How does the Hunter 240 sail?

patbratton · Aug 1, 2021

I bought my 240 the week of July 4. I still don't know my sail number. We pulled it up from Florida to Lake Lanier, Georgia. We have it in a slip and have replaced turnbuckles and other damaged items. Two weeks ago we got the mast up and last week we got the Bimini figured out. The heat has been awful and I have had to keep working full time even though I retired the end of June. I was looking for a Rhodes 22 when I gave up and started looking at the Hunter. I made an offer on a 260 that failed the survey, and then a 22 that was sold out from under me.
I am very happy with the 240 even though I haven't yet pulled the sails out of their bags. Yesterday I worked on adding shore power to her and discovered that the bilge pump float switch has failed (might be the "auto" position of the switch). If we get cooler weather this week we hope to get the main up or at least fed into the boom and mast.
With the keel down she feels a little tender while tied up but I haven't had anything other than a Hobie cat in the last thirty years. I will say that she has a tremendous amount of room for a 24 foot boat. She is also unbelievably east to tow, even with a 6 cylinder Mountaineer.
As far as the water ballast, I think that as the boat heels, the ballast (which has the same specific gravity of the water is which she is immersed) is lifted into the air. The more she heels the more ballast if lifted above the water line. I am guessing that at ten or twelve degrees she will become quite stiff. I also liked the fact that she is a fractional rig and carries most of her sail area on the main which is easy to reef. I do not have a roller furling jib (I do miss that from my Hobie 18. I will update my post after I have taken her out.
Everyone here is knowledgeable and friendly.

twistedskipper · Aug 1, 2021

Just a reminder that the water ballast effectiveness has nothing to do with being above or below the waterline. It works just like any other ballast of the same position, volume, and density.

Sailavie1 · Aug 1, 2021

Have you considered the H25? They have a shoal fixed keel (2’ draft) which means no water ballast and is a fast and comfortable little cruiser. Here is mine with new sails.

Crazy Dave Condon · Aug 2, 2021

Sent a private message if he would like to talk with me

Sailavie1 · Aug 2, 2021

waterman30 said:
Not a bad idea. I will check the specs on that. 2' draft might be doable. Cool looking bowsprit. I bet she moves very well. Do you have jib sheet tracks on yours with winches in cockpit? Looks like the 240 does not which is a concern of mine. Do you have line reefing system on yours? That's another concern of mine as it looks like you have to somehow get to mast to reef the 240.

Yes to all of the above. I fly a Code0 from my bowsprit which really works well in light air for both running and reaching. Also added jib tracks on the cabin top and winches on the cockpit coaming for ease in tacking. I have her rigged up with a single line main sail reefing system. All of the above, and a few more were added to the stock layout.

jblersch · Aug 8, 2021

Welcome to the forum! Everyone here has been extremely helpful to me over the 11+ years that I’ve owned my 240.

We love our boat for the inland lake sailing that we do. I originally purchased it because I knew I could tow it (it rows really easily with my 6-cyl Durango), it is a very roomy boat for the size, and my Dad had owns two other Hunters and lived them both.

It did take me a little time to learn that the water ballast boats are more tender than others I was used to. But once I figured out how much sail is too much for the conditions I haven’t had any problems. The previous owner had installed job racks and winches which are a nice upgrade. I do have to get to the mast to reef the sail, but I know others have done some modifications to that system. I’m not a racer by any means, but this boat seems to move just as well as other non-water ballasted boats on my lake. Yes, it’s a little tender while tied up, which is a little annoying, but it’s one of those things you get used to.

Youre right, you can’t really get to the dock while hanging on to a shroud. But the stern rails give you a nice handle for boarding.

My only real complaint about the boat is that the motor mount is too low (even though you need an extra long shaft) and too far from the cockpit for it to be really comfortable for me.

It has been a great boat for us and don’t regret it at all.

jblersch · Aug 9, 2021

You’re welcome. Sorry for all the typos. Auto-correct gets me every time

. Best of luck with your search!
Jeff

Crazy Dave Condon · Aug 10, 2021

@waterman30

The max heel of any water ballast sailboat is 12-14 degrees controlled by use of sails. Warren Luhrs who owned Hunter concurred due to the design of the hull.

