Hunter 22 Keel Blocking

[rockp2]

Hello,I am a new owner of a 1981 H22. This is my first sailboat of this size. So for all intents and purposes, I am definitely a newbie. The boat is sitting on a trailer and I am in the process of restoring it. I am looking for any advice anyone would have about supporting the boat with blocks under the keel (for and aft of the swing keel. The boat is sitting on bunks that cradle the hull a couple of feet below the waterline. They conform to the shape of the hull.I am just concerned that this could cause some hull damage. None is apparent as of right now, but I have been doing some internet searching and everything seems to point to the fact that I should really support the boat with blocks under the keel. Can someone please tell me if I am just being over cautious, or if I am not, I am trying to learn where exactly I should place the blocks. Thank you very much in advance. -Herv

 

[Steve677]

Nothing currently under the keel?

Are you saying that all of the weight of the boat is on the bunks? The keel is hanging in the air? That would probably be a bad thing for the hull. Roughly 80 - 90 percent of the weight of the boat should be on the keel when she is out of the water. The bunks give the hull a bit of support and a great deal of stabilization.

 

[rockp2]

Yes, it is on the trailer....

The "keel" is not supported by the trailer. Let me clarify that this is a swing keel and not fixed one. I may be using the nomenclature "keel" wrong in this explanation. The swing-keel itself is not even attached currrently to the boat. I should say the "bottom of the hull" is hanging free with the boat totally on the bunks which are approximately situated 2' below the water line. The bunks due conform to the shape of the hull. I was told that this is the correct configuration for the H22 swing keel, but I would rather be safer for the hull of the boat by supporting it under the "keel" (boittom of the hull". Can you help me with where I should properly place support? I know there is lead in the bottom of the hull. Thanks!

 

[Rockp2]

Very Similar

My trailer is very similar. Not exact, but very close. It does have a board for the swing keel to rest on, but that is for after the boat is on the trailer. The swing keel is very light (foam core?) and after the boat is on the trailer, you release the keel at the trunk just so the swing keel can rest on the board instead of being held up by the cables in the trunk.With the restoration I am doing on the boat it will be months if not a year before I put it in the water. I have run across stories on the internet where other boat types have cracked their hull by not having it blocked correctly in a yard for example. I think I could block the bottom of the hull on the H22 so the hull sides are not supporting the weight, but I just cannot find anything that gives me the definitve answer, or where the blocks should be placed.There is a slot in the bottom of the hull where the swng keel recesses into and I am guessing that if I block the bottom of the hull on the fore and aft part of that slot, this would be the correct location. I hoping that someone could verify that for me.Thank you very much for the pic you located and your feedback. Anything else you have would be greatly appreciated! -Herv

 

[Bob Poff]

I'm a little conservative

One difference is the Mac 22 has a 500# iron swing keel.I've had the M22 sitting on it's trailer now for a year or so with no signs ofnasty things happening to the hull.(anybody wanna buy an '84 Mac 22?)But I was thinking, with the boat supporting you, tools, materials, and so on it probably wouldn't be bad idea to support the bottom.Probably what I'd do is put a sheet of 1/4" plywood across the bottom, and then run some sort of strapping across it. With the strap being anchored to the trailer. That would spread out the loads.Might be over cautious but.......Good luck with your project.