1981 Hunter 30 main sheet / traveler / boom rigging

Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
Hello everyone, thanks in advance for any input, especially pictures of your rig.

Just bought a 1981 Hunter 30 Cherubini design. Boat is on the hard, the mast is not stepped. We are going through her for an early spring launch in Washington, NC. I am a fairly well experience coastal cruiser, I grew up sailing Hobie Cats, there was a Catalina 24 swing keel, pop-top boat we sailed for a while, then a Watkins 27 my father and I sailed, then I bought and refurbed a Jack Helms 26 a few years ago, now onto the Hunter 30. Girl friend and I will be sailing the Carolina coast with this shoal draft version this summer.

We are currently inspecting / cleaning / rigging the mast and boom and most of it works out for me but a couple questions I have about the traveler and main sheet set up. The traveler is the cabin top mounted system and I have a familiar looking block set up for the main sheet except for the boom. The boom has three large shackle points with single blocks and i am unsure of how that rig works. There is an H27 on the yard with a similar boom set up, but that boat has no traveler. Just an "A" style set up with two blocks and cleats. So not the same. I am wondering if I need to learn this set up, or is it as it appears with my sheet and blocks, that I can just snap onto one of the boom shackles and haul like the other set ups I am familiar with.

Any advice? Photos of your set up?
 
May 27, 2004
1,964
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
I saw your version of the H30C rigged many years ago and yes, it involves four, five or six blocks and one main sheet.
Look at this 2015 thread for pics and a discussion that my be spot on:
 
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Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
Thanks. That was the rigging I thought it was supposed to be .... but, I have a more typical sheet set up with a block with snap swivel to attach to the boom and then traveler block has a clam cleat on it. So it appears the system was switched up at some point. I can see where either way, single handing is a bit of a problem, as you can't reach from the wheel.
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,374
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
These older Cherubini Hunter 30's sail very well. You should enjoy it once you've gotten it all set up. @ggrizzard gave you a great link to look over. He's a wealth of information on these boats!

dj
 
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Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
These older Cherubini Hunter 30's sail very well. You should enjoy it once you've gotten it all set up. @ggrizzard gave you a great link to look over. He's a wealth of information on these boats!

dj
Thanks, looking forward to sailing her.

I was going through some other gear today (the previous owner cleaned and stored all of his running rigging) and found the block for the traveler, just like the one pictured in the link. The set up I found with the clam cleated block is evidently the vang.
 
May 27, 2004
1,964
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
Thank you dlj.
And jon, you will be amazed at the things previous owners leave on their old boats.
Take a look at this couple's surprise finds:
 
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Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
Oh yeah... previous owner of our boat left a lot of goodies on the boat, but he also took great care with sails, running rigging, cushions, etc. He had all fo those things stored for several years in his garage. Sails had been professionally cleaned, halyards and anchor rode stored and in like new condition. Cock pit cushions and bimini / dodger and full enclosure in dry storage. I have seen a lot of boats on the yard with all of these things left to rot.
 
Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC

Some pictures of our boat. These were taken a few years ago when the boat was trucked down from MD. Owner had taken most everything out of her and stored by the time we bought her. Of course we didn't pay the broker advertised price either.
 
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dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,374
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake

Some pictures of our boat. These were taken a few years ago when the boat was trucked down from MD. Owner had taken most everything out of her and stored by the time we bought her. Of course we didn't pay the broker advertised price either.
It's very interesting to see the differences between the 1981 model you have and the 1977 model I have. I also have the long keel instead of the shoal draft. In your salon, what is the metal post with the bucket over it? Is that for the dining table? Quite a different set-up from mine. You have an L shaped settee, my table mounts on the wall and folds down to sit on a leg that folds out of the bottom of the table. Then it has a wing that folds out to meet the starboard side bench if needed with also a fold out leg. Your vee berth has wooden runners along the wall and the top self has the oval openings, as mine does only in the salon region. I also don't see the door into the anchor locker as mine has. Quite similar, but sill, with notable differences.

