I'm getting serious about the hunter 450. One area of concern is the B & R rig. By all accounts, it is a more complex rig than other conventional rigs and I'll be going with In-mast furling. I don't know a lot about standing rigging so I'll have to rely on local riggers. My question is, Are good B & R rigging experts hard to find? Eventually I'll get up to speed but having a hack make a mess of my rigging will only make matters worse by far. Thanks
- Status
Commissioning?
Assuming the boat is purchased from a Hunter dealer, they will have the necessary skills on tap. If not, contact one for their rigger information. The rig isn't all that complicated. However, it is different, so someone who has done them is obviously more desireable. Any competent rigger should be able to handle it. Hunter isn't the only one using a B & R. There are performance boats using the rig too. And, there are a lot of Hunters around now. Follow the link to Selden's site and check under the 'manuals' tab. You can do some review of your own there. Rick D.
Assuming the boat is purchased from a Hunter dealer, they will have the necessary skills on tap. If not, contact one for their rigger information. The rig isn't all that complicated. However, it is different, so someone who has done them is obviously more desireable. Any competent rigger should be able to handle it. Hunter isn't the only one using a B & R. There are performance boats using the rig too. And, there are a lot of Hunters around now. Follow the link to Selden's site and check under the 'manuals' tab. You can do some review of your own there. Rick D.
ok
The boats I'm considering are 6 to 8 years old. Most are not under contract with a Hunter dealer. I've read the selden materials but reading & doing are 2 different levels of competency. Hopefully, local Hunter dealers would be helpful in locating a quality rigger. But that's no guarantee!
The boats I'm considering are 6 to 8 years old. Most are not under contract with a Hunter dealer. I've read the selden materials but reading & doing are 2 different levels of competency. Hopefully, local Hunter dealers would be helpful in locating a quality rigger. But that's no guarantee!
Selden Presentation
Ted, I just had my non-B&R Hunter checked by a rigger who went out of his way to complement Hunter on their quality of rig and who really likes the B&R too. I also attended a recent Hunter rendevous wherein the Selden rep spent a good deal of time going over B&R rig tune especially relating to in-mast furling models. It didn't sound too intimidating, and the key is good initial set-up before the stick is installed and then a good tune after the rig settles in after some use. Rick D.
Ted, I just had my non-B&R Hunter checked by a rigger who went out of his way to complement Hunter on their quality of rig and who really likes the B&R too. I also attended a recent Hunter rendevous wherein the Selden rep spent a good deal of time going over B&R rig tune especially relating to in-mast furling models. It didn't sound too intimidating, and the key is good initial set-up before the stick is installed and then a good tune after the rig settles in after some use. Rick D.
been there
I never was very good at book lernin... Looking for first hand experiences with the rig. Is it a handful to tune? Does it need regular attention? What potential trouble should I be looking for in a used rig? Are competent B & R rig tuners readily available?
I never was very good at book lernin... Looking for first hand experiences with the rig. Is it a handful to tune? Does it need regular attention? What potential trouble should I be looking for in a used rig? Are competent B & R rig tuners readily available?
love the rig
I have the latest fractional B&R with inmast furling and vertical battens. The oversize main with the fractional Genoa make it a breeze to single hand ( rarely need a winch handle). If tuned properly, this is a very fast and efficient rig. Coming back from Catalina last week, I smoked a H460 with a masthead 150% genoa and three crew tuning. I was single handing with the wife reading a book. Good Luck
I have the latest fractional B&R with inmast furling and vertical battens. The oversize main with the fractional Genoa make it a breeze to single hand ( rarely need a winch handle). If tuned properly, this is a very fast and efficient rig. Coming back from Catalina last week, I smoked a H460 with a masthead 150% genoa and three crew tuning. I was single handing with the wife reading a book. Good Luck
Tuner for Masthead B&R w/no Backstay Tough to Find
Hey Ted - I'm not sure where you are based but in Los Angeles it is very difficult to find someone who does great work on the rig you are considering. The question to ask is NOT whether the rigger is familiar with B&R rigs, but whether they can tune a masthead B&R with roller furling and no backstay. Fractional and stayed rigs are much easier to tune and the pre-bend on a roller furling main is very important so make sure you check the manual and confirm the rigger is working to spec. On the plus side you generally tune this rig and forget about it for a long time. I'm sure you will be able to find someone who can do a passable job of tuning it but the chances of finding someone who really knows how to tweak it are slim. Unless you are very concerned about sail efficiency, buy the boat. You will LOVE it! I have a '98 450 with a roller-furling main. I love the boat but would not buy this sail plan again. The Hunter B&R offers 2 primary advantages - 1) It provides in-column support that allows for a smaller, more aerodynamically efficient mast and 2) there is no backstay which allows you to carry a big efficient main with lots of roach. Unfortunately with in-mast furling you lose both advantages. You need a fat mast to store the sail and you can't have a roach b/c you need battens to support it and you can't furl them into your mast. You can spend a ton of $$ on a vertically-battened main and gain a little roach, but it won't be nearly as efficient as the main you could use if you skip roller furling. The roller-furling main is very easy to unfurl and re-furl once you get the hang of it, but it is not nearly as efficient as a standard main. You can have efficiency or convenience, but not both.
Hey Ted - I'm not sure where you are based but in Los Angeles it is very difficult to find someone who does great work on the rig you are considering. The question to ask is NOT whether the rigger is familiar with B&R rigs, but whether they can tune a masthead B&R with roller furling and no backstay. Fractional and stayed rigs are much easier to tune and the pre-bend on a roller furling main is very important so make sure you check the manual and confirm the rigger is working to spec. On the plus side you generally tune this rig and forget about it for a long time. I'm sure you will be able to find someone who can do a passable job of tuning it but the chances of finding someone who really knows how to tweak it are slim. Unless you are very concerned about sail efficiency, buy the boat. You will LOVE it! I have a '98 450 with a roller-furling main. I love the boat but would not buy this sail plan again. The Hunter B&R offers 2 primary advantages - 1) It provides in-column support that allows for a smaller, more aerodynamically efficient mast and 2) there is no backstay which allows you to carry a big efficient main with lots of roach. Unfortunately with in-mast furling you lose both advantages. You need a fat mast to store the sail and you can't have a roach b/c you need battens to support it and you can't furl them into your mast. You can spend a ton of $$ on a vertically-battened main and gain a little roach, but it won't be nearly as efficient as the main you could use if you skip roller furling. The roller-furling main is very easy to unfurl and re-furl once you get the hang of it, but it is not nearly as efficient as a standard main. You can have efficiency or convenience, but not both.
convienience
I'm on the convienience side of the equasion. I won't be adding vertical battens either. Thanks
I'm on the convienience side of the equasion. I won't be adding vertical battens either. Thanks
- Status