Hunter 18

Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
I just picked up a used Hunter 18 for a community sailing club. Sadly I won't be able to sail it till next spring, but I'm really looking forward to it!

Does anyone else here have one? I have an issue with the way the mast bounces in what I think is the factory configuration for trailering it.

I'm also wondering about the canvas cover on the bow. It just seems like it'd be in the way. I wonder if people just leave it off.
 
Apr 16, 2017
841
Federation NCC-1701 Riverside
The cover is essential for good air flow under the jib. It also keeps the jib lines from tangling on the junk in the cuddy, and some spray off the gear

Just leave the fiberglass rods at home.
 

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Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
When do you take it off? Just when you go up to launch the spinnaker? It doesn't look like there's enough deck to walk around on.

We'll be on a small lake. There's not enough fetch for waves of any height to build up, so we rarely get any spray. I can see what you mean about jib sheets getting tangles.

I had to tow it over the Mackinac Bridge (on a wind warning day) to get home!

 
Apr 16, 2017
841
Federation NCC-1701 Riverside
When do you take it off? Just when you go up to launch the spinnaker? It doesn't look like there's enough deck to walk around on.
We leave the canvas off until we cast off, right before cast off we snap on. When we are about to smash into, err dock we rip it off and one person will get in there since thats where the cleat is (on 170) your cleat might be in a better location.

Pro tip: if its calm take the canvas off, put the throwable at the front and hang out at the nose like its a recliner with your back against the wall. Just watch your head in tacks...of course someone esle will be at rudder and main.

Mast bouncing is real. Easiest is to bungee the mast to the tabernacle. Just to keep it from moving. I have delusions of grandur of a large diameter pvc pipe that fits int the madt tabernacle just like a pinned mast and supports the mast. Put a T at the top and cut the mast shape into the T. This would help when unloading off trailer with mast still horizontal. (As in trees and power lines at ramp)

I rest the mast as usual, then suspend the boom underneath. I then swap the boom mainsheet shackle to the vang strap. This lets me use the mainsheet to keep it all tight.

Not sure how spin works. You might want to study how the RS sailboats handle that with an automatc retracting sprite and bag/sock under the deck.
 

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Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
Pro tip: if its calm take the canvas off, put the throwable at the front and hang out at the nose like its a recliner with your back against the wall. Just watch your head in tacks...of course someone esle will be at rudder and main.

I think this will my standard position while teaching :)




Mast bouncing is real. Easiest is to bungee the mast to the tabernacle. Just to keep it from moving. I have delusions of grandur of a large diameter pvc pipe that fits int the madt tabernacle just like a pinned mast and supports the mast. Put a T at the top and cut the mast shape into the T. This would help when unloading off trailer with mast still horizontal. (As in trees and power lines at ramp)


I rest the mast as usual, then suspend the boom underneath. I then swap the boom mainsheet shackle to the vang strap. This lets me use the mainsheet to keep it all tight.

You can see in the photo above that I bungeed it, but it was a 700-mile drive home so I had a lot of time to think about a better solution. I came up with something like what you’re saying. I was thinking PVC with a T to hold the spreaders so that the mast won’t tend to rotate while trailering, and a bracket to hold the boom as well.


Dare to dream, eh?



Thanks for the tips!
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
When trailering my 170, I run a line from the port stern cleat, up around the mast twice, then over to the starboard stern cleat. This stabilizes the mast & keeps it from bouncing around. I also wrap a 1/4" line around the front mast support & mast several times to prevent mast slippage forward when braking.
 
Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
I'd put bigger wheels on that trailer!
OMG, right?

We were talking about that over Thanksgiving. Why do manufacturers make trailers with those tiny tires? That's the factory trailer from Hunter. I suppose it save a couple hundred dollars and helps them make a price point.

I generally don't drive over 60 mph when towing a trailer and they held up fine at that speed. No heat in the sidewalls or bearings. I guess the total weight is about 1200-1300 pounds.

Still. I'd prefer a size up.
 