As to the outboard motor, it is the motor issue. Can you post a photo and tell us the make and model of the motor.

patbratton · Aug 10, 2021

I found this comparison of four different ballast types with equal hulls. True or false?

https://www.bedardyachtdesign.com/articles/the-effects-of-water-ballast-on-sailboat-stability/

And if you weren't confused enough,

The Physics of Water Ballast | Swallow Yachts Association

www.swallowyachtsassociation.org

Crazy Dave Condon · Aug 11, 2021

The number of water ballast sailboats were built and sold for various reasons to include less weight to tow, lower on the trailer for easy launch, mast raise systems to enable for east raising, etc. Yes there were the soothsayers but the Hunter water ballast sailboats are heavily sought after

familyrapp · Aug 25, 2021

I'm on my third season with a 240 and sail her on the lower Severn River and Chesapeake Bay. She points really well - almost able to sail directly upwind. Downwind is another story.... Because there's no backstay, the port and starboard shrouds attach too far aft to allow the main sail to be let out more than about 60 degrees. It WILL go farther, but then the upper sail gets caught up in the shrouds. I don't find this to be a huge deal, though, because sailing downwind generally sucks - no breeze on your face and usually no shade. I hardly ever use the jib because, as Crazy Dave says above, you don't want to heel more than 15 degrees or so. I've been caught off guard from gusts, and it gets uncomfortable beyond that angle. It also throws your passengers around and puts a LOT of stress on the tiller. Speaking of which, under heavy load it does take a decent amount of strength on the tiller to hold the boat steady on course. Your second question is about docking. The first season I was on a mooring ball, and I found it quite easy to glide up and grab it with a boat hook, even when I was sailing alone. The second season, we had a slip but no finger pier. So, we backed her in to take advantage of load / unloading using the stern swim deck. That worked ok except at low tide - easy getting on (gravity); not so much getting off. That winter I built a finger pier, and now all is well. I have no problem stepping from the cabin to the dock - just don't step on the cupholders. I'm on my third set. I can stand on the pier and hold the boat in place by myself using the stanchions or shrouds, even with a stiff wind / tide moving the boat away from me. (I'm 53 years old / in decent, not great, shape) Your final question about moving from bow to stern... No real issues. The winches and sheet lockdowns are trip hazards, and their near the step down from the cabin to the cockpit, but I've never had a spill. The boom works well as a hand hold. The front windscreen is slippery when wet, and I have had a couple of spills there - once while moored and once underway, but I didn't fall overboard. I have moored to a ball, docked (both stern and bow in), and anchored / un-anchored all single-handedly. Happy to answer any more questions.

patbratton · Aug 25, 2021

My son and I took Wet Dog out for the first time Monday. We motored out of the harbor and pointed her into the wind (breeze). The main went up very easy and jib popped up quickly. The jib is in good shape but the main needs to be replaced. There are two patches, one very large and another just above the boom which was fixed with some sort of iron on patch folded around the leech. It took a little work to smooth the sail ( no block on the out haul) and I seem to be missing a batten. There was not enough wind to get the feel of her so we sailed with the Bimini up and just relaxed. Next time we will fill the cooler. It was no effort to move along in the light breeze.
When we came about I back winded the jib (old habit from my Hobbie 18) and she promptly carried through the turn. My son sailed her back to Aqualand Harbor and we motored into the slip. My new telescoping boat hook worked great!. I was able to grab the mooring lines from both sides of the docks and secure the vessel.
It is a bit of a step from the deck to the cockpit but the boom did work well as a hand hold. I had no trouble going forward. I step on the galley, put my butt on the deck, and swing my legs forward on the deck. I am 74 and haven't felt this spry in a good many years.
The new hasp for the sliding hatch arrived this afternoon and I will install it Friday. I made a one inch spacer out of oak to move the hasp aft from the top drop board so it will line up with the edge of the slide. That should keep the rain out. If not, I will order a boom tent.

familyrapp · Aug 25, 2021

Very nice! Yes, as for this boat's ability to sail in <cough, cough> disrepair.... it does well. A new main sail is my next year project, and right now it's held together with sail tape, and 1 batton is missing. But, we don't care for racing or performance, and we NEVER forget the cooler....

Crazy Dave Condon · Aug 26, 2021

@patbratton

It was good hearing about your first voyage. Thank you. Instead of a boom tent to keep rain out; there is a specific cover yo can purchase that goes over the companionway
For just that purpose. You do need to throw a cushion underneath to help deflect rain off.

In the event you have a companionway cover that goes over when the slider hatch is up, order the rain cover with the fasteners seperate so if you have the other cover, yo can match them to the current fasteners around the companionway

patbratton · Aug 26, 2021

Thank you Dave. I have been very busy fixing up all the little stuff from the Galley sink not priming, the SeaLand Porti Poti issues, missing pins and bolts, plus all the neglected things. I have found that if you don't keep everything fixed it builds up and then sucks all the pleasure out of ownership. I will get with you later on the the rigging and other maintenance concerning. Thanks for being here.
Pat