Sudden Attraction to Hunters

[robert sailor]

I always liked the Cal 39

[Navicula]

this has to be directly related to the liners being glued to the hull and the keel design and all the other problems Hunter sail boats have......I am sure this would not happen on a Swan or Oyster or all the other non production boats......If this happen on your boat.....sell it right away, it has issues............this is proof.....so can we end this now....

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by neilpride

Minute 8:55 Keel fit by Hunter workers.
Hunter Factory Tour - YouTube

Was your error an act of omission or commission that you neglected to see the boat being hauled for delivery with ONLY the keel stub showing?

The keels are installed at final commissioning by the yard crew after delivery.

Have you ever been to a boat yard at which they do commissioning?

This nonsense only further proves some people love to criticize regardless of their knowledge-base.

[Blue Crab]

Well, I heard this from a guy who knows a guy who read it on CF: Hunter uses the liner construction for a couple of reasons, not the least which is the parts all nest together for shipping. Like canoes! 4 trucks to a load of 6-10 hulls, liners, keels/rudders, and decks. You can get them drop shipped (ha ha), in your driveway, mancave, or shop. Some go to dealers. Whatever.

Okay, I made that up but back a ways one could buy kit boats. Not like Glen-L. but Westsails, and Lugar was the cheap one. There were others, and with the worldwide shortages of money these days, somebody with some dough could market a range of solid but stripped down cruisers. 30,35,40 ftrs. Keep it cheap as possible. They could be shipped nested. Economise with vendors on buying volume materials. Wonder if it could be a co-op, a non-profit. Hell, let's call it a CHURCH!

How about as a 2nd line for Hunter: Cruisers and Voyagers? Lotta people actually prefer non-teak furniture. The Voyager buyer might want to build his own stuff as sweat equity.

Still, my dad always said there's no excuse for an ugly boat.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Was your error an act of omission or commission that you neglected to see the boat being hauled for delivery with ONLY the keel stub showing?

The keels are installed at final commissioning by the yard crew after delivery.

Have you ever been to a boat yard at which they do commissioning?

This nonsense only further proves some people love to criticize regardless of their knowledge-base.

Okay I must be stupid because I do not know what you mean; I understand now that Hunter does fit the keel but then removes it for transport over the road. Then at the yard that launches the boat, the crew there puts the keel on and launches it. Somebody saw this happen and the boat began to sink immediately because they did something wrong.

This is what I understand. Now, what is the nonsense you speak of and what gets criticized? I don't like this no keel thing at all and also object to any suggestion that this would be normal or the standard, because it is not. Most sailboats are built by a yard and launched by that yard and then the boats are sailed to their destination. Even from La Rochelle all the way to the South Pacific, they sail on their own keel.

Also, boats like Swan, Contest, HR etc. are also production boats. I don't understand how some can think they are not?!

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I think we're again talking about the "horrible creaking and loud explosive banging noises at anchor" I experienced with the Hunter 450. As the boat rocked side to side, it always made quite the symphony of load noises which always made everyone onboard feel uneasy... I got tired of answering questions from guests who asked, "are we going to be OK?" Up until we sold the Hunter.... .

We also had a loud creaking sound on our 2000 Hunter 450. There was a brace in the starboard lazzarette that rubbed when the boat rocked past a certain point. There was also the point where the wood back shelf rubbed on the liner. A couple rubber washers stopped the creaking. I agree the noise was annoying! But I loved that aft cabin! It was an amazing liveaboard and was so comfortable when cruising. It sailed great and was easy for just a couple to run (usually single handing while the other slept). I would buy one again in a heartbeat.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Okay I must be stupid because I do not know what you mean; I understand now that Hunter does fit the keel but then removes it for transport over the road. Then at the yard that launches the boat, the crew there puts the keel on and launches it. Somebody saw this happen and the boat began to sink immediately because they did something wrong.

This is what I understand. Now, what is the nonsense you speak of and what gets criticized? I don't like this no keel thing at all and also object to any suggestion that this would be normal or the standard, because it is not. Most sailboats are built by a yard and launched by that yard and then the boats are sailed to their destination. Even from La Rochelle all the way to the South Pacific, they sail on their own keel.

Also, boats like Swan, Contest, HR etc. are also production boats. I don't understand how some can think they are not?!

Someone criticized a new H450 for leaking at the keel joint when it was launched stating that was the fault of Hunter's quality.

My point was only to show how silly to misplace blame when the problem was obviously created by the commissioning yard, not Hunter AND to point out how uninformed some of these criticisms are.

