I am getting close to retirement and am looking for a boat to retire on and see the world. I have always liked the Hunter line, and I feel that they are an outstanding value for the money. My question is, are they built well enough for long distance cruising? Thanks for your time. Oh yeah, I will be going solo. Ralph
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Round the world
I don't think a Hunter would be the right boat to circumnavigate singlehanded. The Hunters you might entertain for this would probably be too much to handle given their size and would be very expensive. I would opt for a used Pacific Seacraft 34-36 or a boat in this class. This is not a knock against Hunter but rather the intended purpose would IMO not be a good fit with a Hunter. Envious of your intentions and wish you luck.
I don't think a Hunter would be the right boat to circumnavigate singlehanded. The Hunters you might entertain for this would probably be too much to handle given their size and would be very expensive. I would opt for a used Pacific Seacraft 34-36 or a boat in this class. This is not a knock against Hunter but rather the intended purpose would IMO not be a good fit with a Hunter. Envious of your intentions and wish you luck.
First things first
retire, in Florida, buy a your hunter, Isuggest a Cherubini, 75 to 85, why, their built good, and from Florida, Texas, mexico, all of central am, the entire caribbean, bahama's, and south am. are in a 24hour max. sail, step by step, You can spend years visiting all of the islands, in the carib, without the physical, mental traumatic experience, besides you want to enjoy your hard earned retirement, not shorten it, I have a 27 1982, and with some work, she is capable of blue water passage, and you don't want to buy an expensive boat like that, there're too hard to sell if you decide on something else .Ralph, the Caribbean, will keep you thinking positive, it's beautiful, and awaiting You, enjoy.
retire, in Florida, buy a your hunter, Isuggest a Cherubini, 75 to 85, why, their built good, and from Florida, Texas, mexico, all of central am, the entire caribbean, bahama's, and south am. are in a 24hour max. sail, step by step, You can spend years visiting all of the islands, in the carib, without the physical, mental traumatic experience, besides you want to enjoy your hard earned retirement, not shorten it, I have a 27 1982, and with some work, she is capable of blue water passage, and you don't want to buy an expensive boat like that, there're too hard to sell if you decide on something else .Ralph, the Caribbean, will keep you thinking positive, it's beautiful, and awaiting You, enjoy.
Cherubini Hunter 33
All the Cherubini designs sail well. I have had a 1985 Hunter 33 for 16 years that was designed for ocean racing and has cruising accommodations. It is also well suited for single-handed sailing with all control lines coming to the "T" shaped cockpit. The "T" shaped cockpit puts the headsail winches in a position so they are accessible from the helm. The main sheet is also easily adjustable from the helm. We are selling our 33 for a larger boat for family use and will miss her ease of handing and well-balanced tracking.
All the Cherubini designs sail well. I have had a 1985 Hunter 33 for 16 years that was designed for ocean racing and has cruising accommodations. It is also well suited for single-handed sailing with all control lines coming to the "T" shaped cockpit. The "T" shaped cockpit puts the headsail winches in a position so they are accessible from the helm. The main sheet is also easily adjustable from the helm. We are selling our 33 for a larger boat for family use and will miss her ease of handing and well-balanced tracking.
wonderful idea.
