Just Got a Hunter 29.5

[Tom L]

I just completed the purchase of a 1994 Hunter 29.5 and I have some questions. The problems were advertised or discovered during the inspection before purchase and the price adjusted. It was a private deal and the seller was fair and helpful.

1. The jib sail was in shreads due to the furler unrolling with no one checking it. What is the usual head sail for a 29.5? Is it a 100% jib or something larger? (130% genoa maybe?) Any advice on what to replace it with would be appreciated.

2. During the haul-out and inspection we found that there are no zincs left. I think the zincs might screw onto the end of the prop shaft or maybe it uses a donut zinc on the shaft. Anyone know the size or what to order?

3. The Raymarine ST4000 autohelm display gives an error of "No Data" when I hit the "track" button. I didn't have a manual when I tested it so I didn't know what I was doing. Any ideas where to start looking? Could it be a bad fluxgate compass? (The compas might have been underwater)

Additionally there was some rotten plywood in the bow under the V-birth but I'll worry about that later.

Thanks for any help and advise,
Tom

 

[Bill Murray]

H29.5 is a great boat. Based on my experiences with mine - a 1995 model --.........

I just completed the purchase of a 1994 Hunter 29.5 and I have some questions. The problems were advertised or discovered during the inspection before purchase and the price adjusted. It was a private deal and the seller was fair and helpful.

1. The jib sail was in shreads due to the furler unrolling with no one checking it. What is the usual head sail for a 29.5? Is it a 100% jib or something larger? (130% genoa maybe?) Any advice on what to replace it with would be appreciated.

The boat was designed for a 110% jib. That is the optimum sail. The jib tracks are installed with this sail in mine. While I have seena 29.5 where additional trackw were added to handle a larger jib, it was not a particularly useful arrangement. if you want a lighter air sail, get an assymetrical.

2. During the haul-out and inspection we found that there are no zincs left. I think the zincs might screw onto the end of the prop shaft or maybe it uses a donut zinc on the shaft. Anyone know the size or what to order?

Just use a doughnut type on the shaft.

3. The Raymarine ST4000 autohelm display gives an error of "No Data" when I hit the "track" button. I didn't have a manual when I tested it so I didn't know what I was doing. Any ideas where to start looking? Could it be a bad fluxgate compass? (The compas might have been underwater)

"Track" is designed to follow a GPS designated course to a waypoint. Do you have a gps connected to teh system, is it on, is a waypoint set???

Additionally there was some rotten plywood in the bow under the V-birth but I'll worry about that later.

The plywood rots (common problem) because of leaking water tank or related fittings.

Thanks for any help and advise,
Tom

 

[Bruce Leidal]

Tom, I also own a 1994 Hunter 29.5. Bought it new and have sailed/raced it for 16 years. Great boat.

Regarding your questions...
1. The max jib size is a 115. This is due to the shrouds against the rails. I have a set of UK Tapedrive racing sails. They work great.
2. Autopilot - sounds like the flux gate compass was not turned on. My flux gate is on a separate circuit than my autopilot.

Let me know what other questions you have.

Bruce

 

[TerryGufshoz]

I too just purchased a 29.5 (Hope you're as happy with yours as I am). I found dampness in the small, starboard cabinet near the v-berth. I traced the leak to the latch for the anchor locker. Where the bolt slides in to the deck, it is only a hole drilled through the fiberglass. I can stick my finger into the hole and feel rotted coring. This weekend's project is filling the area and re-drilling so the bolt-hole is sealed. The design for the latch handle holds the water until it runs through the hole or evaporates!
This boat is perfect for my uses, but it does have a few "what were they thinking?" design issues. The major one I have questions about solving is the molding for the hatch cover slides. It is unsupported, relatively thin fiberglass, placed in the perfect position for grabbing as you go down the steps into the cabin. My fiberglass is cracked and splintered. This molding is part of a large piece that covers the lines going to the cockpit, so I really don't want to replace it. I'd really like to fix the area with something a little more substantial. Bruce, Tom, do you have a similar issue on your boats?

 

[robertsapp]

You can download an owners manual for the autopilot from the Raymarine website. Look under the autopilots - discontinued area. I'm pretty sure the track function only works when the pilot is getting a signal from a GPS system, so unless something was feeding data to the pilot, you'd get a no data reading. If the unit displayed a compass bearing when you powered it up, then you know the fluxgate is probably fine. With nothing else hooked up to the pilot (like a wind instrument via seatalk, for example) then the Auto and Standby buttons will be the only functions working.

 

[Bruce Leidal]

Terry,
No issues with the slides on mine. They are still in good working order. You will need a towel when opening the main hatch after it rains. Seems the water wants to run in because the hatch is so flat it doesn't drain well. Otherwise, no issues.

