Blaise: Blue water H37c ?

SailH37 · Jan 7, 2012

Pulling one out of a hat

I remember reading a forum some time ago where someone was saying that they H37C was used for heavy weather sailing schools up in the Chesapeake Bay area. The first generations of H37C's had problems with the top of the cabin top 'oil-canning", as well as leaky portlights and rudder bearing. I believe the article continued and also stated that feedback on these problems were taken into consideration when they built the later models. In addition to what's available here in this forum on the differences between the models, I can say that my 84' has a collar bolted to the cabin top and to the mast, as well as the mast being bolted at the mast step. The framework that holds the rudder bearing, etc, is really beefy, I just R&R'ed the rudder, quadrant, bearings, and all.

After sailing for 25+- yrs in and around Fla, the only thing I would do to have the cat's meow, is to put up a newer lighter weight mast and pull/refit a new keel that is 8 to 10" deeper. I just don't think it could get better than that.

s/v Renasci

Richard Shelby · Jan 8, 2012

The problem I see with this idea is the fact the these boats are now somewhat "long in the tooth". Practical Sailor ( a good rag, by the way) recently featured articles on stainless steel fittings, chainplates in particular, which fail catastrophically, with no warning, due to internal corrosion. My recent experience with the catastrophic failure of the sheave mount on my steering pedistal (see below in this forum) brought home a new awareness of the concept of "s..t happens". Think about the standing rigging, thru hulls, rudder bearings, shaft logs, crud in the diesel tank, ....the list is endless of things which could make for a very bad day. If you really want to tempt Poseidon, be sure you go over EVERY cubic inch of the boat especially in those dark places. Then have a knowledgeable surveyor do it again. I just returned from a week offshore as crew on a 20 year old Endeavor 38 (which lost her forestay, along the way) and I would never do this in my boat in her present condition.

Take a dramamine before you watch this:

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=htt...QH9xQy4AQGzKsCP9KtYvUmORkRqwhPqPotRIfbMHrB39g

Be careful out there...

SailH37 · Jan 8, 2012

I've completed about half of what's on your list and plan on doing the other. Also, if you look at the online calculators that show you the "comfort" indicator and plug in the numbers from the 37C, it ends up being a fairly stable boat. The rigging having the staysail stay and the two check stays, makes it makes for a strong rig that I would dare say would handle a roll over as long as it didn't drag bottom. I've pounded the null in 24 knot winds going up swells and it threw out 12 ft of spray off one side without spilling a cocktail nor frieghtening the poodle.
Keith B
s/v Renasci

Jim Legere · Jan 9, 2012

Re: Blue Water H37c

The most I have been out in is Force 8. However, I have been in some pretty rough water - Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy. My plans for future upgrades for blue water:

Stiffen/strengthen the large bow sections with foam & glass stringers (noticed some oil-canning in the forward cabin during rough weather)

Re-rig boat. I have inspected all the chainplates and they are OK but standing rigging is too old for peace of mind.

New sails.

Means of securing every locker, every door, every floor board. (imagine being in the cabin while the boat is upside down...)

Long distance communication equipment - SSB or satphone.

Ed Schenck · Jan 9, 2012

I have all new standing rigging waiting for spring. Add an EPIRB, a liferaft, a drogue, and I would leave for Ireland in May. My "sliding board" for the chain in the bow really strengthened that area.

Blaise · Jan 19, 2012

Sorry it took me so long to get back on this, I have been without a computer for ten days. If you go to wherever the boat reviews are on this site, you will see everything I mave done to Midnight Sun over the last 34 years. But briefly, I installed 2"x2" vertical stiffeners in the vberth every six inches. This eliminated the oil canning in the vberth. I changed the standing rigging to 9/32" discontinous rod and added stays from the spreaders to the original attachment points where the running backstays attached to the mast. I replaced all the ports with Lewmar aluminum ones, (the six large ones open out which means that heavy boarding seas just force them shut tighter) I replaced the cast bomar hatches with Lewmar aluminum ones. I sealed the mast with spartight. Replaced the pedistal drive chain with one six inches longer, got rid of the mainsheet system and winch and replaced it with a Harken 7:1 to the bridgedeck. replaced the roller furling with Harken, and replaced the traveller with a Harken line control.