Ralph, There are alot of sailors before you and the ones doing it now are probably not going to respond here. However, there are some great books that tell alot from people who have and are sailing now. Lin and Larry Pardy's book "storm tactics", a good and informative read for anyone who sails, recommend that a smaller boat is easier to inspect daily and cheaper to repair. Some considerations are size of sails. If you are bouncing around in high seas alone, to change a large heavy sail on the foredeck could be quite difficult. They also talk of wheel verses tiller. A wheel has small parts that are prone to break in heavy weather. Just some things to help you make a decision. I hope your experience is gratifying. My hope is to someday try it myself. r.w.landau
Ralph, There are alot of sailors before you and the ones doing it now are probably not going to respond here. However, there are some great books that tell alot from people who have and are sailing now. Lin and Larry Pardy's book "storm tactics", a good and informative read for anyone who sails, recommend that a smaller boat is easier to inspect daily and cheaper to repair. Some considerations are size of sails. If you are bouncing around in high seas alone, to change a large heavy sail on the foredeck could be quite difficult. They also talk of wheel verses tiller. A wheel has small parts that are prone to break in heavy weather. Just some things to help you make a decision. I hope your experience is gratifying. My hope is to someday try it myself. r.w.landau
Suggestion: Caliber 40
A friend of mine, stopping in Montreal for a few weeks is circumnavigating, (29,000 miles so far) aboard her Caliber 40. She has one crew but has handled it herself alone. She is 48 years old, medium built, of average physical strenght. She handles it correctly for long hauls. Suggest that you take a look at it, but you did not mention your budget or destination. If you need further infor, I can give you her @mail. Sincerely, Jean Hrab
A friend of mine, stopping in Montreal for a few weeks is circumnavigating, (29,000 miles so far) aboard her Caliber 40. She has one crew but has handled it herself alone. She is 48 years old, medium built, of average physical strenght. She handles it correctly for long hauls. Suggest that you take a look at it, but you did not mention your budget or destination. If you need further infor, I can give you her @mail. Sincerely, Jean Hrab
GO FOR IT...
YOU CAN DO IT IN A HUNTER ! I DID IT SOLO IN MY HUNTER 34,1984.UNTIL I MET MY WIFE AND GOT MARRIED. HUNTERS ARE VERY EASY TO SAIL, FAST AND VERY LIGHT, SO YOU MUST BE CONSERVATIVE AND VERY PRUDENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFO. DO NOT HESITATE TO EMAIL ME. ENJOY !!! GUIDOGAR_@HOTMAIL.COM
YOU CAN DO IT IN A HUNTER ! I DID IT SOLO IN MY HUNTER 34,1984.UNTIL I MET MY WIFE AND GOT MARRIED. HUNTERS ARE VERY EASY TO SAIL, FAST AND VERY LIGHT, SO YOU MUST BE CONSERVATIVE AND VERY PRUDENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFO. DO NOT HESITATE TO EMAIL ME. ENJOY !!! GUIDOGAR_@HOTMAIL.COM
Second suggestion, witha somall story
Hal Linbrook, a good Actor, decided to do the same thing, a friend of his, an ole salt female, from Marina Del Rey, suggested He take his boat on a 24 hour circum. around the catalina isles, before the hours were up, he was dehydrated, hallosinating, starving, and in thermo shock statuc, Ralph, You live there, try it, I used to make 6 to 8 trips to catalina a year in a 20 ft. Newport out of King Harbor, give it a try.
Hal Linbrook, a good Actor, decided to do the same thing, a friend of his, an ole salt female, from Marina Del Rey, suggested He take his boat on a 24 hour circum. around the catalina isles, before the hours were up, he was dehydrated, hallosinating, starving, and in thermo shock statuc, Ralph, You live there, try it, I used to make 6 to 8 trips to catalina a year in a 20 ft. Newport out of King Harbor, give it a try.
Are YOU planning to take care of HER......?
