b)will they be able to dive to the depth that required to locate it. I think you said you were close to port at the time it broke free which is also working in your favor. Good Luck B H23
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Jeff Peltier
Parts needed
It sounds like the keel bracket might have broken. In this case, you would need a new bracket,pin, bushings, keel uphaul line, and keel. Look one more time to make sure the keel didn't break at the pivot. The replacement is fairly easy, but the boat must be pulled to do it. Depending on your trailer, you may be able to remove the keel bunk and replace it right on the trailer. Good luck, Jeff Peltier
It sounds like the keel bracket might have broken. In this case, you would need a new bracket,pin, bushings, keel uphaul line, and keel. Look one more time to make sure the keel didn't break at the pivot. The replacement is fairly easy, but the boat must be pulled to do it. Depending on your trailer, you may be able to remove the keel bunk and replace it right on the trailer. Good luck, Jeff Peltier
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Rick Webb
Offer a Reward
You could probably recruit a small army for what the new one will cost. I would not even consider doing it on the trailer except as a last resort. The thought of a few thousand pounds of boat crashing to the ground truly frightening, worse yet if it is crashing down on your head. The best solution is on a lift it would only take 15 or 20 minutes to get it set and bolted in. The other is to do it in the water maybe. I am pretty sure all of the holes are above the waterline. Crazy Dave will tell us for sure.
You could probably recruit a small army for what the new one will cost. I would not even consider doing it on the trailer except as a last resort. The thought of a few thousand pounds of boat crashing to the ground truly frightening, worse yet if it is crashing down on your head. The best solution is on a lift it would only take 15 or 20 minutes to get it set and bolted in. The other is to do it in the water maybe. I am pretty sure all of the holes are above the waterline. Crazy Dave will tell us for sure.
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David King
keel installation
The suggestion that you can reinstall the keel in 15 or 20 minutes is counter to my experience. When I did the original keel assembly inspection, we dropped the keel while the boat was on stands in a boatyard. It took three men over a half an hour to wrestle the thing back in place. Maybe someone else can do it in 15 or 20 minutes, but the next time I drop it for inspection, I'm scheduling three men and 30 minutes+. I would not consider doing it in the water. David King "Molly"
The suggestion that you can reinstall the keel in 15 or 20 minutes is counter to my experience. When I did the original keel assembly inspection, we dropped the keel while the boat was on stands in a boatyard. It took three men over a half an hour to wrestle the thing back in place. Maybe someone else can do it in 15 or 20 minutes, but the next time I drop it for inspection, I'm scheduling three men and 30 minutes+. I would not consider doing it in the water. David King "Molly"
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Rick Webb
How I Did It
I lined up the board as the boat was being lowered onto the trailer. When the boat was just low enough to keep the bracket from floping side to side I attached the line then pulled the line tight and started the bolt. Then I came down from the boat lowered the boat the rest of the way onto the trailer. Went back into the boat and torqued the bolt down. It was just me and the lift operator who did not leave the lift. A couple of hints on the job as well. Use duck tape to hold the pins in the bracket. Put some anti seize on the threads of the nut welded to the bracket the threads will likely get galled when you start to put some force on the bolt and you will have a hell of a time getting it back off next time. Doing it in the water while far from ideal sems preferable to doing it on the trailer without a lift. I am not sure how to go about it but you would not have to worry about the boat falling down.
I lined up the board as the boat was being lowered onto the trailer. When the boat was just low enough to keep the bracket from floping side to side I attached the line then pulled the line tight and started the bolt. Then I came down from the boat lowered the boat the rest of the way onto the trailer. Went back into the boat and torqued the bolt down. It was just me and the lift operator who did not leave the lift. A couple of hints on the job as well. Use duck tape to hold the pins in the bracket. Put some anti seize on the threads of the nut welded to the bracket the threads will likely get galled when you start to put some force on the bolt and you will have a hell of a time getting it back off next time. Doing it in the water while far from ideal sems preferable to doing it on the trailer without a lift. I am not sure how to go about it but you would not have to worry about the boat falling down.
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Jeff Peltier
trailer strength
Anyone worried about their trailer collapsing while they are under it, should not use that same trailer to tow the boat. Dynamic loads while going down the road can be more than 4 times the static load while sitting still. The question is, on his particular trailer, is there enough room to tip the board into the slot after removing the board that the Centerboard rests on. If there isn't enough room to do this without raising the boat off the bunks, put it on a boatlift or go to a place equipped to properly lift it. Jeff Peltier
Anyone worried about their trailer collapsing while they are under it, should not use that same trailer to tow the boat. Dynamic loads while going down the road can be more than 4 times the static load while sitting still. The question is, on his particular trailer, is there enough room to tip the board into the slot after removing the board that the Centerboard rests on. If there isn't enough room to do this without raising the boat off the bunks, put it on a boatlift or go to a place equipped to properly lift it. Jeff Peltier
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Rick Webb
Guess It Was not Clear
What I was suggesting not to do is to try and remove the bunks to do maintenance on the centerboard. There is not room to drop it while it is on the trailer the boat must be lifted. There was some discussion a few months back about propping the boat up and removing the bunks to paint and change the line on the centerboard. That sounds like a foolhardy adventure to me. A lift is the way to go. I was just kinda wondering out loud about doing it in the water but it seems like a better solution that propping the thing up with 2X4s with one bunk removed on the trailer. Sorry for the confusion.
What I was suggesting not to do is to try and remove the bunks to do maintenance on the centerboard. There is not room to drop it while it is on the trailer the boat must be lifted. There was some discussion a few months back about propping the boat up and removing the bunks to paint and change the line on the centerboard. That sounds like a foolhardy adventure to me. A lift is the way to go. I was just kinda wondering out loud about doing it in the water but it seems like a better solution that propping the thing up with 2X4s with one bunk removed on the trailer. Sorry for the confusion.
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Rick Engel
Cause of the Accident
Pat: I am very curious to learn more details. If you swim underneath your boat, you should be able to determine if there is a metal bracket still in place or if, as you seemed to suggest in your 1st message, the center board actually broke. I'm guessing that the bolt holding the bracket came undone & the whole unit fell out. This would explain the pressure on the lifting line. If this is the case, you should probably hire the diver OR contact the factory to order the entire unit. If the board broke, it may be possible to get a yard to make a new one. I do not have ready access to my boat over winter, but someone here could get you the dimensions. One other thing. It may not hurt to have a cup of coffee with your lawyer... Good luck, Rick
Pat: I am very curious to learn more details. If you swim underneath your boat, you should be able to determine if there is a metal bracket still in place or if, as you seemed to suggest in your 1st message, the center board actually broke. I'm guessing that the bolt holding the bracket came undone & the whole unit fell out. This would explain the pressure on the lifting line. If this is the case, you should probably hire the diver OR contact the factory to order the entire unit. If the board broke, it may be possible to get a yard to make a new one. I do not have ready access to my boat over winter, but someone here could get you the dimensions. One other thing. It may not hurt to have a cup of coffee with your lawyer... Good luck, Rick
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