I have sailed the boat in 80+ and survived a pitchpole in 1981. After 34 years of blue water ocean racing including four TransAT's, three Mexico races and two Antigua race weeks, there is no place I would not feel safe taking the boat. Yes things break, Yes I am always chasing leaks (my crew refers to the starboard setee as the waterboarding bunk), but the real key in maintaining and upgrading. No 30 year old original boat is going to be safe to cross an ocean in. But I guarentee mine is.

tcbilgerat · Jan 19, 2012

Re: Ed Schenck

If you make it to Skibereen, go to the Paragon pub for the Irish Stew! We went back a second time for more. Coffee is not that popular, but we stopped in Leap at a small pub at 7am and got the best coffee in our two week trip. And yes, the locals were taking in a "pint". We were all over Cork county, be glad to talk to you about it anytime. I also have been planning a return trip when the refit is done.

Ed Schenck · Jan 20, 2012

So Tom, is the plan to see Ireland from the deck of your new H37C? I have not been to Cork. My wife is from County Clare. Her brothers and sisters are still there. I think I would go into the Shannon river as the closest safe port. But Galway Bay is not too far. I spent two weeks in the area. Going back on my boat would be the best.

Blaise · Jan 20, 2012

I am presently in Ohio, (I'm not sure why since it is 3 outside). I will contact one of my crew to take some pictures. One more thing I forget to mention is that I replaced the primary winches with Lewmar 46 st's. I have Lewmar 40 st's as secondaries.

Ed Schenck · Jan 20, 2012

You guys can't all be trying to match Blaise' boat. He has more money in sails than I have total in mine after thirteen years. And I replaced all the portlights, all the rigging, and the engine! He has a little advantage in righting moment maybe with the fin keel. I'd still leave for Ireland if it weren't for some personal issues.

Pilotocopilot · Mar 1, 2012

Here's a link to a chap who took one from Oriental NC and sailed to England.if you do a search you will get the whole story as he made numerous attempts at it, finally succeeding but his experience will give you an idea of how tough these boats are.

http://towndock.net/shippingnews/phils-voyage-to-england

Ed Schenck · Mar 1, 2012

Thanks for sharing that. Quite a coincident that my boat was at Sailcraft for bottom work and a new rudder not so long ago. I also left from the Beaufort Inlet. Only I went south. Big difference! I'll look for the rest of the story.

Pilotocopilot · Mar 2, 2012

Here's the rest of the story.

http://towndock.net/shippingnews/phil-leaves-again

http://towndock.net/shippingnews/phil-is-back-again

Jim Legere · Mar 3, 2012

Interesting story...

By reading the three articles from The Town Dock / Shipping News (linked below) I have been able to identify the boat in our database. It first appears as PANASEA out of New Bern NC (the story of Phil is set in nearby Oriental NC) and then reappears in Poole, Dorset, UK as MOONDANCER. Unfortunately dates for the owners are a bit inconsistent as a result of the migration of the Hunter Owners Website to a new format a few years ago (in some cases default dates for joining and last activity were set for some owners) but I am hoping I may be able to contact the present owner by PM...stay tuned. BTW, the boat is definietly a pre-83 model, based on the pictures. It would be neat to get all the stories of bluewater H37Cs documented here on the site.

Bill1565 · Mar 3, 2012

MATHURIN2 said:
(a significant amount of it) in a long list of outfits:

-Modify chain locker
-Add chain gyspy to capstan
etc.

If you are not happy with the bouyancy in the bow now, you need to think seriously about chain in the bow. We have 150' of 3/8" G40 (and 2 golf cart batts) in the bow. Boat at rest is bow down. We have shallow water and small waves here, can't imagine the effect of 250 or 300 feet of chain in 12 foot seas