41 owners input on crusing the ICW and Caribbean

[Tucker67]

I am a Stinkpotter looking at purchasing a hunter 41s or 44s and would like to get input from owner of these models. It will be my wife two dog .... likes, dislikes , multi week livability and specifically how they handle in the ICW, the Caribbean and in heavy seas. Not many videos or comments outhere other then the great debate,which I want to avoid. real input from real hunter owners. Many thanks in advance

 

[Rick486]

Well, we cruise on a 44DS with 2 dogs. Works fine. Dogs can access the dinghy NP. Plenty of place to sleep. Not much difference between 44 and 41.

 

[Sailgunner]

Cruise our 410 on Florida waters and up and down east coast of US. Our draft is a little too much at 5'4" but know where we can and cannot go. 41 is good cruising size. Can handle the seas but we try to avoid 6' plus when possible. We try to cruise around 7 knots which usually means motor sailing as the wind is rarely at sufficient speed or direction for "destination" cruising. Don't have a bow thruster but would really consider one with a 44.

 

[Marc14857]

We sail our 44 ...my wife and I and our 100# dog. Very comfortable boat and we really like her. Planning on an ICW trip fall 2019. The gentle slope of the companionway steps is easy for the dog to get up and down. Also agree that bow thruster is a big plus. If you are ever up in the Mystic area I’d be happy to give a tour.

 

[JimInPB]

40-something is a nice size for what you want to do. Be sure to get in some hours in familiar waters to get the feel for handling the boat before you venture off to places that you don't know. Be sure to research draft & air draft requirements before you go.

When sailing the ditch through north Florida, watch for Clorox bottles that the locals use to mark the actual edge of the ICW channel in places where the official buoys don't quite cut it.

 

[Hunter Ad Bot]

And now a word from the sponsor...

Rub rail for Hunter sailboats

After many years of shortage, we now offer rub rails for most Hunters from the late-90s and newer. Insert and keeper/track available.
See the product

 

[Tucker67]

All thanks for the input especially on the bow-thruster and the Clorox bottles great tip. Our plans are to sail around the sound for a year get some real practice in befor heading south. Regarding groundings have you had any issues getting off due to the wing keel especially in mud and sand bottoms keep hearing conflicting comments love to get firsthand testimony

 

[uncledom]

Tucker go to this thread to read my long winded version but in short the 41 is a good boat
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?posts/1264822/

 

[Tucker67]

Great tread really answers some questions and confirms some of my thoughts. Even though grounding is a painful subject I would like to here about the easy or challenges as well as tips to get off. Although I have always been conscientious navigating and don’t plan on grounding the ICW is filled with changing sholes plus it will be new to me so I am guessing the odds of grounding at least once is are against me

 

[DayDreamer41]

@Tucker67 while I have yet to ground our 41 DS we do carry an extra anchor and 300' of rode specifically for the grounding issue, the research I have done yielded to the conclusion that a winged keel can't be heeled over to reduce the draft and must by pulled backwards off the grounding. The anchor is a Fortress FX-23 Aluminum which will make it easier to deploy from the dinghy should the need arise, hopefully allowing ourselves to winch off, at least that is the idea, really hope that I don't have to attempt this feat though.
As for the 41 DS my wife and I have enjoyed a couple of multi week adventures and find it easy to manage, and roomy enough not to be bumping into each other on every turn. We do have a thruster which really hasn't worked well since we purchased the Sapphire, but I did take the motor in for service this off season, the shop replaced the almost completely warn brushes and turned the armature put new bearing in, she should work much better this year, when ever I need it.

 

[Tucker67]

Makes logical sense thanks for the input

 

[Valerio]

hi Tucker, i have just bought a used Hunter 41, i sail near Cancun, so i well know the trade winds in the zone.
The boat has its limitations, winds are very strong here, usually above 20 knots. I have a Seldom mast and is very easy to take a reef. I never ever use all the main, the ride become very unconfortable and i rather do 5.5 knots in a good manner than 7.2 bashing around. I am new to my boat but is very different from a full kell that i was used to sail.
Good points: The most important your wife will be delight with the space inside and around the helm.
The boat has ecxelent ventilation however you cannot sail with open hatches.
The boat does not need to heel to much to go at close reach at good speed.
You can stand up in the deck and the boom will not hit you in the head.
The jib is very short it end before the mast, so tacking is very easy.
I have a very large part of the deck ahead of the bimini with cushion, tree people will sleep there easily.
If you by like mine a very well equipped boat you can have almost everything onboard.
Bad points: This is a boat designed as a show off at the harbor so a lot of space is missing to storage things, but the boat feel very roomy inside.
The main cabin is side to side, when you are on starbord tack you need to turn around your head.

 

[Sailgunner]

Don't worry about wing keel. Really not any options. Only grounded once in 7 years where I needed to be pulled off.