dj
 
Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
It's very interesting to see the differences between the 1981 model you have and the 1977 model I have. I also have the long keel instead of the shoal draft. In your salon, what is the metal post with the bucket over it? Is that for the dining table? Quite a different set-up from mine. You have an L shaped settee, my table mounts on the wall and folds down to sit on a leg that folds out of the bottom of the table. Then it has a wing that folds out to meet the starboard side bench if needed with also a fold out leg. Your vee berth has wooden runners along the wall and the top self has the oval openings, as mine does only in the salon region. I also don't see the door into the anchor locker as mine has. Quite similar, but sill, with notable differences.

dj

Yes, that is a table leg. We took the whole table rig out. I have seen quite a few of these where the table is completely removed. Seems a bit in the way, unless you're serving full dinners. Our table was a half - fold deal, I have seen a double drop-leaf version as well. No door to the anchor locker in the V berth.

I took some more rigging photos today, will post them later. Still not 100% sure on the rigging. Want to be confident before I step the mast that everything is correct.

Thanks for the response. :)
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,023
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
You’ve picked up a great boat and it looks like it has been very well maintained.

I have a 1982 H30. I see from a couple of the cabin photos that you have the same stainless steel threaded rods below the chain plates that are in my ‘82. They run from the chain plates to a 2x2 steel tube cross rib glassed to the hull and running across under the sole and compression post with a welded vertical 2x2 tube and base plate at the center in the bilge. The lower half of the vertical tube and base plate are glassed in, but moisture gets in and the post corrodes. Fortunately, the tube is pretty thick walled, but it is the most vulnerable part. How does it look? Steel expands to about 12 times its size when it oxidizes, so it can look worse than it is. For those with earlier models, this what Hunter replaced the infamous I-beam with in later years, but they effectively changed the whole rig. If you think of how the cross rib, ss rods, chain plates, shrouds and mast all work together, it’s kind of like a big tensioned bow & arrow.

I don’t know what year they switched rig design. I was beginning to think the ‘82 was the only model year with this design, but yours is an ‘81. Anyone with a 1980 model: Do you have the I-beam or SS rods and steel tube rib & post?
 
Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
You’ve picked up a great boat and it looks like it has been very well maintained.

I have a 1982 H30. I see from a couple of the cabin photos that you have the same stainless steel threaded rods below the chain plates that are in my ‘82. They run from the chain plates to a 2x2 steel tube cross rib glassed to the hull and running across under the sole and compression post with a welded vertical 2x2 tube and base plate at the center in the bilge. The lower half of the vertical tube and base plate are glassed in, but moisture gets in and the post corrodes. Fortunately, the tube is pretty thick walled, but it is the most vulnerable part. How does it look? Steel expands to about 12 times its size when it oxidizes, so it can look worse than it is. For those with earlier models, this what Hunter replaced the infamous I-beam with in later years, but they effectively changed the whole rig. If you think of how the cross rib, ss rods, chain plates, shrouds and mast all work together, it’s kind of like a big tensioned bow & arrow.

I don’t know what year they switched rig design. I was beginning to think the ‘82 was the only model year with this design, but yours is an ‘81. Anyone with a 1980 model: Do you have the I-beam or SS rods and steel tube rib & post?

I can see the compression post and have wiped it clear of any rust. Seems solid. Will have to look for the 2 x 2 section. Should be welded to the top of the compression post, in the forward of the bilge?

Took a few photos today. I am still unfamiliar with the traveler and main sheet rig and the routing of the lines. There are four sheaves in the base of the mast, two each side. There are two lines guided to starboard, into two clutches and a winch mounted there. (Took winch off to service it). There is no sheaved guide on the cabin roof to port. There is a raised platform there, but no sheaves. A single turning block about three quarters back to the companion way and then a cleat and a cam cleat there.

I have a number of blocks and then what I think is a set rigged for a boom vang, though I see no point to connect it to the base of the mast nor on the boom.