This forum is filled with self-described Internet experts. All they do is embarrass themselves and mislead people.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Someone criticized a new H450 for leaking at the keel joint when it was launched stating that was the fault of Hunter's quality.

My point was only to show how silly to misplace blame when the problem was obviously created by the commissioning yard, not Hunter AND to point out how uninformed some of these criticisms are.

This forum is filled with self-described Internet experts. All they do is embarrass themselves and mislead people.

It is Hunter to blame for letting idiots put the keels under their boats. I would never buy a boat with separate keel and then haggle with some guy at a yard about the keel being put on right or not while Hunter points to the guy when something goes wrong. It's too idiot to talk about really. Hunter should take full responsibility for delivering a fully operational boat with keel to every buyer.

At least now we know why keels fall off Hunters.

[ArtM]

The video clearly states that the keels are "permanently" attached to the hull, and that the full assembly is floated in their private lake.

The boats on the trailers have their keels attached.

If the boat had been test floated, and leaked immediately upon launching, then it was damaged during loading or transit.

[s/v Jedi]

Wow, call me when you find out how it is for real. I find all this very confusing and not very good for Hunter. How can both sides be so sure of themselves while one side must be wrong?! I agree that it lacks any logic.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

It is Hunter to blame for letting idiots put the keels under their boats. I would never buy a boat with separate keel .

No manufacturer dictates to a purchaser where to have the new boat commissioned. It's the owner's sole decision. Have you ever bought a boat???


As to the keel configuration, having had boats with bolt-in keels as well as encapsulated ones, the potential for problems to arise is far greater with the latter which is one of the reasons most manufactures choose bolt-on keels. Your choice but you severely limit your choice excluding a lot of fine boats .

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

No manufacturer dictates to a purchaser where to have the new boat commissioned. It's the owner's sole decision. Have you ever bought a boat???


As to the keel configuration, having had boats with bolt-in keels as well as encapsulated ones, the potential for problems to arise is far greater with the latter which is one of the reasons most manufactures choose bolt-on keels. Your choice but you severely limit your choice excluding a lot of fine boats .

You obviously have no clue about me nor my "boat". My "boat" is a Caribe RIB with Yamaha outboard. Our Sundeer 64 has a bolt-on lead keel which was put on by the builder, who then launched her, tested everything incl. sea trials, and then delivered her to the first owner. No guys at other yards involved. That is how it is supposed to go; even mass produced cars come fully assembled and tested by the manufacturer.

cheers,
Nick.

[sailorboy1]

Is there any point to this beyond that a boat owner should make sure HIS keel bolts are tight and the it isn't leaking?

And Nick, Hunter keels aren't "just falling off"! But if it makes you happy I will say that mine has fallen off 3 times. I'm been pretty lucky so far in that the rudder fell off at the same time so that it was easier to recover them as they were next to each other on the sea floor. I might have flipped over and drowned when my automatic vest inflated, but the B&R mast rig broke off at the same time. All this made it pretty easy to tow my boat in with my dinghy, till the cleats pulled out.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You obviously have no clue about me nor my "boat". My "boat" is a Caribe RIB with Yamaha outboard. Our Sundeer 64 has a bolt-on lead keel which was put on by the builder, who then launched her, tested everything incl. sea trials, and then delivered her to the first owner. No guys at other yards involved. That is how it is supposed to go; even mass produced cars come fully assembled and tested by the manufacturer.

cheers,
Nick.

Depends on how it was delivered. On-road deliveries are the most common in the U.S. which has bridges under which boats must travel. Hence the lack of keel when delivered. We're discussing delivery in the U.S. of production boats, right?

I infer from your implication that you don't consider your sailBOAT a "boat"...

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Don L

Is there any point to this beyond that a boat owner should make sure HIS keel bolts are tight and the it isn't leaking?

And Nick, Hunter keels aren't "just falling off"! But if it makes you happy I will say that mine has fallen off 3 times. I'm been pretty lucky so far in that the rudder fell off at the same time so that it was easier to recover them as they were next to each other on the sea floor. I might have flipped over and drowned when my automatic vest inflated, but the B&R mast rig broke off at the same time. All this made it pretty easy to tow my boat in with my dinghy, till the cleats pulled out.

Nah, you apparently had a good guy in some yard put a keel under your boat. But you would not accept the same "to be assembled" kit when you buy a new car?!

We did have multiple posts here from owners that had their keel fall off. I wondered how that could be and now it is clear: there is no quality control on the final attachment of the keel. Case closed... I think.