Hunter keel fell off !!!

[Sailorman Ed]

With all of the Hunter bashing, sometimes it sounds like the boats are just waiting to fall apart. Well, I have been trying to get the heavy lead keel off my old Hunter 27. First I removed all the big SS nuts, then ground the hull/keel joint, pushed the keep sideways with the hydraulic jack and nothing.
So then drilled some large holes and started cutting with the Sawsall and tried the jack again - a couple small cracks. Got a bigger thin cutting disk and cut each side of the ribs in the hull - still nothing. End up cutting all around the keel - still in place. Took lots of prying back and forth with the hydraulic jack before it finally fell - making a very loud noise. I think Hunter did a pretty good job attaching the keel.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Curious.

What was the purpose of dropping the keel (that seemed securely on the hull)?

[Sailorman Ed]

to sell the lead and the hull will become someone's guest house. Something like this: BOAT IN A HOLE
The old boat is worth more in pieces than whole.

[delmarrey]

It must have been free. I think burying a bus would have been more roomy.

[Steadman Uhlich]

hmm… I have never heard of "Boat in a Hole."

It seems weird to bury a boat.

But, I can imagine one would make a nice storm shelter, if buried, as they have hatches, bunks and a head and some storage.. Perhaps old small boats should be trucked to Oklahoma, Iowa, or Tornado Alley for burial/recycling as storm shelters on farms. It is called the "Amber Waves of Grain" so there could be a fitting end to sinking beneath the surface.

[minaret]

Why would you push the keel sideways? I'd think the fact that you got it off at all that way is actually a damning indictment. Wouldn't have thought it possible. It's certainly not a normal or safe method. Wouldn't recommend anyone try it.

[kudukuguam]

I was concerned that he might get carbon dioxide/monoxide in the boat with an natural heating source (wood/charcoal) above it, I mean, adequate ventilation since both these gasses are heavier than air?

[sailorboy1]

maybe if you had added some water it would have come off easier









joking of course

[Sailorman Ed]

Why would you push the keel sideways? I'd think the fact that you got it off at all that way is actually a damning indictment. Wouldn't have thought it possible. It's certainly not a normal or safe method. Wouldn't recommend anyone try it.

Minaret - what is the "normal" way to remove a lead keel? It came of ONLY after we had cut the hull all the way around the keel. I was impressed at how strongly it was attached. Even after cut all around, still would not drop.

Delmarrey- have owned the boat for 30 years and has been siting for the last 10 and my wife has been after me to get rid of it. So essentially free and better looking than a bus.

[Matt Johnson]

Typically use a wedge between the hull and keel splitting along the crack that forms

[europaflyer]

Curious - it seems to be both bolted and somehow encapsulated. Rest assured modern Hunter keels are not built this way.

I'm tired of Hunter-bashing bashing (sic!). Hunters are what they are, they are not bad boats per se, but people (Smack ) trying to make out they are just as strong and safe in every way as boats 3x the price is just silly.

FWIW, there is a fledgling fibreglass recycling industry, and it would be a good deed to look in to this rather than landfill.

[Steve Bean]

Carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by europaflyer

Curious - it seems to be both bolted and somehow encapsulated. Rest assured modern Hunter keels are not built this way.

I'm tired of Hunter-bashing bashing (sic!). Hunters are what they are, they are not bad boats per se, but people (Smack ) trying to make out they are just as strong and safe in every way as boats 3x the price is just silly.

FWIW, there is a fledgling fibreglass recycling industry, and it would be a good deed to look in to this rather than landfill.

We all know that 3x the cost always equals 3x the quality too

[europaflyer]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

We all know that 3x the cost always equals 3x the quality too

I admit it almost always doesn't! But put a Hunter and a Rassy, Rustler, etc. side by side and you realise it certainly doesn't equal the same quality either...

[Sea7King]

And yet, I've owned my 1979 Hunter 30 since new. Weathered two hurricanes, severely dented on can bouy, rehabbed the simple mechanical and electrical systems, replaced the interior, sailed thousands of miles and trained local Sea Scouts. 35 years and it's still going strong!