Hi all. In my previous post some people recomended me NOT to try a trans atlantic sailing with a Hunter 34 wich I am intending to buy, and these valuable advices have made me think ... Have you had bad experiences with this boat in severe weather conditions? Is she a trustable boat for a blue water cruising? I have done only one trans atlantic sailing (Canary Islands - Sta. Lucia in 21 days) on a Beneteau 40.7 and altough the return voyage is harder (and it can get MUCH harder), I would feel more confident to do it on any trustable boat, but I have very few opinions of Hunter owners. Thats is why all your opinions would be extremely appreciated. Thanks again.
Blue water cruising on a Hunter 34
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IMHO all the mid and large sized Hunter hulls...
can handle ocean voyages. The issue is the mental and physical fitness of crew. An archive search will yield numerous articles on this topic. Maybe you can elaborate a bit more on what you mean by, "trustable". Terry
can handle ocean voyages. The issue is the mental and physical fitness of crew. An archive search will yield numerous articles on this topic. Maybe you can elaborate a bit more on what you mean by, "trustable". Terry
go sail one, for goodness sake!
Of course people have had "bad experiences" taking 34 footers into "severe weather conditions." The same thing holds true with 44 footers. And 54 footers. And 64 footers... A 34 footer is just about the perfect size to learn on. By all means purchase one, and sail it and sail it some more until you suddenly don't have to ask strangers on the internet whether you own a bluewater boat. At that point you'll either be ready for a larger--hense more seaworthy--boat, or you'll figure out that you don't need one. Until then, read the previous post a hundred times: "The issue is the mental and physical fitness of the crew." That's what most folks told you last week, and it's also what most folks hereabouts will tell you next week.
Of course people have had "bad experiences" taking 34 footers into "severe weather conditions." The same thing holds true with 44 footers. And 54 footers. And 64 footers... A 34 footer is just about the perfect size to learn on. By all means purchase one, and sail it and sail it some more until you suddenly don't have to ask strangers on the internet whether you own a bluewater boat. At that point you'll either be ready for a larger--hense more seaworthy--boat, or you'll figure out that you don't need one. Until then, read the previous post a hundred times: "The issue is the mental and physical fitness of the crew." That's what most folks told you last week, and it's also what most folks hereabouts will tell you next week.
it's not a very forgiving boat
if you make a mistake, it may be your last mistake. Look at the chain plates. Look at the cockpit drains. Look at the front hatch. Look at the sterdyness of the mast. A really good sailor or a lucky sailor can take a C boat around the world. An novice can sink an A boat in a lake. In my noise opinion, I would give the hunter 34 and C+ or B- for that trip. Would you give yourself "A really good sailor" or would you like to test your luck? Now if you want to modify the boat and beef her up, then you got a better chance and you may only need a little luck.
if you make a mistake, it may be your last mistake. Look at the chain plates. Look at the cockpit drains. Look at the front hatch. Look at the sterdyness of the mast. A really good sailor or a lucky sailor can take a C boat around the world. An novice can sink an A boat in a lake. In my noise opinion, I would give the hunter 34 and C+ or B- for that trip. Would you give yourself "A really good sailor" or would you like to test your luck? Now if you want to modify the boat and beef her up, then you got a better chance and you may only need a little luck.
Navigator
Because you don't seem like a prank poster and are truely interested in that boat and sailing, let me try to clear some of this up. If you are going to cross an ocean, it will take many many many more days then you can get a weather forcast. If you pick the right weather window, then odds will be on your side but even then you have a good chance of running into a gale (35+ knots). Now 35 knots is very serious anywhere, but out on the high seas where the waves can get pretty big, the importance of the boat being able to handle it has to do with two things 1) the pounding the deck and cockpit will take from the waves crashing onto it. 2) the yanking back and forth the rigging, mast and chainplates will take as the boat rocks back and forth and side to side due to the large waves. You don't have these problems in protected waters. Now lets say you lost your mast 2,000 miles from land because the rigging broke or the chainplates came through the deck and you call for help on the VHF. If no boats are within a 50 mile radius then it's likely nobody heard you. If you called from an SSB then somebody will hear you but how far are they from you? USCG may dispatch a C130 but they are usually just for visual contact only. It would take a very long time for a helocopter to reach you and a couple of refills of the gas tank too. The UCCG would try to find a ship near you that would offer help and that may take days. In the meantime, your boat would be beam to the waves and sure to capsize if the waves got steep. Now comes into play how strong everything else is that Hunter didn't make to handle this type of conditions. Would a hatch break?
Because you don't seem like a prank poster and are truely interested in that boat and sailing, let me try to clear some of this up. If you are going to cross an ocean, it will take many many many more days then you can get a weather forcast. If you pick the right weather window, then odds will be on your side but even then you have a good chance of running into a gale (35+ knots). Now 35 knots is very serious anywhere, but out on the high seas where the waves can get pretty big, the importance of the boat being able to handle it has to do with two things 1) the pounding the deck and cockpit will take from the waves crashing onto it. 2) the yanking back and forth the rigging, mast and chainplates will take as the boat rocks back and forth and side to side due to the large waves. You don't have these problems in protected waters. Now lets say you lost your mast 2,000 miles from land because the rigging broke or the chainplates came through the deck and you call for help on the VHF. If no boats are within a 50 mile radius then it's likely nobody heard you. If you called from an SSB then somebody will hear you but how far are they from you? USCG may dispatch a C130 but they are usually just for visual contact only. It would take a very long time for a helocopter to reach you and a couple of refills of the gas tank too. The UCCG would try to find a ship near you that would offer help and that may take days. In the meantime, your boat would be beam to the waves and sure to capsize if the waves got steep. Now comes into play how strong everything else is that Hunter didn't make to handle this type of conditions. Would a hatch break?
Bad Choise For Blue Water
The rig is big and the boat is tender. The scuppers are inadequate and the bridge deck is too low. The hull is thin and prone to flex. The rudders have a history or failure at the weld joints and there is very little metal support inside them. With proper retrofit this vessel can be upgraded to be almost marginal for off shore but ............. If you have not purchased yet it there are many better choices for off shore duty. Do some homework
The rig is big and the boat is tender. The scuppers are inadequate and the bridge deck is too low. The hull is thin and prone to flex. The rudders have a history or failure at the weld joints and there is very little metal support inside them. With proper retrofit this vessel can be upgraded to be almost marginal for off shore but ............. If you have not purchased yet it there are many better choices for off shore duty. Do some homework
Dear Navigator
The biggest difference between the "bluewater" boats and all the "other" boats including Hunters are comes to one simple thing: "how much and what kind of planning you need to do" and what kind of things you have to consider during your trip. I mean of course you need planning for any kind of trip but with a "bluewater" boat your plan may include much longer passages, areas with rough seas in certain seasons. Your trip will be planned more up to you, rather than more up to the weather forecasts.
The biggest difference between the "bluewater" boats and all the "other" boats including Hunters are comes to one simple thing: "how much and what kind of planning you need to do" and what kind of things you have to consider during your trip. I mean of course you need planning for any kind of trip but with a "bluewater" boat your plan may include much longer passages, areas with rough seas in certain seasons. Your trip will be planned more up to you, rather than more up to the weather forecasts.
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