Ralph, you do have a great dream. I just wish I knew whether to congratulate you or to express my deepest sympathy.... As already mentioned by a previous responder, there are only a handful of people in the USA who can really answer your questions and your chances of finding them on any internet forum are pretty slim as they are usually out circumnavigating, or at least sailing somewhere. I trust that you have already absorbed the invaluable advice contained in the books of Chichester, Moitessier and the like. I am not a single-hander myself. My wife and I started out on a possible circumnavigation with our Hunter Legend 43 and, along the way, became fascinated with several South Pacific island groups that seemed to need us more than we needed our circumnavigation (with its promise of potentially boring legs and endless paperwork). Nonetheless, I would like to make a few general observations. First of all, if you have to ask the opinion of others about the construction of Hunters in general and, apparently, have not yet been able to narrow your possible choices down you certainly are going to need a boat that can take care of you, rather than the other way around. This is even more true for a single-hander who might become incapacitated for several days. Also, to elaborate on Tom's concerns, until the day that you have completed your first single-handed transoceanic passage and are rearing to go back for more "punishment" you might as well plan to sail to the moon. Single-handed circumnavigators are a rare breed. Successful single-handed circumnavigators who only got serious about their passion towards retirement are truly exceptional (Sir Francis Chichester succeeded in doing just that). The required technical skills and physical stamina are just the beginning. The state-of-mind that you will need to achieve in order to successfully complete long ocean passages single-handedly is not only exceptional but can easily become an obstacle towards eventual social readjustment (if that is part of your plan
)) Finally, no matter what vessel you buy you need to count on 2-3 years of preparing and testing her before SHE is ready to take care of YOU. How long you will need to work on your own skills in order to take care of HER is a question only YOU can answer. Hope to see yah out there one day! Flying Dutchman
Ralph, you do have a great dream. I just wish I knew whether to congratulate you or to express my deepest sympathy.... As already mentioned by a previous responder, there are only a handful of people in the USA who can really answer your questions and your chances of finding them on any internet forum are pretty slim as they are usually out circumnavigating, or at least sailing somewhere. I trust that you have already absorbed the invaluable advice contained in the books of Chichester, Moitessier and the like. I am not a single-hander myself. My wife and I started out on a possible circumnavigation with our Hunter Legend 43 and, along the way, became fascinated with several South Pacific island groups that seemed to need us more than we needed our circumnavigation (with its promise of potentially boring legs and endless paperwork). Nonetheless, I would like to make a few general observations. First of all, if you have to ask the opinion of others about the construction of Hunters in general and, apparently, have not yet been able to narrow your possible choices down you certainly are going to need a boat that can take care of you, rather than the other way around. This is even more true for a single-hander who might become incapacitated for several days. Also, to elaborate on Tom's concerns, until the day that you have completed your first single-handed transoceanic passage and are rearing to go back for more "punishment" you might as well plan to sail to the moon. Single-handed circumnavigators are a rare breed. Successful single-handed circumnavigators who only got serious about their passion towards retirement are truly exceptional (Sir Francis Chichester succeeded in doing just that). The required technical skills and physical stamina are just the beginning. The state-of-mind that you will need to achieve in order to successfully complete long ocean passages single-handedly is not only exceptional but can easily become an obstacle towards eventual social readjustment (if that is part of your plan
)) Finally, no matter what vessel you buy you need to count on 2-3 years of preparing and testing her before SHE is ready to take care of YOU. How long you will need to work on your own skills in order to take care of HER is a question only YOU can answer. Hope to see yah out there one day! Flying Dutchmantraining,training...more training...
Ralph, yes my hunter 34 and I did it,yes it was a lot of training small trips first,long distance later and sailing at night awy from the shore line. Yes I readed several books and took several training lessons whit the Canadian and US Coast G. Like avery one sugest you are the ultimate person that will decide wich vessel will serve your purpose,what degree of understanding you must need to go the distance. Yes you will need to be strong for the moments that you will hate the most, bad weather...and ALONE... but in the other hand there is a world out there ready for you. For me it was a great experince,Yes I was 34 years old and ready to meet the world and the seas. The choise it is only yours, but please do not do it if you are NOT ready.
Ralph, yes my hunter 34 and I did it,yes it was a lot of training small trips first,long distance later and sailing at night awy from the shore line. Yes I readed several books and took several training lessons whit the Canadian and US Coast G. Like avery one sugest you are the ultimate person that will decide wich vessel will serve your purpose,what degree of understanding you must need to go the distance. Yes you will need to be strong for the moments that you will hate the most, bad weather...and ALONE... but in the other hand there is a world out there ready for you. For me it was a great experince,Yes I was 34 years old and ready to meet the world and the seas. The choise it is only yours, but please do not do it if you are NOT ready.
