wing keel or deep keel ?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Dec 19, 2005
4
Hunter 310 Ibiza, Marina Botafoch
sailing around Ibiza, I unfortunately hit a rock with the keel - which resulted in one of the wings of my wing keel beeing "warped". I have two questions: 1) Is it possible to fix a "warped" keel 2) If I have to put a new keel on the boat (around USD 7500 I am told..) - I have a choice between the wing keel (which I had ) or the deep keel. I hear that the deep keel gives better stability and speed. I would be greatfull for some advise on that issue best regards George Leitner
 
Oct 3, 2005
159
Catalina 387 Hampton, VA
Hit rock?

If you hit a rock with a wing keel, I would not think about a fin. You will be adding a lot of depth, and if you tend to be in shallow water, I would stick with the wing.
 
Jun 3, 2004
232
- - -
How does she handle?

I mean how does she sail after hitting the rock? Can you tell the difference on any particular point of sail? Does she leak? Just curious. If you can't tell that the wing is warped and you aren't leaking, why replace it? If you can tell, and your keel is made out of lead, maybe you might be able to pound her back into reasonable shape with a sledge hammer... Couldn't you?
 
B

Benny

Let the insurance company handle it.

The H320 is a nice boat. We have a 2001. I would bet that you have proper insurance coverage to protect your investment. You have described an insured type accident resulting in a condition of loss of value to your boat. Do not wait and make a claim and let the insurance company find out if there is a fix or let them replace it minus your deductible of course. You would be surprised the type of accidents that are covered. A friend of mine sucked up a plastic bag on his cooling intake and burned a head gasket. (covered) We took a trailerable to sail on the Chesapeake and were dismasted by a clevis pin failure in one of the shrouds. A brand new mast was installed with new rigging as the accident was covered. Ours has the wing keel which we do not like but to sail in Florida and the Bahamas is necessary. The biggest drawback is that the boat sails at anchor and digs it out. The fin keel will point better and you can heel the boat to get out in the eventuality of a grounding. Good luck.
 
B

Bent Brent

Malable

My winged keel was bent upwards when we heeled over on the hard to get off being aground, The next week the boat was hauled. They heated up the keel, pounded it flat and I sailed on for 10 years. Sure, maybe I could have demanded a new keel but for the time I would have been out of the water (a whole season perhaps) and the increase in my insurance rates it would not have been worth it.
 

Alan

.
Jun 2, 2004
4,174
Hunter 35.5 LI, NY
I faced exactly this problem with my 35.5. My sailing area has no depth problems so I opted for the deep fin. WOW, what a difference. A totally different boat. Faster, stiffer, more stable. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
 
J

Jim

Keel

I'm with Alan. Fin keel is the performer, if that's something you care about. I'm an old motoracer , and two sailboats on the same tack....well it just might bring the racer out in you. Not that its serious...not too serious.., Regards, Jim.
 
C

Cliff R

GO DEEP

Are you sailing in deep water and hitting something was a fluke? If so the deep keel will ake the boat perform so much better the you ever thought. Haveing sailed shoal keel boat's and deep keel boat I would NEVER EVER go back to a shoal keel boat unless ther was no other way. A Deep keel on your boat will make you wished you had done it years ago. Cliff
 

AndyK

.
Mar 10, 2004
195
Hunter 33 Salem, MA
And for another view...

While I absolutely agree with the perfomance claims I also know that my wife and I take our H33 (2004) winged keel into gunkholes where that extra clearance was important when my heart was leaping into my mouth - see the sixth paragraph in the link below. Winged keels were made available for a reason. You should decide how and where you want to use your boat and the decision will be obvious.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.