First Sail on 23.5

Jul 12, 2020
11
Hunter 23.5 Chicago
Well, we took the 23.5 on its maiden sail.

weather
E/SE winds 10-15
waves 2 feet but were bouncing off the breakwall and were getting close to 3 ft with occasional white cap
waves were coming from 10 o’clock and 5 o’clock, picking the boat up

sail
30 minutes beam reach, tack, 30 minutes beam reach back to harbor

thoughts
needed more halyard tension and forestay tension. There seemed to be a lot of sag in the forestay
mainsheet is the throttle, needs to stay in helmsman hand


some questions::
how do we keep the jib from flying up the forestay in a wave?
better yet: can we replace to a roller furler?

also— any seasick remedies for wife and son?
 
May 1, 2011
4,189
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
Now I understand. Use sail ties to tie the jib and the head to the lifelines and pulpit.
 
Jan 22, 2008
296
Islander Freeport, 41 Ketch Longmont, CO
Seasick remedies - put one or both of them at the helm, take them out on calm days and as they learn the boat they get more comfortable. Ginger ale and or ginger cookies sometimes help as well

Good luck
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
On all of my boats with hanked on headsails, I’ve installed a down-haul system. It makes dropping the sail in a blow easy AND it holds the sail down. Do a google on job down haul.

regarding Dramamine ... Dramamine is an antihistamine... for many people any antihistamine will help with sea sickness ...just take it 20 min before...
 
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Jul 12, 2020
11
Hunter 23.5 Chicago
Thanks for the help! i Think we need an inland lake, maybe Lake Michigan isn’t a good place to start
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
In a west wind, Lake Michigan will be calm near the shore. And there will be days with low wind. Often, the morning winds are easier.
 
Sep 30, 2016
339
Island Packet IP 44 Ventura, CA
I highly recommend a roller furler. Mine came with a CDI furler and it works great. Just so much easier. And around 15 kts and the boat feels much better with a reef.
 
Jul 12, 2020
11
Hunter 23.5 Chicago
1. Mast Rake /Forestay Sag- my forestay turnbuckle is about as tight as I can go, but I still get some sag in it. Any way to check where I’m at? Upper shroud tension or rake measurements?
2. The outhaul- a 1:1 purchase is really tough to adjust or to get right. Anyone upgrade this to a purchase?
3. My jib is hanked on, but I’m looking at Roller furling. Has anyone done the conversion? If so, which furler?
4. For those that anchor a lot, is there any tips to reduce the swaying? I seem to remember a small pendant foresail on other boats.
5. For those with spinnakers, have you ran an extra halyard? We just used the jib halyard and didn’t gybe when it was up.
6. Our boat wasn’t used for about 5-6 years before we purchased it, and the front hatch doesn’t open. Any tips what to do?
7. The cabin dropboards are in rough shape. Any tips how to make new ones?
 
Sep 30, 2016
339
Island Packet IP 44 Ventura, CA
Tackdan235,
1. Mast Rake /Forestay Sag- my forestay turnbuckle is about as tight as I can go, but I still get some sag in it. Any way to check where I’m at? Upper shroud tension or rake measurements?

The standing rigging forms a tripod. If the forestay is loose, so are the upper and lower shrouds. You may have cranked in forward mast rake if you only cranked the forestay full tight. That is not desired. Tightening the upper shrouds will also tighten the forestay. You need to adjust them all, not just one. Work slowly, 3-4 turns at a time max. Otherwise you may really f-up you rig tuning. One technique is to lay on the deck with your head at the base of the mast and look up the mast. You can then see any bend in the mast and can possibly get it tuned straight.

2. The outhaul- a 1:1 purchase is really tough to adjust or to get right. Anyone upgrade this to a purchase?

It is tight on mine as well. I dont mess with it much. But it helps to have someone pull the clew while the outhaul is tied down.

3. My jib is hanked on, but I’m looking at Roller furling. Has anyone done the conversion? If so, which furler?

As mentioned, the CDI roller works well.

4. For those that anchor a lot, is there any tips to reduce the swaying? I seem to remember a small pendant foresail on other boats.

Pretty normal

5. For those with spinnakers, have you ran an extra halyard? We just used the jib halyard and didn’t gybe when it was up.

If you get a roller furler you then you will have a spin halyard (the old halyard).

6. Our boat wasn’t used for about 5-6 years before we purchased it, and the front hatch doesn’t open. Any tips what to do?

Push harder. Expect to have to replace the seal. That front hatch provides a lot of ventilation.

7. The cabin dropboards are in rough shape. Any tips how to make new ones?

Companionway boards?
 
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May 31, 2004
88
-Hunter 23.5 Sandusky, OH
For the mast rake/turnbuckle, how did the helm handle. Too much forward rake can cause instability, with the boat wanting to turn downwind. If that's the case, tighten the shrouds to move the mast aft. With the mast properly raked, the boat should gently turn into the wind if you let the helm go on any point of sail except downwind.

For the outhaul, do you use the bolt rope to foot the main, or do you leave it loose footed. I've never tried it loose, but someone suggested it here, and I'm thinking of trying it. That may help with the outhaul tension.

For the sway at anchor, the centerboard and rudder should remain down, which will help, but there's not much more to do.

Our forward hatch has always been very tight to open, and usually takes a hard push or thump. When our kids were younger, they would lay on their backs and push it open with their feet.

If you're talking about the companionway boards, I just made some new ones out of 1/2" birch plywood and painted the heck out of them to seal them. If you're talking about the hatch cover boards beneath the cabin seat cushions, I made some new ones out of 1/2' birch and painted the heck out of them.

For the main halyard tension, did you use the winch to tension it? For the jib halyard tension, when you get the jib as high as it will go, take a bite in the halyard around the cleat on the side of the mast, then pull the halyard, between the cleat and where it enters the mast, away from the mast. Then, as you release that, take up the tension at the cleat. Then cleat it off.

I pretty much always cleated of the main sheet and used the tiller to keep the sails full or to head up to dump air. If the jib and main are set to the same angle of attack, the will both fill /luff at the same time. Trying to control both the sheet and the tiller can be tiring.

We are actually in a similar situation. While we are the original owners, our boat was built in '93, the boat has sat neglected in the back yard for the past 8 years. I've just become semi-retired, and I'm working on getting her back into shape. Most of the work is done, how waiting on a new trailer that should be here in a few weeks.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
With the B&R rig your forestay will tend bend a furling head sail will not change this, sounds like you have your forestay too tight which could be pulling your mast forward (too much forward rake).
I would suggest you invest in a loos gauge to set your rig up, this will allow you to set the shroud tension correctly, use your main halyard with a weight tied to it as a plum bob to help show your mast is in column (not leaning forward) tighten the top shrouds to 15% first and then do your inner shrouds then tighten your forestay.
 
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