Hey Guido and Henk
Tell us more!!! Just knowing that a sistership has made a circumnavigation makes me want to run down to the dock and give the ol' girl a new coat of wax. Seriously, i'd love to hear more about your journey and how the boats performed.
Tell us more!!! Just knowing that a sistership has made a circumnavigation makes me want to run down to the dock and give the ol' girl a new coat of wax. Seriously, i'd love to hear more about your journey and how the boats performed.
A Good Book
A really great book by my friend, Francis Stokes... "The Mooneshine Logs." It's about single handed ocean racing.. Francis did the first BOC in a 40ft Valiant..A great read with lots of info for perspective single handers.. Ron/KA5HZV
A really great book by my friend, Francis Stokes... "The Mooneshine Logs." It's about single handed ocean racing.. Francis did the first BOC in a 40ft Valiant..A great read with lots of info for perspective single handers.. Ron/KA5HZV
Andy, we turned around after reaching Australia...
Sorry, if that was not clear from my post. If you would like to read a bit more about the first 8 years of Rivendel II's approx. 35,000 NM at sea, and how we prepared her, you can go to: <http://www.seacrest.nl/sea_stories/seastories3.htm>. For an update on last year's crossing of the Coral Sea against the tradewinds in order to sail back to Vanuatu and, later, on to Fiji you can type "Rivendel" as a search term for stories archived on this board. Many other cruising reports prepared by us are still missing on-line. Perhaps, we will find time to catch up once Nelleke and I manage to retire. Have fun! Flying Dutchman, Rivendel II, Fiji
Sorry, if that was not clear from my post. If you would like to read a bit more about the first 8 years of Rivendel II's approx. 35,000 NM at sea, and how we prepared her, you can go to: <http://www.seacrest.nl/sea_stories/seastories3.htm>. For an update on last year's crossing of the Coral Sea against the tradewinds in order to sail back to Vanuatu and, later, on to Fiji you can type "Rivendel" as a search term for stories archived on this board. Many other cruising reports prepared by us are still missing on-line. Perhaps, we will find time to catch up once Nelleke and I manage to retire. Have fun! Flying Dutchman, Rivendel II, Fiji
Here's an angle:
Tom Hadoulias put me on to this. We like it because our old H37Cs make the list! http://www.johnsboatstuff.com/Articles/lowcost.htm
Tom Hadoulias put me on to this. We like it because our old H37Cs make the list!
http://www.johnsboatstuff.com/Articles/lowcost.htmAndy here is my....
Email GUIDOGAR_@HOTMAIL.COM I can tell you some of my Experience and send you pictures. At that time I did not have a computer, did not have the interest to write or make a big deal about my sailing. Nor I intend to do it today. But I would love to share some moments of my trip, specially if it will motivate some to go the distance... Guido
Email GUIDOGAR_@HOTMAIL.COM I can tell you some of my Experience and send you pictures. At that time I did not have a computer, did not have the interest to write or make a big deal about my sailing. Nor I intend to do it today. But I would love to share some moments of my trip, specially if it will motivate some to go the distance... Guido
H37C All the way around
ralph, I'm in Australia(Oz) now. I left Tampa Dec 99 and ran with crew to Tahiti, then singlehanded to Oz. The 37C, after modifications, is blue water capable and I will not hesitate to complete my around singlehanding. I am 55 and in good health and I feel the rig is the right size to handle. I can maintain and repair everything on board and have no fears of the breakdowns. No technican has ever been aboard my boat.
ralph, I'm in Australia(Oz) now. I left Tampa Dec 99 and ran with crew to Tahiti, then singlehanded to Oz. The 37C, after modifications, is blue water capable and I will not hesitate to complete my around singlehanding. I am 55 and in good health and I feel the rig is the right size to handle. I can maintain and repair everything on board and have no fears of the breakdowns. No technican has ever been aboard my boat.
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