I have what appears to be an extra sheave in the top of the mast, with nothing in it. There is one pulley and sheave attached along side the jib furling shackle that I am pretty sure is for a genaker.

In the boom there appears to be one unused sheave and cleat.

Also, on the bow, there appears to be a reefing hook.... never seen that before. Guessing the jib was set up to reef??


Going to be interesting to get this all rigged.
 

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Oct 6, 2007
1,023
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
Glad to hear the 2x2 post in the bilge looks solid. The cross rib 2x2 tube is right on top of the post. You can see the ends of it, where the threaded s rods attach, on the port side in the locker below the lav sink and on starboard in the locker below the sitee.

FYI, on the cabintop, the raised white areas to each side of the companionway, at the two deck organizer locations and at base of the mast all have 1/4” aluminum plate laminated into the deck under the fiberglass. Hardware attachment at these spots is drill and tap, rather than through deck. Same at the ends of the traveler track under the teak trim.

The white plastic sleeves in the deck organizer are shot and need to be replaced. I would be wary of any plastic sleeves that age. The get brittle and fail under load.

As for how the boat was rigged, it’s a safe bet at this point that every one of these boats is a little different. Hunter sold them with minimal rigging and hardware, but with provision for easy additions, so they have evolved to fit owner preferences.

The mast base should have two sheeves on each side and the top of the mast has two at the front and two at the back. My guess is your halyards for the main and jib/genoa were run out the starboard side, through the deck organizer back to the cabintop rope clutches and winch.

Maybe the vang ran back to the turning block and cleat on the port side of the companionway. It should be attached to the underside of the boom and base of the mast, so the lack of attachment points suggest maybe it was never installed. Dalliance did not have a vang when I got the boat. It’s also possible that is a Cunningham rather than a vang, but you‘re still missing the attachment point at the deck. The vang is a more useful addition.

As for the traveler and main sheet set up, the traveler looks similar to what was on Dalliance, which I don’t think was original, and I have since upgraded. When I got the boat, the bitter end of the mainsheet was attached to the center boom bail, the sheet passed through the first block on the traveler, then up through the aft block on the boom, down through the second block on the traveler, up through the forward block on the boom, then forward to a turning block on the deck just aft of the mast base, back through the port side deck organizer to a cabintop rope clutch and winch on the port side of the companionway. I’ve since upgraded to three blocks on the boom and a triple block on the traveler for greater purchase

Since it appears that your mainsheet may not have run forward and then back to the cabintop, it makes sense to me that you would have a cam cleat on the blocks at the traveler. That only works if there is no dodger and windshield over the companionway. If you only have two blocks at the traveler, I don’t see how you get more than two blocks on the boom. Maybe your setup did not use all three boom bails(?). I’m not sure you have all the parts for your mainsheet.

I think you probably have an outhaul line in your boom which goes through blocks at each and to the cleat at the center of the boom. At least that’s what Dalliance had. Actually wire at the clew through the aft end block, with line and block inside the boom. I got rid of the cleat on the boom, ran the line through a turning block at the base of the mast and back to the cabintop through the port deck organizer.

Dalliance has two blocks at the aft end of the boom and two small clutches and the forward end for internal reef lines. Cheek blocks on the sides of the boom align the reef lines align them to the reef points on the mainsail.

Attached are a few photos. Dalliance went through a substantial refit about eight years ago. Boat Show discounts are a wonderful thing. All new Garhauer hardware, running rigging and Harkin ST winches. Everything except the two reef lines and genoa halyard is lead back to the cockpit cabintop. Hopefully some of this is of help.

F0296910-C037-4967-ABCD-9E4D1D0F3D2E.jpeg
5411E417-2FB8-4236-86E8-18BA3B964645.jpeg
B7541248-B1C8-4566-821A-9A1A1D34B0AE.jpeg
823C0941-201F-4548-BF1A-351AE73FD7AB.jpeg
E6822E32-9670-4E9F-B53D-933C01176297.jpeg
 

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Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
Great info. I am sure some of my set up is the same. Some is not. There was never a deck organizer on the port side.

