Air draft for Hunter 420 Passage

[galliob53]

Does anyone know what the real number is for this? I’m making the ICW run this fall and it would be great to know the true value from the waterline. Thanks!

 

[smokey73]

@galliob53 Did a few searches and found a marketing brochure for a Passage 420 and I stand corrected . Sorry for the added possible pucker factor I introduced for you. The brochure says the Mast Height fr dwl (design water line) is 58'5" not the 63'3" I provided you. Hopefully some actual owner can confirm this. If you don't have on, you should try to get an Owners Manual for your boat as it has a lot of key information that will be useful if not vital for you. Have a safe and pleasant trip down the ICW. If conditions are right, consider the Dismal Swamp Canal route as an alternate to the main ICW route.

Here is the link to the brochure:

Hunter Passage 420 Owner's Manual (Page 5 of 184) | ManualsLib

www.manualslib.com

 

[sail sfbay]

Estimate 60.5 ft ( 64.5 - [51.8 - 47.8] ) based on your boat's I of 47.8" and post #11 reported air draft for a Jeanneau 45.2 with an I of 51.8 ft and air draft 64.5 ft Air draft and ICW bridges | Sailboat Owners Forums ASSUMING the distance from the base of the mast to the waterlines are similar. Do you have any unique instrumentation on the mast that is extends higher than typical wind vane and vhf radio? To be accurate, climb the mast and measure it is a long tape measure with assitance it OR take a digital photo of the hull and mast from the side of the boat in the water, then print it out a A4 sized photo then scale it from the length of an item on the boat, e.g., boom or overall length.

 

[jssailem]

Do you have any unique instrumentation on the mast that is extends higher

Those 3ft wire VHF antenna on the top of the mast are known as "Feelers". They will tell you if you have guessed the "real Number" correctly.

@galliob53 Welcome to the SBO Forum. Congrats on the boat. Good luck with the ICW passage.

Even though you get numbers here on the forum, you need to know that they are accurate for the persons providing the info. The only way you can know the information for you boat is if you actually measure your boat. Of note you can affect the height of your mast above the water by several inches depending on how much you load your boat to go cruising. Food, people, gear, equipment etc all affect your water line. As has been stated add electrical gadgets and sensors to the top of your mast and you have another 2-3 feet not accounted for in the manuals and boat specifications.

Best recommendation, once you have loaded the boat for the cruise, physically hang a tape measure over the side of the boat and sight the distance from the water to the deck at the mast base.

Then send someone up the mast to measure the distance from the deck to the top of all your gadgets.

Sum these two distances and add a 1 foot fudge factor. You'll have a pretty good estimate. If you cannot find a brave soul to go up the mast, then tie (securely) a tape to the halyard and run the tape up the mast to the top (preferably use a calm day). That will give you a length to near the mast top. Add to the mast length about 4.5 ft. You should have a good estimate.

Now carefully examine the bridge heights and note the tidal level for these heights. Also be aware of the wind as you motor down the ICW. Wind from the wrong direction can force the water into and under a bridge reducing the available listed clearance.

Good luck. Looking forward to your write up of your adventure.

 

[galliob53]

Thanks to all for your input so far. Smokey73, thanks for researching and finding a copy of the manual, I have a downloaded copy of the sales brochure which shows the same mast height of 58.5’ but doesn’t specify from dwl. A spec diagram manual was left on the boat but it doesn’t contain this info.
Using everyone’s advice, I measured the distance from the waterline to the top of the deck where the mast is mounted. This measures about 6’. The mast sits another 4” above the deck surface consider mounting hardware. So that is 6’ 4”, let’s say 6.5‘ to be a bit more conservative. I = 47’9” as noted above and in the manual, so let’s call that 48’, again to be conservative. So that takes me to 54.5’, compared with the statement in the manual of 58.5’. So what am I asked myself, what am I missing?
Hunter uses a fractional rig on most of their newer boats including our boat, so it seems that P (P=45.5’, Base of mast to foot of sail=5’8”) is a more appropriate measurement to use instead of I. Using this, I arrive at 57.6’ for the height of the mast above the waterline. I think the difference of a foot can be attributed to the mainsail not going all the way to the top of the mast.
So I am feeling a bit better and certainly more informed, now if I could only hear from someone who has taken a 420 Passage on the ICW.
Again, thanks to all for your assistance and please comment if I’ve missed something else.

Bill

 

[jssailem]

if I could only hear from someone who has taken a 420 Passage on the ICW.

Now that would be nice. Also want to know that the boater has an exact sister copy to yours. None of these short masted boats. In this case size matters.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Smokey73, thanks for researching and finding a copy of the manual

I may be having a bad hair day, but I just Googled your boat with the word manual after it and found it immediately.

So I am feeling a bit better and certainly more informed, now if I could only hear from someone who has taken a 420 Passage on the ICW.

Why? Can't you go measure yours, just like you've been advised with a How To? What someone else may have done is NOT YOUR boat. Please, be careful.. I know you're trying to be, but this ain't the way.

 

[galliob53]

yes it does!