Cruising in a Hunter-Cherubini - 25

[Plymouth Sailor]

Fellow Cherubinis,

Interested in any anecdotes for long distance (20 miles or more) coastal cruises in a small 25' Hunter. I've done a few short sails across Buzzards Bay but nothing out of my comfort zone. I'm situated in Plymouth, MA now and want to do an extended cruise around Cape Cod Bay albeit in a tiny boat.
Any advice appreciated.

Mark

 

[jssailem]

Watch for weather windows. Sunshine is very nice. Caution in fog.
Be prepared to fire up a motor. Take it in small steps. No need for an overnight sail. Eat on shore often saves on what you have to store on the boat. keeps the boat lighter.
When the weather turns sour, find a safe harbor and try out one of the local Pubs.
Have fun..

 

[Coastal Nomad]

Have been living and cruising on my '81 H27 for 2+ years sailing between Norfolk, Va. and New Orleans, La. so it can be done (Currently in Biloxi, Ms.) . Needs are a reliable engine (plus spare parts), good ground tackle packages, a chart plotter of some kind, reliable depth finder, foul weather gear, 2 VHF radios, safety equipment and the list goes on and on and on. And definitely watch your weather windows.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

What jssailem said. Preparation is key. That said, prayer doesn't hurt either.

 

[vhoisington]

When I had our H25 it was able to handle heavy weather better than most of the boats in our club including most of the Catalina’s and Ericsson’s. The long heavy keel meant it would go over to a point but then just stop. We almost one a race once due to the winds being over 20 knots. The capri’s couldn’t handle the winds, until they dropped below 20.

You will find that as long as you go prepared, the h25 will take good care of you. I never did get the rail in the water and yet she’s more maneuverable than many and as long as you keep a good outboard on her she can go most anywhere.

Handheld, VHF and GPS, always wear your life vest and have fun. Your plan sounds like it is exactly what the boat is designed for - Coastal cruising.

Enjoy.

 

[MikeHoncho]

For me it was being prepared for failures in the driveteain, rigging and electrical, being prepared for water intrusion and having the boat capable of unforeseen moderate weather. Tools, spare impeller, fuel filter, self sealing tape, electrical connectors, assortment of hardware and spare pulleys. I made up a bunch of soft shackles of different lengths and diameter which are really handy. Emergency tiller, bungs for each through hole, and a plan to use the dinghy outboard as the primary engine.
I would be limiting my sailing opportunities without my reef points. For me, they are a big deal.
A capable anchor set up for immediate deployment in a emergency.
I'm new to this having only owned my boat for a little over a year but so far my prep has paid off with my multi day trips. My last was a 4 day with 20+ ml legs but in Puget Sound, not open water.

 

[John Nantz]

One thing I'd be concerned about is the effects of wind and currents. Cape Cod sticks out from the shoreline quite a distance so the northerly off-shore current may cause issues for small boats. On the west coast there are a number of places where ocean currents cause major issues, especially during times of high winds.
Added to the mix, the chart shows numerous shoal areas south of the cape and there can be current and increased wave issues there as well. Years ago we sailed from Point Judith to Block Island in our 16ft daysailer and discovered "interesting" seas in the "North Reef"or "Sandy Point" area.
The Northwest has some harbors along the coast but getting to, or from, them, over the bars from/to the Pacific Ocean side can be very dangerous. The east coast of Cape Cod has a place one might want to duck into called Nauset Harbor; however, it would be good to check with local knowledge about entry conditions.
Just saw this "Pollock Rip Channel" ... that's an ominous name.
Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket islands: The inside route looks like a navigation nightmare. Nantucket Shoals looks like a place where there could be turbulent seas.
Guess we can assume you'd be taking the Cape Cod Canal to make the loop. Just read 3.5 knots (probably not even max) so obviously there's a good deal of current in it.
Looks like it'd be an interesting trip and a good stepping stone for further trips up and down the coast.

Edit: For info, I'm unfamiliar with this area and comments are from just looking at the chart on my iPhone.