 

[DayDreamer41]

@Valerio I believe you might need a bit more time with your well equipped 41 (DS?)
Not sure what you are saying about being able to sleep (3) on the deck in front of the bimini? not sure I would want folks sleeping there.
We have spent many hours sailing in 20+ winds and the 41DS handles this amount of wind with ease, yes you must reduce sail area to achieve optimum speed with minimum weather helm. We routinely see 6.5 kts sailing a beat with wind in the 20's and an almost neutral helm. The 41 DS achieves her theoretical hull speed while reaching this is where the Sapphire really loves to sail, we have on several occasions exceeded hull speed while surfing in 8-10 ft seas running DDW.
I am also confused by your comment, "This is a boat designed as a show off at the harbor so a lot of space is missing to storage things" which contradicts an earlier statement, "If you by like mine a very well equipped boat you can have almost everything onboard"
We find our 41 2-cabin design roomy with plenty of storage for provisions, we did not purchase our boat with the idea of having room for more that the wife and I during long trips, although 4 adults could spend extended time aboard with relative ease.
As for the main cabin, the queen sized berth is perpendicular to the boats center line, on a port tack you will find your toes higher that your head and with this, one might want to switch ends of the berth, more importantly is that the berth is perpendicular to center line which would help keep its occupant in the berth when healing, yes this would be an issue in very large waves, waves I hope I am never exposed to while making a passage.

 

[seadaddler]

I have the H-36 with wing keel and yes grounde$ up in NY and down here in Florida and really not a problem and have used sails with heeling to get off and also been pulled off and never problem.

 

[Valerio]

@Valerio I believe you might need a bit more time with your well equipped 41 (DS?)
Not sure what you are saying about being able to sleep (3) on the deck in front of the bimini? not sure I would want folks sleeping there.
We have spent many hours sailing in 20+ winds and the 41DS handles this amount of wind with ease, yes you must reduce sail area to achieve optimum speed with minimum weather helm. We routinely see 6.5 kts sailing a beat with wind in the 20's and an almost neutral helm. The 41 DS achieves her theoretical hull speed while reaching this is where the Sapphire really loves to sail, we have on several occasions exceeded hull speed while surfing in 8-10 ft seas running DDW.
I am also confused by your comment, "This is a boat designed as a show off at the harbor so a lot of space is missing to storage things" which contradicts an earlier statement, "If you by like mine a very well equipped boat you can have almost everything onboard"
We find our 41 2-cabin design roomy with plenty of storage for provisions, we did not purchase our boat with the idea of having room for more that the wife and I during long trips, although 4 adults could spend extended time aboard with relative ease.
As for the main cabin, the queen sized berth is perpendicular to the boats center line, on a port tack you will find your toes higher that your head and with this, one might want to switch ends of the berth, more importantly is that the berth is perpendicular to center line which would help keep its occupant in the berth when healing, yes this would be an issue in very large waves, waves I hope I am never exposed to while making a passage.

HI DAY DREAMER
You are right, i need more time on long passage on my boat. In the front of the bimini i have a full side to side arrangement of cushions, so if you want yo can have a nap in there. I am missing a lot of storage space because under the main table cushion i have : a filter in order to drink water in the tank, an inverter with battery carger, an AC for the main saloon and a subwoffer of the Bose standard equipment. So were do you storage your food for a week of sailing with 5 people aboard ?
In the front cabin i use the space for security items like chair, tools, safety harness, spare poleys etc.
Below the aft cabin i have two diesel tank so there is no space.
In my previos little sailboat i have a lot of cabinets, i think Hunter on the main salon need to built more closed cabinets in order to store the food. Yes i like the filling of the roominess on the main saloon , but i think side storage is missing.

 

[uncledom]

There is storage behind the Port Saloon Cushions, around and under the aft mattress, in the Pantry and just in front of the Pantry in the floor. There is a sliding drawer under the settee on the Starboard side and a shelf and a cabinet at eye level. We usually carry a large Yeti cooler under the table and a soft igloo for odds and ends. We go on 8 day voyages with 6 people but we do usually eat our dinners out where ever we happen to be docked or anchored.

 

[OffDuty]

Tucker,
My wife and I have just arrived home today after cruising the ICW and the Bahamas for the second year in a row.
We have a 41DS and in 2016 took it all the way from Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal, the Hudson and down the ICW all the way to Miami before crossing over. This year the boat had been stored in Green Cove Springs and we then went down the ICW, across to the Bahamas and back up to Green Cove.
We have a 5 foot draft which definitely helps. The biggest concern you would have is the air draft. We are about 63 and a half to the top of the anemometer so bridge clearances are a concern regarding the tides etc.
Once outside the ICW the 41DS is a dream. Tons of storage, easy and comfortable to sail. We often get comments on how beautiful the boat is.
If you have time, read my blog spanning the last few years and good luck with your search.
Dave
www.sailingoffduty.com

 

[Tucker67]

OffDuty thanks for the input and will read your blog. All of the feedback has been great and has really helped me build an informed decision.

 

[Tucker67]

Does anyone have a good hunter serveyor in the Norfolk area. You guys have really been great with the advice.