Brian's "new" H34

[Ed Schenck]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Brian in person. And got to know his new baby, a 1984(?) Hunter 34. It is in surpisingly good condition given that it sat unattended for six years. Especially the exterior. Better than Brian thought.

The bottom is clean, the keel needs some fairing, cutlass bearing and rudder bearing are tight, and the strut is solid. And he is finding that the topsides are polishing up nicely.

I couldn't really help with questions about the decks. I am unfamiliar with the non-skid out of the mold. It looks like it might be fine with a good cleaning. Most of the deck is that dimpled non-skid. Do people paint that?

The interior is another story. If you have been following Brian's post then you know about the structural damage. We discussed some repair ideas. He'll know better when all the sole is up. He can't see the cross member well at the mast support yet.

He wants to do something with the sole. But I think a light sanding and some oil will make it very serviceable. Then some leaks to find and work on the tanks. Luckily they are all poly, no aluminum corrosion to worrry about.

I had never spent time on an H34 before. I am impressed with the room, certainly more than my H37C. But that v-berth! Is that factory to have the mattress level four feet above the sole? It will take a ladder to get in and out.

Bottom line is that Brian stole this boat. It has a few issues but they should be anchored in the islands by July, no problem. :dance:

 

[Richard Bryer]

Just a note on the sole- our 34 had a very dull sole when we bought it, you could not see the lighter holly strips in many places. I cleaned it very thoroughly with TSP- a fairly strong solution, using a 3M pad with very light abrasive. Rinsed it again thoroughly, and refinished with several coats of Daly's Profin. Made a world of difference. That is a pretty thin veneer to sand

 

[Ed Schenck]

Just thought of another question. About the gate valves. I noticed the engine valve was a gate on an elbow. The elbow being on the thru-hull. Is this factory? And are the thru-hulls 3/4" so they will accept a seacock? What have you H34 owners done about those gate valves?

 

[kloudie1]

"New" H 34 Questions

gate Valves.. I was lucky because the PO had already replaced all of the gates with proper ball valves..
Vee Berth: yep.. there is a small step on the starboard side bulkhead to use to get in.. Lots of storage underneath..
I have seen the anti-skid painted but usually scrubbing with a kinda stiff nylon bristle brush will get it clean. Ya have to scrub in different directions along the "grain" of the stuff to get the gump out from amongst those bumps.
Sole.. very light sanding to avoid going through the vineer .. The PO had already done mine and finished in polyurethane varnish.. that was about 25 years ago. It is now needing a scuffing and more poly varnish today. downside of the varnish is that it is slick when wet. In picture, you can see the original floor by the holding tank and the varnished one where the floor is normally exposed. This was taken with the setee removed ..

 

[Allan12210]

I swapped out all the gate valves a number of years ago. I can not remember if the engine intake had an elbow, but it doesn't now. Too easy to clog. 3/4 inch sounds about right, although it could actually be 1/2 in. When replacing it, make sure the handle can be reached through the engine compartment and pulled fore and aft. Its a stretch to reach over the engine but it can be done. Otherwise, access is through an opening below the cushion inside the rear sleeping area. In my case, that is full up wtih stuff and hard to get to in a hurry.

Move the strainer to the front of the engine box so it is easy to get to and you can pull the hose off and clear it if needed with the air horn.

Also, check the sump (bilge) area and see if the pan liner is still on the bottom. That is not the bottom of the boat and water will remain under there to fester and stink later. Many owners have cut that skin out exposing the inside surface of the hull and can subsequently be kept completely dry. Also consider a dripless shaft coupling.

 

[kloudie1]

"New" H-34 thru hull

Ed, here is what the engine water intake on mine looks like after the PO converted.. The thru-hull is a Marlon one and as you can see, there is no more ell in the line. That is the Marlon valve under the braid reinforced hose .. There is another just like it on the other side (port side) of the shaft log that feeds the seawater foot pump for the sink and the inlet water for the air conditioner pump. I can't read the number on the black hose to see if it is 3/4 or 5/8.. Dunno..

 

[Allan12210]

Hi Claude,

Wow, that one is even farther back than mine. Mine is on the port side in front of the shaft log so I can just reach it with a long stretch over the engine.

Allan

 

[Ed Schenck]

I don't think Brian's engine valve can be reached except from back in the berth. Is that a quarterberth or a halfberth? But it is way back, on the port side about even with the stuffing box. And he knows his backing block is in need of replacement. Looks completely waterlogged.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Congratulations on the new boat.

My understanding about the V berth is that if they hadn't made it so high, there'd be no room for feet all the way forward. Check the dimensions out.

Have fun.

