Keel Crack on H-31

[Pancho]

I have a 1984 hunter 31.There is a crack where the keel joins the hull.I have noticed this on other hunters.How can this be corrected and is it anything to worry about?

 

[mmsailor]

keel hull crack

There is a lot of info about this in the archives, way too much good info to ever end up in a few responses , good Luck Mike B

 

[Tim Leighton]

KEEL CRACKS

Pancho: First of all, just like Steve Dion, I want to know where Po Bay is! As for keel cracks, welcome to the iron keel club. Mike is right, there is a ton of info in the archives on this "problem" but here is just a bit of info to allay your fears. For a number of years Hunter (to save $$) used bolted-on iron keels with a layer of gelcoat. In a short time as the boat flexed and weathered, minute cracks in the gelcoat allowed water to get to the iron. Iron water = rust! In most cases it isn't a big deal and as long as your keel bolts don't appear to be effected by rust, then you are OK. Every year at haulout I'd (just sold my H31) remove any rust with a mechanical grinder (be VERY careful here...trust me!), coat the areas with OSPHO (turns rust into....not sure but it works!) and fill in the voids with epoxy (I use West System). Sand smooth when hard and you have a smooth, rust free keel...until the next haulout when you get to do it all over again! I know several people who have gone to the trouble and expense of totally stripping their keels and applying a barrier coat/new gelcoat. I suspect those keels will look great for a few years and develop the same problem again. I elected to perform preventive maintenance each year and spend the time sailing and money on beer! Good luck!Tim Leighton

 

[Jerry]

Same problem on a 1986-31'

I had the same problems last year and again some small rusting cracks this year when we pulled last weekend. A good grinding and cleaning along with an epoxy barrier coat on the cracks will do. We have several older Hunters at our marina and 9 out of 10 have the same rusty crack where the iron meets the glass. This seems to be a yearly item. None of these older Hunters have been on the bottom of the bay yet due to the rusty crack.

 

[ED]

keel to hull crack

I grew tired of the annual scraping and filling the keel to hull joint on my 34, so 2 or 3 years ago I sanded the hull and keel and epoxied 3 or 4 layers of fiberglass cloth over the joint. So far the crack has not reappeared.