Fresh air?

Sanfelice · Dec 12, 2011

This may be what you are looking for:
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|6880|45749|320600&id=1193057

med2463 · Dec 12, 2011

av8erdunn said:
I have a 23.5 hunter and was wondering how do I get fresh air in the cabin while under sail?
I have a toddler that will take a nap below and want to ensure she gets proper ventilation, we do live in lower Alabama after all. I thought about proping open the forward hatch but feel the jib will get hung up on it. Any suggestions?

I replaced our dorade vents with these minivents from SBO store.
http://shop.hunterowners.com/prod.php?17329/MiniVent+1000

Bill Roosa · Dec 13, 2011

Try placing a board along the front edge of the forward hatch to block it open. Close all the other hatches except the companyonway. The doger acts like a vacume when going to windward and like a scoop when doing down wind. Be sure to secure the wood block so it does not fall into the Vee birth or overboard.

Kermit · Dec 13, 2011

I feel your pain on this one. Our 23 came with a solar vent installed in the forward hatch. About all it seems to do is keep us awake at night and then finally winds down just before the sun comes up. Then the sun comes up and starts it back again.

We sail with the hatch closed for the very same reason you do. We now have a 12V fan that came from West Marine that works pretty well. You might want to check into one.

Wish I had more ideas for you.

Kermit

cephius (Dave) · Dec 13, 2011

As long as there is no spray, I sail my 260 with the forward hatch open all the time. Only occasionally do the jib sheets hang up.

The fractional rig of our boat means the jib is rather small and the clew is well off the deck. From the photos I see, the 23.5 is similar. Might be a bit longer on the jib foot, but the sheets should stay free of the hatch if you handle them well.

Just before the tack, take the excessive slack out of the windward sheet. As you go through the wind, pull in on the lee sheet and hold it until the jib back winds. This will bring your bow through the wind faster and when your release the sheet, the wind will do the work and pop the jib across with little excessive sheet slack and minimum winch work.

Ed H · Dec 15, 2011

How about a stainless steel tubing frame?

Forrest15112 · Dec 15, 2011

I was in the same boat ( pun intended) several years back when my kids were toddlers. We would just open the forward hatch all the way and the companionway. The air flow was good enough to keep it from getting too hot below. Being in New Orleans, we typically would avoid the hottest part of the day and sail in late afternoon or at night.