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Nov 1, 2017
635
Catalina 25 Sea Star Base Galveston, TX
helps them make a price point.
That's most likely what they're trying to accomplish. I've found that if you find a resale shop somewhere then they might have some slightly used trailer wheels for a really cheap price; I got a deal like that for one of my trailers that I use to haul an AMF Sunbird 16. She's a pretty heavy boat, and the wheels that came with the trailer originally worked okay, but were still kinda dinky. Got some larger ones from Boater's Resale in Kemah for about 100 bucks!
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
check the load range for each tire times two will give you the total weight. You will need to include the weight of the trailer as well. Allow for a 10-20 % as a safety margin. Get a spare tire either from Northern tool or Tractor Supply.

You could make a pvc stand attached at the mast step upward to a point with a V in it for mast support. Better than tying off. I would then suggest tying off the spreader tips to the boat so the mast spreaders will not hit the boat.

I was never a fan of tying the boom to the mast as it added weight which helped the mast to bounce. I use to as a dealer sold the boat with a boom cover over the mainsail of course bungeed enough so the cover would not come off. Easier to rig and carried fine on the deck during transport for both the 170 and 18
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
When I trailer the 170, I take the boom off the mast & lay it inside the boat. When I am planning to go out again relatively soon, I sometimes wrap the main around the boom before I detach it from the mast.
 
Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
When I trailer the 170, I take the boom off the mast & lay it inside the boat. When I am planning to go out again relatively soon, I sometimes wrap the main around the boom before I detach it from the mast.
The mast was bouncy enough, I didn't like the idea of tying the boom to it. You can see in the above picture that I put the boom in the cradle on the stern, but laid it on a board on the floor of the cockpit.

I would like to make a PVC crutch for the middle that would support both the mast and the boom, but I can't figure out a good way to anchor it to the cockpit. Without an anchor it would keep the mast from bouncing down, but wouldn't stop it from bouncing up!
 
Apr 16, 2017
841
Federation NCC-1701 Riverside
This would work without damaging the cockpit decking.

The pvc crutch is placed at the mast tab this is the up force.

The boom is in the stern holder and the othet end is on a loop ( I use a long soft shackle). The mainsheet tied to boom provides down force on mast and boom.
IMG_20181129_145220.jpg
 
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Apr 16, 2017
841
Federation NCC-1701 Riverside
Realize that the mast is connected to the trailer AND the boat. I dont like that. Make sure boat cant move on trailer if you lock the mast in with anything solid.
 
Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
Realize that the mast is connected to the trailer AND the boat. I dont like that. Make sure boat cant move on trailer if you lock the mast in with anything solid.
I like that solution. I think that's what I'll do.

I ratchet strap down anything I'm towing, there'd better not be any movement!
 
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
I'd put bigger wheels on that trailer!
Doesn't look like there is room under the fenders for bigger wheels may have to lower the axle or raise the fenders. We found that the larger 8" tires do better than the 12" ones. The diameter is just about the same but there is more tire and a lower tire pressure so they ride much softer. Those small skinny tires with the high tire pressure just bounce down the road with light loads on them.
 
Feb 21, 2019
42
Catalina 30 TR 3571 Cocoa, FL
Minnesail, I just joined the forum and saw your post. I also recently purchased a H-18 and so far really like it. As to the mast bounce - leave your jib sheet on when trailering, take a couple of loops around the mast with bitter ends tied together then sheet in a bit at both jib sheet jam cleats to put a slight downward pre-bend. After a couple of times you'll know the right amount to just dampen the bounce. I've watched it in the rear view and there's no issues with relative motion between the boat and forward mast support. I like the fo'c'sle cover for spray and weather protection of sails and other equipment but it is in the way of spinnaker launch and takedown and docking / fwd cleat access. I leave it off for racing and have had no issues with tangled sheets. My wife's pretty good with a sewing machine and I'm contemplating a cover that's cut back to the next batten location that would allow fwd cleat access and a little bit more room for spin handling but I'd still leave it off for heavier air or racing. I saw some comments about bigger wheels - the taller the tires the farther you have to back down the ramp to float the boat. I kept the same tire size but upped the tire rating to class C. The boat is well built and very clean and does make a great platform to teach from.