San Juan Islands Cruise

Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
Made it back from 5 days in the islands. What an awesome cruise. I highly recommend the San Juans. Trip was a huge success, no equipment/mechanical failures of any kind. We wound up doing an 82 mile loop through the islands and used only 5 gallons of gas the whole time. We went from Bellingham -> Sucia Island -> Friday Harbor -> Wasp Islands cruising -> Cypress Island -> Lummi Island and back to Bellingham. Just awesome!

The little h23.5 performed well. I found that in big wind the boat didn't handle well with reefed main and jib. When I ran just the full main I was able to keep the boat balanced by easing the main halyard a bit to induce a little twist spilling air, and running the boat tight to the wind, main-sheet eased a bit when close hauled. We were 17-18 knots of wind sustained and I was able to run the full main like this and make over 6 knots steady. We hit some big gusts and the weather helm got tough, but the boat never heeled excessively or rounded up too badly. Really impressed with her performance relative to what I've heard/read about.

Pics as promised:
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Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
Well done! I've done the islands in a friend's 260 and 270, but never in a 23.5 like my own boat.

Tell me about your water system. The sink tap looks like a pressurized system?
 
Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
Tell me about your water system. The sink tap looks like a pressurized system?
The water system was installed when I bought the boat. It consists of a water bladder up under the v-berth, a hose running back to a pump under the port side settee, then up to the faucet you see there. There's a switch on the sink which starts the pump and then you can use the faucet.
Unfortunately, I don't have the drain plug for the water bladder and the manufacturer doesn't offer any such replacement part on their website. I need to give them a call and see if they can send me a replacement. That would greatly improve the livability of the boat. For this trip we had a portable water tank that I just filled the sink with when doing dishes or washing up.
The little Origo alcohol stove worked famously! Great little unit.
 
Jun 28, 2016
334
Hunter 23.5 Paupack, PA
As a fellow H23.5 owner, for a year now, I salute you! I'm envious. Great pics! We're just now getting out in real wind, and making plenty of mistakes, but the little boat seems very sure footed. Hoping to pull off one of those up north some day (Lake George or Lake Champlain). Good to know how you dealt with that breeze - thanks!
[Edit] That's one hell of an anchor!
 
Jun 4, 2004
392
Hunter 31 and 25 and fomerly 23.5 Stockton State Park Marina; MO
Great Pic's!
Congrats on a great trip. A lot of us are jealous......
Dennis
 
Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade

Threw a quick video together from all the footage I took. Not very professional and the camera work is crappy, but gives you a general sense of what we hit. I didn't capture much of the heavier wind sailing, but the last segment we were out was the best sailing we had making up to 6.5 knots under just the main. It was absolutely sublime.
 
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Jun 28, 2016
334
Hunter 23.5 Paupack, PA
Aww man, very cool. Thanks for putting that up. You actually do have a good voice for narration and you should consider adding another audio track. What tool do you use? I use Corel Video Studio, mostly because it's only about $50 on Newegg. But I have tried others like Wondershare, and all the free ones.
 
Jul 31, 2017
47
Hunter 26 TBD
we are looking at buying a hunter 240 but I'm a little afraid it might be too small/more ideal to have a new 25 or 26/260 for bad weather and staying aboard a week. Did you wish your boat was bigger at all? thanks for the post
 
Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
Aww man, very cool. Thanks for putting that up. You actually do have a good voice for narration and you should consider adding another audio track. What tool do you use? I use Corel Video Studio, mostly because it's only about $50 on Newegg. But I have tried others like Wondershare, and all the free ones.
Thanks!

I'll definitely be making some more videos and the narration will probably be a part of it. I just wanted to put something out there quickly. I've got a couple more outings this year and I want to walk through my process of getting the rig up and the boat launched. I've got it down to the point I can do the whole thing single-handed and be in the water in 25 minutes given a quiet boat launch and parking lot.

I'm using kdenlive on my linux workstation for video editing. It's free and was pretty easy to use.
 
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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
we are looking at buying a hunter 240 but I'm a little afraid it might be too small/more ideal to have a new 25 or 26/260 for bad weather and staying aboard a week. Did you wish your boat was bigger at all? thanks for the post
I think it depends on what you're going to do with it. If most of your trips will be longer trips with more than two people I'd go with a bigger boat. If most of your trips will be short weekends and day sailing, you'll love the convenience and ease of handling of the 240. Everything is small and easy to manage. Rig goes up quickly enabling day-long trailer outings. The biggest problem we had on the week-long outing on the 23.5 was shifting junk around to sleep, cook or sail. There aren't a lot of designated spaces for the things you'd need to be on a boat longer term.

As for bad weather, I don't trust a water ballasted boat in big seas and wind. The boat is very light and you can feel abrupt momentum losses in waves or swell over 4 feet. I could keep the boat under good control in 20 knots as long as we were reaching or running, but going to weather it's very prone to excessive heeling and weather helm. I think again it depends on where you'll be sailing. The San Juan islands were very mellow with a few exceptions in the large channels, but even that wasn't too bad. If you're regularly sailing a body of water with a large fetch, you'll probably want a fixed keel with some weight. If you're doing a lot of protected waterways and hopping from place to place on a trailer, you can't beat the 23.5/240.
 
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Jul 31, 2017
47
Hunter 26 TBD
yeah, so 90%+ in a well protected midwest lake, in a dock where we will overnight on weekends sometimes. 10% drive to great lakes / florida for a week. We do have 2 dogs so the hunter 240/260 is ideal for the wide cockpit and low cabin entry (less steps).
The new hunter 25 seems like the ideal mix besides the wheel and price!
 
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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
I spent a good 15 years sailing on Lake Michigan. I had a big old Bristol 29 full keeler. I sure miss the steady winds and open water of the big lakes lake. Are you close to Lake Michigan in Indiana?

I imagine the 260 has more headroom. Standing headroom makes a world of difference where livability and space is concerned.
 
Nov 18, 2016
150
Hunter 260 Lucky Peak, ID
I imagine the 260 has more headroom. Standing headroom makes a world of difference where livability and space is concerned.
Stack,

Idaho greetings. We just returned from the San Juan's 10 days ago cruising our tiller H260. With the cabin open and hatch raised its pretty spacious. I'm 6'4" and don't feel at all cramped (except crawling into the rear berth - a womb & the head).

Boat was purchased for its livable space (sailing RV) as we hope to do tow to cruising at least 1X year.

Rosario
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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
Awesome! Another Idahoan sailor :) We have a neighbor that I see has a 260. We are out in Hidden Springs. That isn't by chance you is it?

The 260 looks like a great boat. I'd love to check one out some time and see how much roomier they are. They have a dedicated head right? That pop up top does add a lot of space. I can't find the zippered section over the companionway hatch so we have to close it all up at night :(
 
Nov 18, 2016
150
Hunter 260 Lucky Peak, ID
Stack,

We are close - over the hill by Pierce Park Greens. Boat is in a slip at Lucky Peak. Available anytime - shoot a PM. And yes - there is a head - we have the cassette style toilet.

Surprise benefit actually has been the sugar scoop stern. We are in the water a lot and its allows great access. Hope to dive out of the boat in the future. Also has step on transom access from the dock - better than going over the side to the cockpit.
 
Nov 18, 2016
150
Hunter 260 Lucky Peak, ID
Ronnie,

Are you in mast up storage & have a solar panel mounted to the rear rail?

I have admired your boat.

JT