Well i love it but i hate to sail it.I am talking about a ol hunter 25'(cheribini) that draws four and half foot and our bay is shallow,I was told somone in the past changed the keel to a long fin looking thing with a torpedo on the bottom.I want to either junk this boat or cut the keel down to almost nothing. i dont sail it out in the gulf just the bays.does anyone have an idea how short i can go without making it topheavy and nonrighting??I also have a 19'mariner swingkeel but like the 25 better. can this be done?
- Status
WJ, Someone else wants that boat.
Sell it and buy what you want. Don't waste the time or money. r.w.landau
Sell it and buy what you want. Don't waste the time or money. r.w.landau
Which Bay?
I sail my 5' draft in Galveston Bay which is shallow, but as long as I stay away from the known shallow areas, I'm fine. Granted, my first time out I got stuck because I didn't know the shallow areas and that was an expensive lession. Funny thing, yesterday coming in from the Gulf, I saw the same guy who pulled me out trying to pull another guy out at the same spot. I felt sorry for both, having gone through that myself but now I don't feel so stupid. It took him 3 hours to get me out and I think he had already been working him longer then that when I passed by (I heard the call on 16 hours earlier).
I sail my 5' draft in Galveston Bay which is shallow, but as long as I stay away from the known shallow areas, I'm fine. Granted, my first time out I got stuck because I didn't know the shallow areas and that was an expensive lession. Funny thing, yesterday coming in from the Gulf, I saw the same guy who pulled me out trying to pull another guy out at the same spot. I felt sorry for both, having gone through that myself but now I don't feel so stupid. It took him 3 hours to get me out and I think he had already been working him longer then that when I passed by (I heard the call on 16 hours earlier).
don't alter it
Cutting down the keel would be ill-advised for safety concerns and would reduce the resale value of the boat. If it's really a problem then sell it and buy a shoal draft or swing keel boat.
Cutting down the keel would be ill-advised for safety concerns and would reduce the resale value of the boat. If it's really a problem then sell it and buy a shoal draft or swing keel boat.
Franklin..
On good Ol San Antonio Bay..We average 4 to 5 feet and some parts 8 feet...but i like to run right up to an island and expore..But the 19' mariner i can do that.. just like the room of the 25'.
On good Ol San Antonio Bay..We average 4 to 5 feet and some parts 8 feet...but i like to run right up to an island and expore..But the 19' mariner i can do that.. just like the room of the 25'.
Sell two boats and buy 260
I would not modify the keel,just sell the two boats and just buy a used 260 swing keel,if you modify the keel on a full keel boat you are looking for trouble. nick
I would not modify the keel,just sell the two boats and just buy a used 260 swing keel,if you modify the keel on a full keel boat you are looking for trouble. nick
Where did you go aground?
Franklin, I'm wondering where you and the other guy went aground. I use to have an O'day 24 with a swing keel so we only drew 2.5 ft. I never worried too much about running aground in the Galveston Bay complex but now with almost 5' of draft I'm more concerned. We keep our new Hunter 37.5 at Portofino and I'm pretty familiar with the shallows around that area.
Franklin, I'm wondering where you and the other guy went aground. I use to have an O'day 24 with a swing keel so we only drew 2.5 ft. I never worried too much about running aground in the Galveston Bay complex but now with almost 5' of draft I'm more concerned. We keep our new Hunter 37.5 at Portofino and I'm pretty familiar with the shallows around that area.
South Jetty
It was my first time out in Texas, I took the boat down to Galveston, dropped sails and motored out into the Gulf and turned around to come back into the Bay and anchor for the night. It got dark and I thought I had enough room between me and land, but didn't realize (pretty stupid now that I think about it) that the jetty catches junk coming out of the bay and it is real shallow near the north end of the South Jetty. Like I said...I felt real stupid until I saw somebody else stuck
Other then that, the shallow areas are near land, the islands, and along the edges of the ship channel (from what I hear, only one safe place to cross (marker 61) near Kemah. I think an average of 1-4 boats a week need to be pulled out in the Bay. Somebody once told me that you can get a light anchor and throw it out and turn the boat around and let the wind carry you out. One of these days I will get one of those anchors but hope I never need it.
It was my first time out in Texas, I took the boat down to Galveston, dropped sails and motored out into the Gulf and turned around to come back into the Bay and anchor for the night. It got dark and I thought I had enough room between me and land, but didn't realize (pretty stupid now that I think about it) that the jetty catches junk coming out of the bay and it is real shallow near the north end of the South Jetty. Like I said...I felt real stupid until I saw somebody else stuck
Other then that, the shallow areas are near land, the islands, and along the edges of the ship channel (from what I hear, only one safe place to cross (marker 61) near Kemah. I think an average of 1-4 boats a week need to be pulled out in the Bay. Somebody once told me that you can get a light anchor and throw it out and turn the boat around and let the wind carry you out. One of these days I will get one of those anchors but hope I never need it.- Status