I heard that Hunter is offering a "float" of some kind to attach to the mast to prevent the 170 from going full turtle. Does anyone have any more information on it, or haveyou seen one? I finally got my 170 mainsail reefed. What a difference. Th boat should NOT be marketed without reefing in place. It is the tippiest 7" beam boat I've ever sailed!
- Status
float
Several people, companies , make floats for mast, the hobie people started it using empty clorox bottles, atop mast, anyting will work, no need to get fancy, regards MIke
Several people, companies , make floats for mast, the hobie people started it using empty clorox bottles, atop mast, anyting will work, no need to get fancy, regards MIke
The Hunter mast floatation device
Bob, I emailed Hunter Sunday and here is what they sent back Monday morning at 7:52 AM: Yes it is available. Call our parts department at 800-771-5556 ext. 3015. I called and they purchase them from Hobie. Cost to me is $50.00 plus shipping & handeling. Tomorrow I plan to call Customer Service to have them describe it to me over the phone. I have confidence that if its sold by the manufacturer, it must have the correct amount of flotation and must look somewhat decent. More tomorrow! Don
Bob, I emailed Hunter Sunday and here is what they sent back Monday morning at 7:52 AM: Yes it is available. Call our parts department at 800-771-5556 ext. 3015. I called and they purchase them from Hobie. Cost to me is $50.00 plus shipping & handeling. Tomorrow I plan to call Customer Service to have them describe it to me over the phone. I have confidence that if its sold by the manufacturer, it must have the correct amount of flotation and must look somewhat decent. More tomorrow! Don
Yes, but
The 170 has what is called in Kayaks is called 'secondary stability'. That means the darn thing always initially feels as if it is going over but it gets up on the edge and just sits there. It appears you have to make some kind of a major mistake to actually make it go over. The round bottom and high freeboard probably cause this feeling.
The 170 has what is called in Kayaks is called 'secondary stability'. That means the darn thing always initially feels as if it is going over but it gets up on the edge and just sits there. It appears you have to make some kind of a major mistake to actually make it go over. The round bottom and high freeboard probably cause this feeling.
Yes, but NO
I am tired of all of the "sage" advice about avoiding overheeling and turtling the 170, with the clear implication that you have to be an inexperienced idiot to turtle the 170. I am the one who turtled the 170 3 weeks ago. I am not inexperienced or an idiot, I hope. I have had the 170 for 2 1/2 summers now and sailed an O'Day Javelin for 12 years before then, with other boats before then. I have repeatedly had problems with the 170 overheeling. You may recall (as I experienced) that the original rudder was recalled by Hunter and replaced with a deeper and wider one. Why? because the old rudder pulled out of the water too much when the boat heeled. No rudder, no steering. Duh. DESIGN FLAW. All the "great" advice about how to avoid over heeling and turtling, I think, is coming from people who have NEVER sailed the 170. As wide as it is, it heels very easily, and when tipped over, it will turtle. Design flaw? I think so. How to remedy? Easy. Think a little. One, use some HEAVY METAL, man. My Javelin had a heavy metal centerboard. I never turned over in that boat, even though it was much narrower. How hard would that have been to implement? Two, put a mast float at the top of the mast, or how about wrapping the top of the mast with flotation, or filling it with flotation at the top? Again, not too hard, or expensive. And finally, three, a reefing point for the mainsail would have been nice. Because of the overheeling, my wife and daughter now refuse go sail with me.
We all like to get advice from those who "know", but on this one, if you haven't sailed the 170 in a strong wind, keep it to yourself, cuz you don't know, really you don't. I like the 170 and am not about to give it up, but it surely doesn't sail like a 41 foot weighted keel cruiser, I know the difference from personal experience.
I am tired of all of the "sage" advice about avoiding overheeling and turtling the 170, with the clear implication that you have to be an inexperienced idiot to turtle the 170. I am the one who turtled the 170 3 weeks ago. I am not inexperienced or an idiot, I hope. I have had the 170 for 2 1/2 summers now and sailed an O'Day Javelin for 12 years before then, with other boats before then. I have repeatedly had problems with the 170 overheeling. You may recall (as I experienced) that the original rudder was recalled by Hunter and replaced with a deeper and wider one. Why? because the old rudder pulled out of the water too much when the boat heeled. No rudder, no steering. Duh. DESIGN FLAW. All the "great" advice about how to avoid over heeling and turtling, I think, is coming from people who have NEVER sailed the 170. As wide as it is, it heels very easily, and when tipped over, it will turtle. Design flaw? I think so. How to remedy? Easy. Think a little. One, use some HEAVY METAL, man. My Javelin had a heavy metal centerboard. I never turned over in that boat, even though it was much narrower. How hard would that have been to implement? Two, put a mast float at the top of the mast, or how about wrapping the top of the mast with flotation, or filling it with flotation at the top? Again, not too hard, or expensive. And finally, three, a reefing point for the mainsail would have been nice. Because of the overheeling, my wife and daughter now refuse go sail with me.
We all like to get advice from those who "know", but on this one, if you haven't sailed the 170 in a strong wind, keep it to yourself, cuz you don't know, really you don't. I like the 170 and am not about to give it up, but it surely doesn't sail like a 41 foot weighted keel cruiser, I know the difference from personal experience.- Status