 

[brian3820]

Ed, thanks again for stopping by. It was a pleasure. Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I do think I will be moving the gate valve and sea strainer forward for easier access and use. They really are stuffed back there a long way. Yes, they are right under the panel in the aft cabin, but who want to move that cushion to do that every time. The V-berth is a little ridiculous in regard to height. But all based on the size of the boat, and that it is really built forward on the hull, where it is really sweeping upward. Spent the morning wet sanding the transom and hull. The 6 years of total exposure to the elements without wax have taken there toll. The upper stripe and boot stripe, which are supposed to be that real nice blue were so chalked up with oxidation they were almost white. If you rubber your hand on the white gelcoat, it looked like you had cleaned a chalk board with your hand. WELL... the transom was so pitted, I had to wet sand it with 400 grit... Yes, 400. This got the pits and basically dirt of the transom. Then a 600 wet sand on the transom. Have 600 wet sanded the hull, upper stripe and boot stripe, and what a HUGE different. After the 600, the 800, 1000 and 1200. This is all followed by a product called "Super Cut" made by a manufacturer that I will remember later..and I will mention. HOWEVER, all I can say is that I tested the Super Cut rubbing compound with my buffer...and, well... AMAZING!.. I actually have a portion of the hull that looks factory new. EXTREMELY happy. After the Super Cut with the buffer, them polish, then a UV protective wax. All in time, but the results are fantastic. Ed, has been very kind about my boat, but the truth is, the outside is a bit rough... Just chalky , pitted and dirty, but man, the improvements I have made to the finish today alone made a huge difference. My transom is now actually bright white now. I will be posting pics of the before and after shortly. Please stay tuned as there will be lots of pics and a ton of changes. Keep in mind, other than moving the head, we are pretty much copying the design and materials in the new H33 and new H-E36, so consult those photos on the Hunter sight and then you will see what we are going after.

Also, Ed, careful there.... in my house anyway, Theresa is the Captain.... You mentioned "Brians New 34" ... it really is Theresa's New 34.... I am more of the guy in the engine room shoveling coal and fixing stuff....While the Captain is up on deck having cocktails.......HA !....

Also, please follow my posts, you guys are all so helpful.. My tear down and rebuild of my 34 may give the rest of you a few ideas or may be able to help. I feel like I am part of a special family with all of your help and hints... I can't thank you all enough... You are a great group of guys!.... We appreciate each and every idea... Ed, thanks again for your help... It is really nice having an expert 10 minutes up the street. You mentioned helping...hope you have your long johns....going to be a long cold winter....

Thanks Guys !

 

[JerryA]

I was in Huron today. Still a good number of boats in the water. I was jealous as it was a nice day for saiing.

JerryA

 

[Stu Jackson]

Great boat name. Enjoy.

 

[Ed Schenck]

For a few bucks here is a simple solution to the wayward valve problem:
http://www.kzvalve.com/marine.php

 

[Dan Johnson]

Ed, Brian, Claude, Allan...

From what's being said, it would appear that the engine water intake position was at the whim of the production guy with the hole saw. Mine's port side, aft of the shaft log. It is a ball valve so may have been replaced by a PO. Sink drains are still gate valves. Head thru-hulls have ball valves as is the AC intake.

Stu may be correct on the high v-berth platform as the bow does have steep rake to it. But, it does provide a very large amount of storage space for lighter weight materials.

 

[kloudie1]

Interesting, Dan.. Looks like my PO installed another thru hull opposite the original engine water intake. Then used the new one for the engine water and used the original for the sink foot pump..

 

[PrincessoftheLake]

I am really enjoying this thread. My first big boat was a 1985 Hunter 34. I loved the spacious interior on that boat and almost everything else about that boat. I really thought it was a great design. I know the vberth is a little high but it was my favorite spot.

Good luck Brian and I am going to be following your progress and wishing you all the best.

 

[brian3820]

Princess, Kloudie, Dan, Stu, Ed, Jerry, Richard and Allan. Thank you so much for your support. I know it sounds like a HUGE project, but we really wanted a new spacious boat... Well "Our Own" economy dictates that rather than a new 200 K boat, we rebuild an older boat. It is going to be a massive amount of work, but when she is done she should be sound and really have a new updated look and feel. At this point, if I can't save the sole, EVERYTHING will be new. Every piece of wood, laminated surface, sinks, most plumbing, cushions, etc... Yeah, I know, massive, but in the disassembly I have found there really isn't much to this boat. So reassembly shouldn't be too bad. More time consuming than anything. For those following the exterior refinish, the rubbing compound is called "Presta - Super Cut". This product is used after the wet sanding phase and is amazing. This boat was very badly pitted, so bad that 600 grit would NOT clean up the transom like I wanted. I had to backpedal to 400 grit for the first sanding.. then 600, 800, 1000. 1200. Then the Super Cut... At this point I have a section of the boat that is so smooth and reflective it looks like factory finish. I am extremely happy with this product, so for those who have oxidation, THIS is the product to try. Be prepared, you are not going to wet sand, rub, polish and wax a boat in an afternoon. It is a huge commitment, but if you are looking to get that factory look back...it's the way to go. Photos will follow within the week. Thanks Everyone...stay tuned for more.

 

[mark_swart]

Keep an eye on the opening ports. They start leaking, and if the boat has been unattended and they are leaking, it willl destroy all of the coring around the windows. Lots of fun to fix.
Rotten compression post and crossbeam due to short sighted design are also normal replacements.
Yes, the vee berth really is that high up.
I had my H34 for less than two years and never got along with the boat. That being said, the current owners of my same boat just told me how much they love it, win races on it, and are having a blast.
Best wishes on your restoration, I hope she works out for you!