Looking for info on my keel.

[Wes]

Looking for info on a strange keel that i really havent found anything on.Its a approx3x3' keel on a 25' hunter 77 model. at the bottom of the keel is a round pipe looking thing that runs towards the stern about a foot or so past the keel it looks like maybe 3" round.i am not sure if the the keel is 3' or 4' deep.is this boat good for both blue water and shoal?Wes

 

[Jim]

H25 keel

Deep draft of the h25 is 3'11", and shoal draft is 2' 11" unburdened. Thia pipe you write about is not stock equipment, and I have no idea why anyone would add it on unless they planned to fill it with some sort of ballast. Doesn't seem that it would be much help, hollow or filled. Regards Jim

 

[John Dawson]

Hunter disclaimer

Since you asked if this vintage/model boat is blue-water, I would say definitely not (for your protection).

 

[Wes]

Jim.its solid

and looks to be molded as part of the keel and is slight ovel shaped..darn! this thing isnt even a real keel?.Wes

 

[Stu Sauer]

Shoal Draft Hunter 25

You seem to be describing the short stubby elongated keel shape I had on my 1978 Hunter 25, which had about a three foot draft.The boat's basic sailing characteristics were that she typicaly would not point well, but in heavier air she would make a lot of lee way and in winds in the high teens and above with waves, I would sometimes have difficulty crossing past head to wind to tack.  Assuming your auxillary power is also an outboard motor, again in larger waves, even with a long shaft outboard the prop can come out of the water as she hobby horses thru waves.Just my opinion, she's safe enough in protected waters, but she was marginal in heavy air even in Chesapeake bay. It was a great boat to 'gunk hole' thru the bay with my two boys as they grew up. They, like me, were much happier with a 5'-2" draft Hunter 28.5 when we traded in our 25.