Is there anyone out there that has any experience or know of someone that has sailed hunter around the world and will to share their experiences?
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Search the archives for the name Henk
He's had his 430 all over the Pacific. There are a number of others, too, with slightly less ambitious plans.
He's had his 430 all over the Pacific. There are a number of others, too, with slightly less ambitious plans.
Phil's advice is only part of the story
There are a lot more Hunter owners that have been making longer offshore passages. So you also may want to search the archives for Andrew Brayshaw, Paul Cossman and Gene Gruender, to name a few. Unless you are over the age of 21,however, you may not want to search for former Hunter owner and passagemaker Paul Oldham's old site www.passagemaking.com, as it has now either been hijacked by, or has de facto become, a boat porn site (believe it or not). Recently someone noticed that his marina neighbors were getting ready for a circumnavigation in a Passage 42 this Fall. Don't know whether they left already. Alas, the past year has not been a very good year for offshore Hunters. Two relatively new owners of larger Hunters lost their vessels in the Pacific and a very experienced Hunter sailor just lost his rudder last week in the Atlantic, I believe. That does not make Hunters unsuitable for bluewater cruising, in my opinion, but emphasizes the importance of careful preparation, upgrading and maintenance. Have fun! Flying Dutchman
There are a lot more Hunter owners that have been making longer offshore passages. So you also may want to search the archives for Andrew Brayshaw, Paul Cossman and Gene Gruender, to name a few. Unless you are over the age of 21,however, you may not want to search for former Hunter owner and passagemaker Paul Oldham's old site www.passagemaking.com, as it has now either been hijacked by, or has de facto become, a boat porn site (believe it or not). Recently someone noticed that his marina neighbors were getting ready for a circumnavigation in a Passage 42 this Fall. Don't know whether they left already. Alas, the past year has not been a very good year for offshore Hunters. Two relatively new owners of larger Hunters lost their vessels in the Pacific and a very experienced Hunter sailor just lost his rudder last week in the Atlantic, I believe. That does not make Hunters unsuitable for bluewater cruising, in my opinion, but emphasizes the importance of careful preparation, upgrading and maintenance. Have fun! Flying Dutchman
passagemaking.com
You were right in to tell everyone what is now on the site. I was going to tell him to look up that web site. Lots of different boating links.
You were right in to tell everyone what is now on the site. I was going to tell him to look up that web site. Lots of different boating links.
Bill, I thought these mishaps were well known
to the boating community. One happened early this year when someone plus a delivery crew brought a Hunter to Hawaii and they decided to head quite far offshore in the Variables, rather than to keep hugging the coast South till they could hang a right near the Tradewind belt, where they ran into strong lows that had penetrated further South than normal due to the weak Pacific High (an El Nino effect for which I had warned the skipper on this website a month or so before they left). They were taken off by a big Dutch cruiseship, if I remember well, and scuttled their boat. The other large Hunter took part in the Transpac, I believe, and first lost their rudder followed by less than satisfactory performance of various makeshift rudders and gradually worsening leakages from the rudder post area that eventually overwhelmed the pumps. They were also taken off safely. For the latest rudder loss, just look at last week's posts on the major BBs. Skipper and crew were either able to jury rig a makeshift rudder or accepted a tow. At any rate, they did make port safely. Flying Dutchman
to the boating community. One happened early this year when someone plus a delivery crew brought a Hunter to Hawaii and they decided to head quite far offshore in the Variables, rather than to keep hugging the coast South till they could hang a right near the Tradewind belt, where they ran into strong lows that had penetrated further South than normal due to the weak Pacific High (an El Nino effect for which I had warned the skipper on this website a month or so before they left). They were taken off by a big Dutch cruiseship, if I remember well, and scuttled their boat. The other large Hunter took part in the Transpac, I believe, and first lost their rudder followed by less than satisfactory performance of various makeshift rudders and gradually worsening leakages from the rudder post area that eventually overwhelmed the pumps. They were also taken off safely. For the latest rudder loss, just look at last week's posts on the major BBs. Skipper and crew were either able to jury rig a makeshift rudder or accepted a tow. At any rate, they did make port safely. Flying Dutchman
Henk Makes A Good Point
(...again) Steering loss is often the reason for abandonment or worse (cascade effect). The rudder can go because of failure or collision or the steering system fail. Cracking of the FRP can cause moisture intrusion causing the alloy structure inside to degrade. Cables, leads, chains or racks can fail. And, collision or grounding can wreck a day. Actually, it's surprising how reliable the systems are. On a recent trip, we missed by maybe 30 feet an oversize pallet or part of a dock about 10' X 15' out 80 miles in Mexico. I have to believe one of the more important safety items to have aboard (when passagemaking) is a real back up rudder and way to steer by it. It's required on (some) offshore races and should be more carefully considered by cruisers contemplating longer passages. IMHO, Rick D.
