Hunter 30 Rudder Horn/shield

[Drew Demboski]

I'm purchasing a '78 Hunter 30, while hauled out of the water, I noted a thin crack around the base of the rudder horn (shield?). My question: Is the rudder horn bolted to the hull (i.e. like keel) or is it glassed and faired on? Also, this boat also has a interesting bulb keel vs. fin, was this factory?

 

[Chris Stone]

Rudder horn?

I own a '78 H30. I'm not sure what you mean by a rudder horn but if you mean the skeg, I believe it has a structural component buried in the glass that connects to the hull. I don't think it's just glass that bonds it to the hull. Also, my keel is a straight fin keel with no bulb. I don't know if there may have been a bulb keel option or not. Maybe someone else knows. If you haven't bought the boat yet, be sure to get a good survey of the boat. My surveyor said the hull was solid as a rock - no blisters or delam or anything - but the deck had some considerable areas of delamination. The price was reduced accordingly. It's still a great boat and I've had some great times with it.

 

[Royce Hallock]

Rudder Skeg

I have a 76 h30 and the skeg was bolted on and then glassed over on the exterior. I just removed it to drop the rudder and I glassed it back on. The keel, if it's like mine, was one for a center board and the trunk portion has been filled with epoxy. Mine has a shallow draft of 4'.