H356 Polars

Mar 30, 2013
70
Hunter 356 Georgian Bay
I own a H356 and although I don't race it interesting to see how well you can get your boat to preform, Its like racing against your self. To that end I came across this Polar table for a Hunter 356 and wondered if its actually valid. Sure its probably for a race mode setup with no additional weight but hey we can work around that.
Does anyone have Polars for a 356 and how does this one compare.
Link:
 
Feb 27, 2004
172
Hunter 335 North East, MD
I agree great find- I don't believe there are many Hunter models with published polars. There have been discussions about creating your own polars-
 
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Mar 20, 2004
1,729
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
I own a H356 and although I don't race it interesting to see how well you can get your boat to preform, Its like racing against your self. To that end I came across this Polar table for a Hunter 356 and wondered if its actually valid. Sure its probably for a race mode setup with no additional weight but hey we can work around that.
Does anyone have Polars for a 356 and how does this one compare.
Link:
rough look, the numbers aren't unreasonable - but I've never found 356 polars. Note that it says "Hunter Legend 356" That indicates it's the european version of the 356 - might be the bilge keel model, but the draft spec indicates single keel
 
Oct 26, 2010
1,883
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
rough look, the numbers aren't unreasonable - but I've never found 356 polars. Note that it says "Hunter Legend 356" That indicates it's the european version of the 356 - might be the bilge keel model, but the draft spec indicates single keel
I'm not sure the "legend" designation means its a European version. I have a "legend" 40.5 and I'm pretty sure its not a European version but I've been wrong before. By the way, I found a set of Polars for the 40.5 for anyone interested.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
I looked at the sailboatdata.com entry for the 356, and generally things check out in this polar (e.g. displacement, sail area, etc.). The one question I have is about the polars themselves where they exceed theoretical hull speed with the 356.

Hull speed = 7.41kts generally quoted for the 356 with a 30.58 foot LWL (e.g. saildata.com); polar shows the boat exceeding that in winds 16kts or greater from 76-120 degrees peaking at 8.25 kts

I don't know enough about polars or theoretical hull speed to know whether this is normal - for example, will even a displacement hull, with enough energy imparted to it, start to plane just enough to exceed its theoretical hull speed?

Very interested in this polar data myself, as my H36 is almost a twin of its predecessor, the 356, in many performance respects. These polars for Hunters are indeed difficult to find. Thanks to the OP for posting.
 
Apr 13, 2021
2
Hunter Legend 37' Monroe Harbor
Found this one on-line once. Unfortunately, I need the Hunter 37' wing keel version!

1618338354875.png
 
Mar 30, 2013
70
Hunter 356 Georgian Bay
That indicates it's the european version of the 356 - might be the bilge keel model, but the draft spec indicates single keel
Hull speed = 7.41kts generally quoted for the 356 with a 30.58 foot LWL (e.g. saildata.com); polar shows the boat exceeding that in winds 16kts or greater from 76-120 degrees peaking at 8.25 kts
I think you’re right about it being a European version of the 356 because further language in the original Polars were in Dutch I think. However if it’s a racer I would assume they would have a single deep keel.

Regarding the speed topping out over its theoretical hull speed, there is a possibility that off the wind at greater wind speeds the wave action could be taken into account so that speed through the water would actually be hull speed but speed over ground would be slightly greater.

Just thinking out loud here.
 
Mar 20, 2004
1,729
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
At some point, Hunter started using "Hunter Legend" in Europe because another company owned the Hunter name....don't remember when exactly but probably after 1994 - I don't recall it being in effect for my 1994 29.5
The "theoretical" hull speed is actually based on empirical data from many early full keel boats. Modern fin keel boats often break the 1.34 factor in the equation so it's not surprising that the 356 would be faster than predicted. I know in a good breeze Escape can exceed the predicted speed.
 
Mar 3, 2003
710
Hunter 356 Grand Rivers
Once I got 8.4 knots out of Persistence in 20 knots of wind in Charlotte Harbor. Wasn’t sure it wasn’t related to tide, but it’s the fastest I have ever sailed it.
 
Mar 30, 2013
70
Hunter 356 Georgian Bay
Thanks for the further info on theoretical hull speed chuckwayne that’s good to know and given the other inputs here I think its safe to assume the polars can be accepted as targets for the 356. So I guess I can schedule a race between me, myself, and my polars when I splash in 3 weeks.
 
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