I need to replace the winch to keel cable/line on my 1984 Hunter 20. The existing one is broken and I'd like to replace it with the boat on the trailer. Any ideas how to do this safely without hiring a crane to lift the boat. I'm not near anyplace that has a boat lift and was wondering if I can jack the boat up a few inches and place some wide boards between the hull and bunk boards and just let the keel swing down as I jack the boat off the trailer. Of course I'd have the trailer hooked to my truck and blocked so it doesn't roll. Anyone have a better idea?
Hunter 20 centerboard cable
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T
Tim
I have the same problem to fix this winter. I am pondering the same solution about lifting the boat since mine on the trailer too. I took the winch out and discovered the line had not broken but the outer part of the double braid line had broken. This basically caused a bigger mess on the winch spool.
Hunter 20 Keel cable
Tim, If the weather stays mild this week, I'll probably work on mine Friday and I'll take photos to document it. My plan is to jack the rear of the boat up about 12 inches with a floor jack (auto type) just aft of the end of the keel and block the boat up on the bunk boards and let the keel lay on the trailer floor. This worked for me on a Macgregor 22 that had a broken cable, maybe there is enough clearance to get to the keel. When I bought this boat, only a few inches of nylon rope was left on the winch...looks like it broke off. I did get a drawing from Hunter Corp showing how to route the line to the keel. I would rather use stainless steel cable but don't think it would work with the small rollers behind the winch. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Tim, If the weather stays mild this week, I'll probably work on mine Friday and I'll take photos to document it. My plan is to jack the rear of the boat up about 12 inches with a floor jack (auto type) just aft of the end of the keel and block the boat up on the bunk boards and let the keel lay on the trailer floor. This worked for me on a Macgregor 22 that had a broken cable, maybe there is enough clearance to get to the keel. When I bought this boat, only a few inches of nylon rope was left on the winch...looks like it broke off. I did get a drawing from Hunter Corp showing how to route the line to the keel. I would rather use stainless steel cable but don't think it would work with the small rollers behind the winch. Any ideas would be appreciated.
T
Tim
Hunter 20 Keel cable
I would agree, I don't think the rollers were designed for cable and would not last. I debating what type of rope would be the best replacement. I think pretty much the same thing just block the boat up on the trailer itself.
I would agree, I don't think the rollers were designed for cable and would not last. I debating what type of rope would be the best replacement. I think pretty much the same thing just block the boat up on the trailer itself.
T
Tim
project half done
Well, I did attempt to block it up on the trailer but I soon discovered it would have to be quite high to get the keel low enough to attach the line. I had previously removed the winch itself from the housing. I did not remove the housing/post. I degreased the inside of the housing and the winch. After clean up I was expecting to see plastic roller, however, there was a brass one instead. I then crawled under the boat to check out the bottom roller. After a little scraping around with a very long screwdriver and wd40, I discovered the bottom roller was brass also. Looks like this may have been done before because I was under the impression the stock ones were plastic. Anyhow I did not remove housing and I replaced the rope. My first attempt was to pull the new line through from top to bottom using the old rope which had been unspooled from the winch. I connected the new to old by taping the two together with masking tape. From under the boat I pulled the old line down using a wire coat hanger. Once below the bottom of the boat, I could use hands to pull the old line. Well I got it about half way down and my connection broke. So I had to pull the new line back up. Of course the old line was out the bottom now. I then feed a piece of welding wire up the roller housing attached the new line and pulled from the bottom of the boat. Now I trying to get do an eye splice for keel attachment. I attached the upper end to the winch and all is back in place up top. My only solution to get the keel down is to pull it back to the boat ramp down the street. Put it in the water and dive underneath to attach the line to the keel.
Well, I did attempt to block it up on the trailer but I soon discovered it would have to be quite high to get the keel low enough to attach the line. I had previously removed the winch itself from the housing. I did not remove the housing/post. I degreased the inside of the housing and the winch. After clean up I was expecting to see plastic roller, however, there was a brass one instead. I then crawled under the boat to check out the bottom roller. After a little scraping around with a very long screwdriver and wd40, I discovered the bottom roller was brass also. Looks like this may have been done before because I was under the impression the stock ones were plastic. Anyhow I did not remove housing and I replaced the rope. My first attempt was to pull the new line through from top to bottom using the old rope which had been unspooled from the winch. I connected the new to old by taping the two together with masking tape. From under the boat I pulled the old line down using a wire coat hanger. Once below the bottom of the boat, I could use hands to pull the old line. Well I got it about half way down and my connection broke. So I had to pull the new line back up. Of course the old line was out the bottom now. I then feed a piece of welding wire up the roller housing attached the new line and pulled from the bottom of the boat. Now I trying to get do an eye splice for keel attachment. I attached the upper end to the winch and all is back in place up top. My only solution to get the keel down is to pull it back to the boat ramp down the street. Put it in the water and dive underneath to attach the line to the keel.
Centerboard cable
Tim, I tried that approach too and found that the connection just wasn't accessible from the bottom unless the whole keel is removed from the boat. The attachment point is at the top of the keel about 10 inches aft of the winch. I went ahead and drilled a 3 inch hole about 8 inches aft of the winch to expose the keel trunk (inside of the hull). I got right to the shackle and connected a new line to it from inside the boat. I'll post photos soon. Now what I've got left to do is reinstall the winch, it's housing and the bulkhead just ahead of the winch. Then I'll have to patch up the hole with layers of fiberglass and find a 3 inch access cover to fix the big hole I made. Guess I'll use this same hole next time.
Tim, I tried that approach too and found that the connection just wasn't accessible from the bottom unless the whole keel is removed from the boat. The attachment point is at the top of the keel about 10 inches aft of the winch. I went ahead and drilled a 3 inch hole about 8 inches aft of the winch to expose the keel trunk (inside of the hull). I got right to the shackle and connected a new line to it from inside the boat. I'll post photos soon. Now what I've got left to do is reinstall the winch, it's housing and the bulkhead just ahead of the winch. Then I'll have to patch up the hole with layers of fiberglass and find a 3 inch access cover to fix the big hole I made. Guess I'll use this same hole next time.
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