44 DS speed under power

[Rick]

My wife and I are about to purchase a Hunter 44 AC or DS and I am concerned about whether the 54 HP Yanmar has sufficient punch for me to achieve the powering speeds we need. We are cruising sailors in New England who spend a lot of time powering for a number of reasons. On a really good two week cruise we might sail 50% of the time. Some cruises we sail 0 %. I need to be sure that we can cruise at 7-7.5 kts, well below hull speed, with reasonable RPM. The spec sheet off the web for the 4JH4E shows a maximum RPM of 3000, so at 85% for cruising that would be about 2500-2600 or so. I would appreciate any insight from 44 owners who have made the effort to really determine their powering speed.ThanksRick

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Rick, our boat is equipped with a 57HP ...

4JH2-TE and a fixed three blade prop. I normally cruise her at 1,800 RPM doing about seven knots. If I push up the RPMs to around 2,500 she will do about nine knots max. Our boat is a bit larger than the 44DS, but I suspect boat speed under power is close. What type of prop is it equipped with?Terry

 

[Larry Jackel]

With a Max-Prop

in flat water we acheive about 7.1 KTS @ 2400 RPM with the 56HP engine on our 2005 44AC. This is our typical motoring speed.

 

[Rick]

Larry:Thank you for your prompt and helpful response. The boat we are looking at has the Hunter stock 3 blade, which we would replace before commissioning with a Max Prop as you have. We have a Max Prop on our current boat and have been impressed with the performance. From your description, it sounds like the 4jh4E 56 hp engine will do the trick for us without running too high on the revs. Do you happen to recall the diameter of your max prop and pitch setting? Ours on the current boat is 17x11.ThanksRick

 

[Rick]

44 DS speed under power - 2

Larry:Thank you for your response. We have also been looking at the 420 but we sort of moved on to the 44 due to the need to get our dogs aboard and down the companionway. It sounds like you have the 62 hp Yanmar in your P42. As I recall, that is a 3800 max engine so you have plenty of revs left from your cruising speed. Do you happen to know the size and pitch of your prop.Thanks againRick

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Rick, I'm assuming you directed the ...

P42 question to me...it is equipped with a 57HP 4JH2-TE, not the 62HP model. The H420 and P42 are quite different boats. Hunter built the 420 using the H41 hull mold, whereas the P42 uses the H43 hull mold. It is also a heavier boat by more than two tons with a larger sail area and wider beam. It is equipped with a bronze 18 RH X 15 three blade fixed prop, which I am very happy with especially in reverse. Terry

 

[LSCalifornia]

Fast but not the fastest

I am very happy with my motoring speed as it has knocked 2 hours off of a motoring passage to the back of Catalina as compared to my prior H34. Then again, an older 42' Beneteau with a 75 HP turbo passed me as if I was standing still... There is always a compromise, and that is probably why the H45CC which has the same hull as the 44AC comes with a 75HP engine and I believe the new 45DS comes the same.

 

[LSCalifornia]

Alternator Impact

One other issue is that the wide open throttle rpm will reduce by almost 400 RPM's on a 4 JH4E if you have a high output alternator with a demand. Obviously if your batteries are full, this does not occur.

 

[rick]

Alternator

Terry:Thanks. That's a great point on the alternator. I did look up the 45 DS and they are sticking with the 54 hp but the 45 CC has the 75 hp with same hull and displacement. Go figure.Thanks again,Rick

 

[Rick]

Motoring speed

Terry:Thanks for the response. I once had a longish older Beneteau blow by me in our current boat (Pearson 39 Yawl - Perkins 4-108, MaxProp) in the Cape Cod Canal. We usually make about 6 kts under power and he had to have been going 8. Everyone I've talked with on the 44 seems to get 7-7.5 at 2500-2600 rpm in flat water, which is fine with me. As you know, so much depends on the prop, the pitch, and as you point out, what is going on with the alternator.Thanks again,Rick

 

[LSCalifornia]

Flat water speed

In flat water with no headwind, I can go close to 8 knots at about 2600 RPM. In open seas with wind, provisions and all tanks full, it's more like 7.25. The Bene that passed me was in my club and ended up rafting next to us. He said he was going 9 knots. One great point I forgot to mention.. on that particular passage, the wind came up after I was about a mile behind him and within about an hour, I passed him and beat him to the island by 45 minutes and we had both shut our engines off at the same time.... I can't say enough about Hunter's current hull shape and rig configuration.....Best of Luck..... Go with the AC (unless you're well over 6' tall) , much sexier than the DS..... although the 45 DS looks good too.

 

[Rick]

Speed

Thanks again Lynn.Those numbers are great on the speed. We are debating the AC vice DS here. My wife Sandy is 5'-1" (tiptoes) and she can't see out of the big lights on the DS. But she can on the AC. We'll see.

 

[Marc]

44 AC Speed

RickMotored back to Mystic today from Sag Harbor. No Wind. We averaged about 7 Knots at 2700 RPM with a stock 3 blade prop. We upgraded from a Hunter 36 to a 44AC with no regrets. We do a lot of cruising as well and the 44 is a great boat

 

[Rick]

Speed DS

Thanks Marc. Another good data point. We'll watch for you on the water.