I have developed a leak that results in water collecting in the molded tray behind the sink in the head. I could use some hints in finding it.

Only other announce is the storage area under the swim platform. The hatch does not seal well and collects water after a hard rain.

Bruce

 

[rlrmystic]

hello,
I'm looking at a 29.5, similar issues with rotted floor board under v berth. all the fiberglass is peeling up from the plywood. where are the water storage tanks. I couldn't even see them ?
the Bomar hatch is the culprit a torn gasket... cant imagime that'd be to hard to fix
Thanks
R

 

[healeyman]

Also have a 29.5... same auto helm... was not working.... and found that the wire connectors were loose....Your fluxgate compass may not be working... check all wire connections... My ST 4000 is now working after we found two connectors loose. Hope this helps... The Hunter 29.5 is a great boat for its size... the boat is located on Chickamauga Lake in Hixson Tn.

 

[Sailm8]

Terry,
No issues with the slides on mine. They are still in good working order. You will need a towel when opening the main hatch after it rains. Seems the water wants to run in because the hatch is so flat it doesn't drain well. Otherwise, no issues.

I have developed a leak that results in water collecting in the molded tray behind the sink in the head. I could use some hints in finding it.

Only other announce is the storage area under the swim platform. The hatch does not seal well and collects water after a hard rain.

Bruce

I have the same leak and found it was the opening port. I have the same leak with the opposite port in the galley. I am working on finding a gasket to replace the old ones.

 

[Tom L]

Thanks everyone for the replies!
I have had a few good sails so far this summer. The problems are still here but the boat still sails and the motor works. I'm have fun now and leaving the crawling around in the bilge and other confined places until cooler weather gets here.

Regarding the zincs. I plan on trying to get a zinc for the prop nut when I pull the boat for the winter. I have a doughnut zinc that I milled down to fit the drive shaft. For the summer, I have a guppy zinc over the side ran a wire to the prop shaft. I hope this saves the prop but if not, I expect that the savings by not hauling the boat for a week will pay for a new prop.

I still have to trace the wiring for the Raymarine electronics. I hope I can find the problem but I still haven't found the fluxgate compass to check it out.

I am just about to order a new 110% genoa from this site. I have taken my time measuring for it to make sure I get close to correct. In the mean time I have been sailing using the jib from my h23.5. When the wind is between 15 and 20 knts, the boat sails well with one reef in the main. In fact it is balanced nicely.

My roller furler is a Hood but I can't find a model number. Anyone have any idea what model Hunter used and have a manual available?

Sailm8: If you find where to get the port gaskets, please let me know. I need them for all my ports too.

Thanks,
Tom L.

 

[Sailm8]

I found a nearly perfect fit for the gasket using a self adhesive rubber molding from home depot. Thought I had it found but not good enough. Still leaks. Will keep looking

 

[TerryGufshoz]

Tom,
Last week I attempted to stow a spare anchor with 20ft of chain on the rode under the swim platform. After getting to open water I tried to turn on the autopilot and got the no signal message. Later I removed the anchor and sure enough, autopilot worked like a charm. I would have to guess the fluxgate compass is somewhere in that vicinity.
Terry

 

[rlrmystic]

So many 29.5 owners... Who has come up with a solution for location of chartplotter. My eyes require something larger then a 6" display?

 

[Bruce Leidal]

Inside or out?

So many 29.5 owners... Who has come up with a solution for location of chartplotter. My eyes require something larger then a 6" display?

I have two located on my 29.5. I have a large chart plotter (Autohelm 600) mounted inside on the port side. My radio is located in the end of the right most cabinet of the galley. I cut a 2x2 by 12 inch piece of wood on an angle. Drilled two holes in the access cover for the wires on the port side and mounted the 2x2x12 to it. I then attached the bracket for the chartpotter to the wood and ran the wires through the access port. It is clean and out of the way.

While the below deck chartplotter is nice for planning, plotting, general navigation and monitoring, it is not great when needing real-time feedback. Recently I was in a race when the fog rolled in and we could not see 10 feet in front of the boat. For such needs I have a Garmin GPSMAPS 478 with the weather option. I sacrificed a cup holder at the helm and have it mounted. It is out of the way of the mainsheet and visible from the helm station.

If that isn't enough I recommend stronger glasses. (ha ha)

 

[rlrmystic]

Thanks for your reply I see Hunter ownership is going to have a huge advantage to my old Dufour.
I'm considering either a Si-Tex 6 or ChRtMaster V6 by Interphase .. Both offer a taller screen vs many wide screens. Guess I'm answering my own question with doubts as boats go left and right on a screen not up and down