I really like my Hunter 27 but I do have apprehensions about how the hull would take a keel strike and am thinking of beefing the hull up in that area. Does anyone know how thick the hull is on a Hunter 27 (mines a 1981) in the area of the keel bolts. Has anyone out there ever struck the keel and if so how did your hull hold up? Has anyone out there ever beefed this area up and if so what did you do?
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
D
Darrel
Keel Strength
All sailboats are subject groundings. Part of prudent seamanship is avoiding groundings. The type or severity of a keel hit can and does cause various levels of damage. Your boat hull like all sailboat hulls are designed for purpose use. Some are coastal cruisers, some are blue water cruisers. Coastal cruisers are not built to the same standards that a bluewater one is. Your boat should not require any structual modifications to carry the keel if you are using it within th escope of its design. You need to check the keel bolts and be sure they are tight and not corrioded and then use your excellant seamanship to avoid any hits to the keel.
All sailboats are subject groundings. Part of prudent seamanship is avoiding groundings. The type or severity of a keel hit can and does cause various levels of damage. Your boat hull like all sailboat hulls are designed for purpose use. Some are coastal cruisers, some are blue water cruisers. Coastal cruisers are not built to the same standards that a bluewater one is. Your boat should not require any structual modifications to carry the keel if you are using it within th escope of its design. You need to check the keel bolts and be sure they are tight and not corrioded and then use your excellant seamanship to avoid any hits to the keel.
R
Richard A. Marble
All too true but
When I at boats in boat yards it not hard to see boats (at least in Maine that have hit as seen by damage on the lower part of the keel. Full keel boats that show signs of touching bottom do not seam to show any other damage. On the other extreme you hear about long fin keel racers that loose a keel because they are so long and skinny. When I look at other designs I often see a small fiberglass stub under the boat with a keel bolted to that. If hit I’m would thing that the small fiberglass stub may be damaged but it would not rip the bottom of the hull off. With my Hunter it looks like a frontal hit might pull the front keel bolts down and push the back of the keel (the sharp part) up into the hull. I’m just wondering if anyone has ever gotten struck this way what it did to the boat.
When I at boats in boat yards it not hard to see boats (at least in Maine that have hit as seen by damage on the lower part of the keel. Full keel boats that show signs of touching bottom do not seam to show any other damage. On the other extreme you hear about long fin keel racers that loose a keel because they are so long and skinny. When I look at other designs I often see a small fiberglass stub under the boat with a keel bolted to that. If hit I’m would thing that the small fiberglass stub may be damaged but it would not rip the bottom of the hull off. With my Hunter it looks like a frontal hit might pull the front keel bolts down and push the back of the keel (the sharp part) up into the hull. I’m just wondering if anyone has ever gotten struck this way what it did to the boat.
S
Steve O.
Okay, I confess...
Due to low water levels here in the Great Lakes, I have had two groundings in the last two years (none in the preceding ten years). I hit a rock while going about 6 knots. BAM! The rig shook like crazy, but nobody got hurt. There was no visible damage to the hull or keel. Rather than retrofit your boat, I'd sell it and buy a blue water boat if you are that worried about it.
Due to low water levels here in the Great Lakes, I have had two groundings in the last two years (none in the preceding ten years). I hit a rock while going about 6 knots. BAM! The rig shook like crazy, but nobody got hurt. There was no visible damage to the hull or keel. Rather than retrofit your boat, I'd sell it and buy a blue water boat if you are that worried about it.
D
Darrel
H
Harry A.
Have taken several hits
Because my wife and I use our '83 H27 a lot and do a good bit of junk-holing I have taken several hits and a few groundings. The worst was coming back down a narrow channel with the tide, speed through the water was 6 knots but ground speed was showing 10Kt on my GPS. The water looked like strong tea and you could only see a few inches into it. There was a submerged log or tree truck, I never did see it, I hit, the boat stopped dead and then started pivoting on the keel. I put it in reverse and full throttle and she came off what ever it was we hit. Pulled up the floor boards and saw nothing amiss. It never leaked, when we got back out to clean water I went over the side and found only chipped bottom paint where she hit. The hull is about 1.25" to 1.5" thick at the keel bolts. So the hull is plenty strong enough, it is the keel bolts that may be the weak points. Hope this helps.