Going forward, I am going to make sure I rig each set of sheaves in the mast and boom with at least a pull - line while I have the mast down. That way, if I need to drag a halyard or line through, I have a pull. There are only the two clutches to starboard, so the boat has been run with at least some of the running rigging terminated on the mast.

I will get her set up. I did walk around the yard and docks today and looked at a couple other similar rigs.... but only one Hunter 27 and one 37 of similar vintage to look at.

Thanks again, I am going to check my compression post and the cross bars tomorrow. There appears to be no issue... the deck is solid and no sagging. There appears to have never been anything mounted around the mast base so the glass, core nor the aluminum plate has been drilled, that I can see. I do want to inspect the connections from those chain plates for sure. Was just a bit of rust on the compression post and the keel bolts are nearly pristine. Sooo.... hopefully no surprises. Just anxious about the rigging so i don't step the mast and miss anything. The main sheet will be new to me, as everything I ever sailed was a car with a spring loaded pin that popped from point to point along the track, then a simple two block rig from the car to the boom. Never seen this rig with all the extra mechanical advantage built in, nor the boom attaching so far forward for the traveler that far forward. Given the chance, I would prefer the traveler/sheet to be just below the companion way where it can be in hand from the wheel, I think.... but will have to try sailing her rigged as she is and see.


Thanks again for the advice and pics.
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,023
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
I often sail Dalliance solo. I choose my days carefully and make use of the wheel brake when I need to reach the cabintop controls. Santa hasn’t brought me an auto pilot yet. Maybe next year.

On most points of sail, other than a very broad reach and down wind, I tend to keep the traveler in the center, using the mainsheet and the vang to control boom position and sail shape, and moving the traveler down only for relief in the puffs and gusts, then back up to center when they pass. I have extra long lines on the vang and traveler and lay them on the side seats where I can reach them from the helm.

When I have crew, they handle the traveler, vang and mainsheet.
 
Oct 9, 2013
21
Hunter 30 Lusby, MD
See below picture of the main sheet rigging on our 82 Hunter 30, Intrepid-II.
Starting at the end of the line attached to the starboard side,
it goes up to the center loop of the boom, down to the top pulley on the traveler,
up to the aft loop of the boon, down to the bottom pulley on the traveler,
up to the front loop of the boom, then to the pulley on the port side of the traveler
and finally back to the main sheet cleat.

If you have a dodger the last pulley that directs the sheet to the cleat is probably run forward and then directed back like the halyards.

We love our good old Hunter 30 and I have worked on every part of our boat and will be happy to share what I have learned.
82Hunter30-Main_Sheet.jpg
 
Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
We have a winner !!

This (the way the Intrepid II is rigged) is the only way I could see my main sheet being rigged. And yes, the boat has a dodger, so that turning block is a bit forward.... Thank you.... I thought this was it, but confirmation is very nice !
 
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Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
Could I ask of the Intrpepid II as well, what do you have in the clutches to starboard side? Main and jib halyards?
 
Oct 9, 2013
21
Hunter 30 Lusby, MD
Yes, you can see them in the picture but I will try to find a better picture of them tomorrow. Are their any other mysteries a picture would help solve?
 
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Jan 4, 2020
43
Hunter HC 30 Washington, NC
Yes, you can see them in the picture but I will try to find a better picture of them tomorrow. Are their any other mysteries a picture would help solve?

Well... I have some hardware that I have no idea what it could be for.... see the picture of all the blocks above... I think maybe the previous owner just picked them up at a second hand marine store or something.

Do you have a boom vang?

Umm...

Of the four sheaves in the top of your mast, how many are in use?

Roller furling?

Genaker or spinaker rigging?

Any rigging photos would help. Appears to be the near exact same boat.

I will post a few more pics tomorrow of my boom and mast.... have roller furling jib and a shackled pulley / sheave atop the mast that I believe is for the genaker.... also have a pole that I am unsure if it is a whisker or a bow sprit type pole...

Thanks for any advice and photos. :)