Hunter 23 Keel

[B-Mac]

Is this the standard "wing keel" for the Hunter 23?

I recently acquired this used 1985 Hunter 23 for a very good price (of course that means a lot of TLC required). After cleaning it up and applying bottom paint it is now in a marina slip and I still can't find a great answer online to help me better understand my keel. The manual and all the information I find online about the Hunter 23 is that it has a wing keel but the keel on my boat looks different to the pictures I've seen online.

It seems like I have a swing keel or maybe a (wing/swing hybrid?) but I can't find any rope or mechanism onboard to be able to swing the keel into a vertical position. If I swim under water I can push or "swing" the white portion of the keel down into the vertical position, but it doesn't stay down, it just floats back into a horizontal position--is this normal? The brown/blue part of the keel is about 7 inches thick at the bottom and then it tapers upward.

I've read online that the Hunter 23 is "nigh impossible" keel over or capsize, but as a beginner sailor I don't quite have full confidence taking her out in stronger winds until I know the keel is working correctly and in its proper position.

Any help or explanation would be much appreciated. (I apologize the picture is not the best angle--I took this picture when I first checked it out and my attempts to take underwater video failed)

 

[Davidasailor26]

Seems like the kind of thing @Crazy Dave Condon would know.

 

[isaksp00]

That isn't like my '91 H23, which has a cast iron winged keel. If you can swing down the white foil it is almost certainly a keel-centerboard. I don't know how those are rigged, but if I recall the line that pulls it down may route up to the deck somehow. Crazy Dave would know for sure.

 

[isaksp00]

Hunter 23 swing keel version, not the wing keel version

Does anyone who owns one of the earlier versions of the Hunter 23 with swing keel version have any photos and/or diagrams of the swing keel as there is none under boat information. I am going to request some from Hunter if there are any. Thank you dave condon

forums.sailboatowners.com

Check that out. Also, add pics of the cabin area where the lines in the PDF diagram look like they route to. If that swing keel is made of foam like the rudder, it'll want to float up as you noted. Looks like there is one line that helps the floating action to raise the board, and another with mechanical advantage to force it down when it wants to float.

 

[shemandr]

I think that is a swing keel housed in a keel enclosure. My clue is the pivot pin. Keels serve two purposes. One is ballast which is what that housing provides. The other is lateral resistance/lift which is what the centerboard does. As far as mechanics I don't know. But I feel pretty certain that the centerboard goes up and down. It may not have done much of that in the life of the boat since I suspect the PO (The dirty B*****d) probable sailed it with the board up.
It doesn't look balanced for to aft but I can't argue with the designer.

 

[caverun]

While we wait for Crazy Dave to chime in, check out this previous thread- apparently an early version and only 10 made that way. There is a diagram posted in that thread showing the line to raise/lower the swing portion. (1) Hunter 23 swing keel version, not the wing keel version | Sailboat Owners Forums

 

[shemandr]

I couldn't tell from the original post that the centerboard is housed in a wing keel (At least that's what it looks like to me).
I like the concept, The wing keel adds more ballast low - where it should be. The centerboard provides the lateral resistance needed for pointing ability. But I guess the mechanism is a bit too complex for easy maintenance. Or so it looks from the diagram.
It would be a good design for thin water sailers like here on the Indian Lagoon in Florida. Even so I'm not sure you could put the board down in many areas of the lagoon. I think the solution is to find deeper water if you want to sail.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

It must be one of the first winglet with a centerboard attached. If the poster could supply the hull number, that would tell me. I came on board as a dealer buying the first full wing keel.
Crazy Dave

 

[rgranger]

If you want decent performanc to windward, you are gonna want to run the line that holds the keel down.

 

[caverun]

At least the line is easy to access and replace on the trailer- unlike my 260

 

[B-Mac]

If you want decent performanc to windward, you are gonna want to run the line that holds the keel down.

Hi @Crazy Dave Condon, you come highly recommended and it appears you had a related question back in 2004.

My Hull number is: HUN23058D585

The diagram found in your former thread about this Hunter 23 swing keel is helpful, but not all that helpful as it doesn't really indicate where the "centerboard lanyard up/down" are found, my guess is it is by the stern by the rudder/tiller but I'm not certain (clued in by the two vertical cleats shown on right side of diagram and I know there are two vertical cleats at the stern of the boat). There definitely isn't a block and tackle pulley back there to be found as indicated in the diagram (diagram reposted here for convenience), but as @shemandr suggested I don't think the PO took very good care of it--the cost of what appears to be a "good deal".

I would be grateful for any further information you can provide or direct me to on the topic.

Thanks everyone else for your input! I was blown away how many posts were made in just 24hrs!

Cheers!

 

[isaksp00]

Ok, while waiting for Crazy Dave, here is what it seems to me.

First, since you don't see any rigging in the cockpit by the vertical cleats, I'd look through the whole boat (lazarettes, under cockpit, inside lockers, under benches, etc.) in case the PO stowed it inside. If it's really missing you'd need to replace. Looks like it needs a pair of matched double blocks, one with becket. Probably about $25 to $35 each.

Looks like both the uphaul and downhaul lines (unfortunately no line size spec'ed in the PDF) run through a groove or pipe under the hull, around a block or other type of pin, and up through what looks like a tube into the floor of the cockpit. Do you see that hole, which I assume may also act as the cockpit drain, below the vertical cleats? If so, and no tackle exists on the boat, you could haul it on your trailer and run the lines and rig the double block tackle, which would be used to pull the board down against the force of it wanting to float, hence the need for 4 to 1 advantage. The downhaul line would attach to the pin at the very top of the board to pull it down.

A photo of the area where those cleats are, showing what's under them on the floor, would help.

There is a way to pay a modest fee to get advice from the owners of this web site/forum, who were former Hunter employees. They may sell the rigging too.

 

[isaksp00]

Also, looks like user @peptobysmol posted the earlier photos of the swing keel. Seems to have been active on this site in the last 2 months. May be able to specify more detail, such as required line size.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The first 10 hunter 23’s had your keel but reading the hull number it reads hull 58 with the hull laid in April, 1985. I got the first solid wing keel 23 in April, 1985 ; therefore, recheck your hull number.

I posted a drawing of the two line uphaul and downhaul line diagram for the centerboard. It can be found under boat information/Hunter resources/23 and look at the last download.

please post the following pictures:
1. Transom wall in cockpit
2. Cockpit drain area inside cockpit
3. Cockpit drain aft on Transom or bottom
of hull behind centerboard
4. Look for any raised portion of hull
centerline inside rear berth. Any access
panels? Any inside hoses coming down
on inside of transom wall

I am not familiar but I am asking for photos to help me to diagnose construction as I never saw one in person

 

[B-Mac]

SUCCESS!!! The lines were indeed at the rear of the cockpit and ran through the drain of the cockpit. The swing keel is successfully set in the vertical position. Special thanks to @Crazy Dave Condon and @isaksp00 and everyone else who helped provide input in this former issue.