About midway through the sailing season last year the keel eye on my rudder gave out leaving me scratching my head as how I would raise the keel once it came time to haul out in the fall. I know a few other 216 owners have experienced this issue so I thought I would share my experience.
I built a small frame with 4x4 and 2x6 lumber and mounted a winch to the frame. With a little bit of patience and a good old Canadian hockey stick I was able to loop a a lifting strap around the bottom of the keel. Once I the strap around the keel I used the winch to raise the keel. Once the keel was up I was able to get the boat on trailer and back home.
I spoke to the keel manufacturer and they said that in their opinion the keel could not be repaired and suggested they could install a new keel. I bought this Hunter as salvage boat and I had no intention of forking out almost as much as I paid for the boat to have a new keel installed. After exploring a number of different options I decided to keep it simple. I used my frame and winch to raise the entire keel assembly out of the keel trunk. Once I had the keel in a position that I could access the area I needed I braced the keel assembly with 4x4's.
I used (2) 10" steel mending straps to fabricate a new mount to receive the cable and shackle. I drilled (3) 3/8" holes through the keel and inserted 3/8" bronze bushings. I then attached the mending straps to either side of the keel with 1/4" stainless steel bolts. I drilled a 15/32" hole in the end of the mending plate to receive the shackle. I made my own cable and doubled up on the fasteners as a precaution. I launched the boat on the weekend and my makeshift repair seems to be performing well. I have raised and lowered the keel a number of times and it seems to be working just as well as before. The total cost was under $100 for my keel repair including the lumber for the frame, the winch, and the parts to fabricate my new keel eye.
Cheers, Scott
I built a small frame with 4x4 and 2x6 lumber and mounted a winch to the frame. With a little bit of patience and a good old Canadian hockey stick I was able to loop a a lifting strap around the bottom of the keel. Once I the strap around the keel I used the winch to raise the keel. Once the keel was up I was able to get the boat on trailer and back home.
I spoke to the keel manufacturer and they said that in their opinion the keel could not be repaired and suggested they could install a new keel. I bought this Hunter as salvage boat and I had no intention of forking out almost as much as I paid for the boat to have a new keel installed. After exploring a number of different options I decided to keep it simple. I used my frame and winch to raise the entire keel assembly out of the keel trunk. Once I had the keel in a position that I could access the area I needed I braced the keel assembly with 4x4's.
I used (2) 10" steel mending straps to fabricate a new mount to receive the cable and shackle. I drilled (3) 3/8" holes through the keel and inserted 3/8" bronze bushings. I then attached the mending straps to either side of the keel with 1/4" stainless steel bolts. I drilled a 15/32" hole in the end of the mending plate to receive the shackle. I made my own cable and doubled up on the fasteners as a precaution. I launched the boat on the weekend and my makeshift repair seems to be performing well. I have raised and lowered the keel a number of times and it seems to be working just as well as before. The total cost was under $100 for my keel repair including the lumber for the frame, the winch, and the parts to fabricate my new keel eye.
Cheers, Scott