(...again) Steering loss is often the reason for abandonment or worse (cascade effect). The rudder can go because of failure or collision or the steering system fail. Cracking of the FRP can cause moisture intrusion causing the alloy structure inside to degrade. Cables, leads, chains or racks can fail. And, collision or grounding can wreck a day. Actually, it's surprising how reliable the systems are. On a recent trip, we missed by maybe 30 feet an oversize pallet or part of a dock about 10' X 15' out 80 miles in Mexico. I have to believe one of the more important safety items to have aboard (when passagemaking) is a real back up rudder and way to steer by it. It's required on (some) offshore races and should be more carefully considered by cruisers contemplating longer passages. IMHO, Rick D.
Backup Rudder
Makes you start to think about the need for a backup for a long trip. I picked up this design off a Google search. A diagram would make it more useful. Any thoughts on the design? Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
Makes you start to think about the need for a backup for a long trip. I picked up this design off a Google search. A diagram would make it more useful. Any thoughts on the design? Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
Good Article
This article from Sailnet called "Emergency Steering" also has some good ideas. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
This article from Sailnet called "Emergency Steering" also has some good ideas. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
Rivendel II's back-up rudder solution
The attached image shows Rivendel's primary rudder together with the accessory rudder from our mechanical "Autohelm" windvane selfsteering system(fabricated by Scanmar Marine and not to be confused with an electronic Autohelm pilot). The windvane rudder normally steers the boat since the main rudder gets locked down more or less amidships (which requires careful balancing of the sails). Although the windvane rudder is quite sizeable (and, in fact, proved to be too large and heavy to be temporarily removed from the transom in order to free up the dive platform, as we originally planned to...) it would be too small to simply steer the vessel any which way without the additional steering effect of the balanced sails. So, we effectively carry our back-up rudder already fully installed (at the cost of having lost the use of our dive platform). Besides providing us with a great windvane, back-up rudder and wear-and-tear-reducer on the primary steering gear, the effective lengthening of our waterline has also proven helpful in providing directional stabilization for our finkeeler, e.g. when heaving too in confused seas. In order to try and avoid simultaneous loss of both rudders by hitting the same log or container I have made the windvane rudder capable of hinge-ing up and out of the way with breakaway, spring-loaded bolts. As these bolts need to be quite tight in order to prevent spontaneous release in heavy seas there is no good way to test the release system without potentially damaging the fiberglass accessory rudder a bit as well. Let's just hope everything works the way it was designed the day we might hit the big one.... Flying Dutchman
The attached image shows Rivendel's primary rudder together with the accessory rudder from our mechanical "Autohelm" windvane selfsteering system(fabricated by Scanmar Marine and not to be confused with an electronic Autohelm pilot). The windvane rudder normally steers the boat since the main rudder gets locked down more or less amidships (which requires careful balancing of the sails). Although the windvane rudder is quite sizeable (and, in fact, proved to be too large and heavy to be temporarily removed from the transom in order to free up the dive platform, as we originally planned to...) it would be too small to simply steer the vessel any which way without the additional steering effect of the balanced sails. So, we effectively carry our back-up rudder already fully installed (at the cost of having lost the use of our dive platform). Besides providing us with a great windvane, back-up rudder and wear-and-tear-reducer on the primary steering gear, the effective lengthening of our waterline has also proven helpful in providing directional stabilization for our finkeeler, e.g. when heaving too in confused seas. In order to try and avoid simultaneous loss of both rudders by hitting the same log or container I have made the windvane rudder capable of hinge-ing up and out of the way with breakaway, spring-loaded bolts. As these bolts need to be quite tight in order to prevent spontaneous release in heavy seas there is no good way to test the release system without potentially damaging the fiberglass accessory rudder a bit as well. Let's just hope everything works the way it was designed the day we might hit the big one.... Flying Dutchman
Attachments
Apologies to Chris Oldham; here is his real url
I should have typed "passagemaker" (see link) instead of "passagemaking". My special apologies to Chris for assuming that he had given up on selling wines and had found a new "calling" in life. Flying Dutchman
I should have typed "passagemaker" (see link) instead of "passagemaking". My special apologies to Chris for assuming that he had given up on selling wines and had found a new "calling" in life. Flying Dutchman
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