Anyone find way to make hunter 260 less tender

[bdc1]

Like the boat but have trouble with it rounding up and very very tender to handle

 

[Justin_NSA]

'Tenderness' is the nature of the beast with water ballast boats. Ballast is too high.
Rounding up can be many things. Stay tuned

 

[Kermit]

Keeping your sails balanced can help. I actually quite enjoy the way my H260 sails.

 

[bdc1]

i even have issue when motoring, do you motor with keel up or down

 

[Kermit]

i even have issue when motoring, do you motor with keel up or down

Centerboard down. Always down while sailing or motoring. I even leave it down while in the slip. There has been much discussion about the pros and cons of that. I choose to leave it down.

 

[Justin_NSA]

i even have issue when motoring, do you motor with keel up or down

Shouldn't really matter much. Is your ballast tank filling completely? On my old Mac there was a hole you could check the level.

 

[rgranger]

... Stay tuned

Okay... so your center of effort is too far aft. Most likely culprit is your main sail is blown out and the pocket is too far aft. But maybe not. When I first got my H26 I had a lot of trouble keeping her from rounding up. Got new sails and she now sails like a dream. Are your shrouds properly tuned? If they are slack, the pocket will move a bit aft. Is your rudder all the way down? Try letting your sheet out a little.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Photo of the mast either side will do. Also are the turnbuckle studs ever in the turnbuckle body.

What wind conditions does this happen in and are the full sails out in high wind. What degree of heel do you permit to go to max?
Also age of sails and year of boat.

Rgranger hit on one point but I am looking overall to include tune of mast and rake

 

[Justin_NSA]

See, I told you
Does it round up on either tack or only one? Another tuning symptom.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Until more is known then appropriate responses will come but not enough information as yet

 

[bdc1]

boat is a 1997 sails?? they are doyle so not sure if original or sometime before i got it 4 years ago

 

[rgranger]

I'm going to guess your sails are blown but it is only a guess. Visually where does the pocket seem to lay? If it is not in the forward half of your main, then you sails are blown.

 

[Hunter Ad Bot]

And now a word from the sponsor...

Hunter props, shafts, struts, and cutless bearings

See the product

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The photos and additional would be most helpful. Rgranger, I have seen sails that were 20-25 years old not blown out but I think you could be correct but it could also be the way it is tuned for example too far forward for rake or heeling over too much, too much sail out in heavy airs, etc.

 

[Joe]

Like the boat but have trouble with it rounding up and very very tender to handle

Don't over sheet the main.... If you have a traveler, drop it down a notch. Depower the main... that would be more outhaul, more Cunningham, and less main sheet to increase twist.