37 Cutter Starboard list

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
978
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
Hey again,

So this is related to my question about the valve to switch water tanks. I was thinking there was water in the starboard tank since the boat has a slight list to starboard. Turns out there wasn't any water in the tank.
Any 37C owners have a bit of a starboard list?
Equipment wise my 37 is is pretty evenly balanced on both sides. There is one battery on the starboard side, the refrigeration unit, and an espar heater. I can't imagine all of that weighs enough to make too much of a noticeable difference. The battery is not too far off the centerline. There is no holding tank anymore (composting head installed). The port side has the air conditioning unit, and the fuel tank.
The only thing i haven't checked yet is if the mast is leaning slightly to starboard.
Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Manny
 

AVSDDS

.
Mar 21, 2018
2
Hunter 37 Cherubini Port San Luis
Mine has a very slight list to starboard also, I assumed it was the waste tank, batteries, kitchen and propane all being located starboard. Additionally the previous owner took out the aft cabin wall and doors as well as the desk.
 

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
978
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
Thanks for the post. Sounds like you got a bit more on your starboard side than i do.
Not to derail my own thread but do you have pictures of the interior? I'd love to see what it looks like without the bulkhead, nav desk, and door...

Thanks,

Manny
 

AVSDDS

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Mar 21, 2018
2
Hunter 37 Cherubini Port San Luis
Yea Its kinda a work in progress, the p.o. really liked open space I guess, he also took the table out in the salon

20180223_223131.jpg
 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Manny,
I would start with the assumption that the designer balanced the boat with the factory installed equipment in place.
You could test your list by moving known weights to port and getting a rough idea of how much weight is forcing the boat out of balance. A 37' sailboat shouldn't be easy to create a noticeable list in. If you are about my size, you weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 210lbs. How much change in list do you get, moving from starboard to port, yourself? It's unlikely your batteries weigh much more than that (255ah AGMs weight about 150lbs) and, they are near center. Do you store anchors, chain, toolboxes, or a collection of heavish items in a starboard locker?
Mast tilt shouldn't account for such a noticeable list. I'm guessing this has been the case since you bought the boat because you said you had been thinking it was due to water in the starboard water (ballast?) and it turned out not to be the case. So, is this boat new to you? Have you run aground with her? Could the keel be missaligned?
When did you notice the list? It is the same in and out of the slip?

- Will (Dragonfly)
 

Manny

.
Oct 5, 2006
978
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
AVSDDS - thanks for the pic - does look more spacious. Like yours, mine does not have the salon table either. I need to make something one of these days. I am thinking a fold down table like my 27' has.

Will,
I just bought the boat right before new years and it was noticeable from day one. I tried moving some of the heavier stuff stored on the starboard side over to port. I weigh 170 lbs and the boat doesn't really have any change in list when i move around. I haven't seen her out of the water so don't know if the keel is slightly misaligned. I had a diver come and clean the prop and rudder before moving her to home port and he didn't mention anything going on with the keel but i bet he wasn't really looking for that either. I did bump bottom getting into my slip but that was gentle and it was after i moved her. I couldn't tell when we made the trip if she was listing since it was a bit rough out and we were bobbing about a bit, although she was incredibly comfortable and stable.

Thanks,

Manny
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Manny,
The reason I asked if you noticed the list in and out of the slip is because I thought of the possibility that you were sitting on the bottom or up against something in the slip. You said you bumped bottom getting into the slip. Could you actually be pressed up against a sloping bottom in the slip? Sometimes, marina slips are bowl shaped with more depth in the slip than under the dock because of the presence and movement of boats and the inability of dredging equipment to get under a dock. If you make it into a shallow slip and then pull the boat up against the finger dock, you may be pulling the keel into the bottom. Then, when the tide drops a little, you end up leaning over. I've never seen this happen, but I know there is the possibility because of the conditions stated above. It's just a thought.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
978
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
Hey Will,

I see where you were going with that, but no she's floating for sure and not touching bottom. I bought her at one marina and she was listing, and i moved her to another marina about 4 hours north and same thing. I wish i had something to measure the amount of degrees of list. I was down to work on her this weekend and had a bubble level with me and i checked the mast and also on some of the horizontal woodwork and it confirmed the list. Ironically the nav desk was level!

Mannu
 
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Likes: Will Gilmore
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Don't forget about the engine and battery bank. There's some heavy stuff that should be centered.

This is a real mystery.

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
May 31, 2007
758
Hunter 37 cutter Blind River
I had an H33 which did the same thing after major hurricane repairs. There were several hundred pounds of extra glass on the starboard side after the holes were repaired and the cosmetics completed. Loved sailing to windward on starboard tack! Has your vessel ever had structural repairs that you know of?
 
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Manny

.
Oct 5, 2006
978
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
That is a good question... Unfortunately i don't have a way of finding out until i get her hauled in the winter (well if spring and summer ever even make it to the east coast...).
One of the things I was thinking could be a possibility is that the hull is somehow saturated with water on the starboard side. Maybe i can get a moisture meter on her when she's out of the water. I honestly don't know the last time she was hauled, it could be years...
 
Jun 8, 2004
994
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
How many degrees of list are we talking about? If its less than 2 or 3 don't worry about it. Some seasons my boat has a degree or two of list, other seasons its trim. It depends on so many factors about how the boat is loaded. Then there is the question of how you are measuring the heel - a degree or so of inaccuracy can creep in depending on how carefully you mount the inclinometer, spirit level, etc. If you look at your mast in the marina and its crazy-tilted compared to all around you, then maybe you should look further...otherwise, don't lose sleep over it. Very few boats are built truly symmetrical. My $0.02.
 

Johnb

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Jan 22, 2008
1,419
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
Further to what Jim says - moving about our boat in dock makes close to zero difference in trim but cross winds above 5 knots have a discernible impact. Anchoring across current also does.
 

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
978
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
Honestly i don't know the degrees, i'd have to get some sort of precise way of measuring it. It is noticeable to me and few friends have noticed it as well. I'm sure at the end of the day it doesn't make a difference but it sort of gets my OCD going a bit...
 
Jun 8, 2004
994
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
...It is noticeable to me and few friends have noticed it as well. I'm sure at the end of the day it doesn't make a difference but it sort of gets my OCD going a bit...
Ah, the joy of boat ownership - you know and continually notice every little flaw. Load a whole lot of beer on the side opposite to correct the list...the list will come back when the beer is gone, but your OCD may not :beer:
 

Blaise

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Jan 22, 2008
359
Hunter 37-cutter Bradenton
Man, you guys don't have enough to do. If it really bothers you, move the fattest guy (usually me) to the other side.
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Install a clinometer and set it to "zero" degrees.

Problem solved. o_O
 
May 31, 2007
758
Hunter 37 cutter Blind River
There are several inclinometer apps you can add to your smart phone or tablet for free. Very useful.
 

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
978
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
I didn't even think of the phone app, i should try that. I just wonder how accurate they really are.