Because my wife and I use our '83 H27 a lot and do a good bit of junk-holing I have taken several hits and a few groundings. The worst was coming back down a narrow channel with the tide, speed through the water was 6 knots but ground speed was showing 10Kt on my GPS. The water looked like strong tea and you could only see a few inches into it. There was a submerged log or tree truck, I never did see it, I hit, the boat stopped dead and then started pivoting on the keel. I put it in reverse and full throttle and she came off what ever it was we hit. Pulled up the floor boards and saw nothing amiss. It never leaked, when we got back out to clean water I went over the side and found only chipped bottom paint where she hit. The hull is about 1.25" to 1.5" thick at the keel bolts. So the hull is plenty strong enough, it is the keel bolts that may be the weak points. Hope this helps.
D
David Foster
Damage at rear end of keel
We hit a rock doing around 4 knots off Put-in-Bay two summers ago. The lead keel was dented, but there was no other visible damage, or leaking. The insurance paid for a haul-out, paint stripping, and inspection. The yard marveled at the nine keel bolts, one+ inch thick glass, and strong grid in the bottom of the hull. Basicly, the conservative 70's design makes the keel attachment nearly indestructable from a single keel strike on a Cherubini h27. There were three small (less than one inch in length) cracks radiating back from the back of the keel attachment area. They did not come from our strike. The bad news is that impact damage on a fiberglass structure is cumulative. These cracks originated in earlier strike(s), but probably grew longer and/or deeper from our strike. So we had them ground out (again insurance paid) and the area reglassed. This showed them to be less than 1/4 inch deep. I wouldn't worry about your strike. I would have the area behind the keel powerwashed to remove all paint at the next haul-out. If there are any cracks, I'd get a really good fiberglass guy to help in my decision what (if anything) to do. David Lady Lillie
We hit a rock doing around 4 knots off Put-in-Bay two summers ago. The lead keel was dented, but there was no other visible damage, or leaking. The insurance paid for a haul-out, paint stripping, and inspection. The yard marveled at the nine keel bolts, one+ inch thick glass, and strong grid in the bottom of the hull. Basicly, the conservative 70's design makes the keel attachment nearly indestructable from a single keel strike on a Cherubini h27. There were three small (less than one inch in length) cracks radiating back from the back of the keel attachment area. They did not come from our strike. The bad news is that impact damage on a fiberglass structure is cumulative. These cracks originated in earlier strike(s), but probably grew longer and/or deeper from our strike. So we had them ground out (again insurance paid) and the area reglassed. This showed them to be less than 1/4 inch deep. I wouldn't worry about your strike. I would have the area behind the keel powerwashed to remove all paint at the next haul-out. If there are any cracks, I'd get a really good fiberglass guy to help in my decision what (if anything) to do. David Lady Lillie
R
Richard Marble
I guess I won't worry too much
Based on what you guys are saying. My keel looks like it never been hit. I do have a small leak around the keel bolts when I’m out sailing. This leaking only happens then, I think from the pressure on the keel when under stain. I plan on dropping the keel this winter and recaulking it. I have a real good fiberglass guy that’s very affordable so I thought I’d have him glass the upper part of the keel to the hull. I also thought I’d strip the old bottom paint and put some bottompoxy on the bottom at the same time, Any suggestions?
Based on what you guys are saying. My keel looks like it never been hit. I do have a small leak around the keel bolts when I’m out sailing. This leaking only happens then, I think from the pressure on the keel when under stain. I plan on dropping the keel this winter and recaulking it. I have a real good fiberglass guy that’s very affordable so I thought I’d have him glass the upper part of the keel to the hull. I also thought I’d strip the old bottom paint and put some bottompoxy on the bottom at the same time, Any suggestions?
- Status
- Not open for further replies.