I just purchased a Hunter 260 and plan on Mooring it in a tidal area. Is the centerboard strong enough to take repeated beachings?? Any Ideas. Someone mention a modification to make the center board retract Vertically similar to a Seaward 26??
Hunter 260 Centerboard
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Beach
We have never beached our H260.On the trailer the centerboard has no weight on it. On the trailer with what would be considered proper support the boat is not designed to be out of the water with the ballast tank full. I have read that that has happened by accident without damage, but how close was it? The way it appears to me, changing the way the centerboard works would be a massive rebuild and not a modification. Others have beached the 240 260 and could give you an idea of the stress involved. The nature of the bottom, wind, waves and current would be important considerations.
We have never beached our H260.On the trailer the centerboard has no weight on it. On the trailer with what would be considered proper support the boat is not designed to be out of the water with the ballast tank full. I have read that that has happened by accident without damage, but how close was it? The way it appears to me, changing the way the centerboard works would be a massive rebuild and not a modification. Others have beached the 240 260 and could give you an idea of the stress involved. The nature of the bottom, wind, waves and current would be important considerations.
Center board
The center board is there just to prevent the boat from slipping sideways when sailing upwind. A lot of sailors raise it when sailing downwind to reduce drag. It has nothing to do with the water ballast tank which should be kept full while the boat is in the water. Having the center board strike bottom is not good for it nor for the pivot pin. Just raise it when at the dock.
The center board is there just to prevent the boat from slipping sideways when sailing upwind. A lot of sailors raise it when sailing downwind to reduce drag. It has nothing to do with the water ballast tank which should be kept full while the boat is in the water. Having the center board strike bottom is not good for it nor for the pivot pin. Just raise it when at the dock.
I regularly "beach" my H260, but I do it VERY carefully. I nudge the boat up to the sand until it stops. The retracted centerboard protectes the hull from damage. I've seen pictures of Hunter water ballast boats settled on mud in tidal areas and apparently there has been no problem because the weight of the boat is distributed along the hull; however, I would be reluctant to rest the weight of the whole boat just on a retracted centerboard. My thought is that you don't want to do any flexing of the hull that would compromise the seal of the ballast tank.
That said, it appears that over time the dings and scratches of the centerboard could allow water to compromise the board and require its replacement. IdaSailor makes a composite centerboard that is not subject to damage. Ideally, both the centerboard and rudder should be replaced with the IdaSailor product.
Problems with the centerboard and rudder are easily fixed, it just requires investment in a long term solution such as the IdaSailor product. I'm trying to delay that day as long as possible.
Just thinking about modifying a Hunter water ballast boat with a vertical retracting centerboard make my head hurt...
That said, it appears that over time the dings and scratches of the centerboard could allow water to compromise the board and require its replacement. IdaSailor makes a composite centerboard that is not subject to damage. Ideally, both the centerboard and rudder should be replaced with the IdaSailor product.
Problems with the centerboard and rudder are easily fixed, it just requires investment in a long term solution such as the IdaSailor product. I'm trying to delay that day as long as possible.
Just thinking about modifying a Hunter water ballast boat with a vertical retracting centerboard make my head hurt...
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How much water will be present at low tide? Are you talking 0 water and plugged in the mud/hard aground? That doesn't sound good by any stretch of the imagination. Contrarily, I think I only draw 1'9" with the board up, so if there is any water it should be fine. I have beached mine several times and suffer no ill effects other than a slow degredation of the bottom paint at the bow.
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