OK. I can't hold my tongue any longer and the curiosity is killing me. What's the highest speed you've obtained in you Hunter sailboat? Earlier this summer, my daughter and I were sailing under full canvas on a broad reach. I was impressed as my H26 accellerated quickly to it theoretical hull speed of 6.4 knots. Then to my surprise it just kept going. We peaked at 7.8 knots and actually maintained 7.4 for a good amount of time. Amazingly it was all done quite comfortably, with minimal heeling (at least until we headed up some and then the boat leaned WAY OVER). Is it really possible to get a H26 to plane? Has anyone else had such an experience they'd like to share? And how do you exit a run or broad reach without heeling over so much?
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I've seen 7.6 on the GPS
Ron, I've seen numbers in the mid 7's on my GPS, particularly when we were on Lake Superior, returning from Rasberry Island to Port Superior. We covered the 24 miles in just a little more than 3 hours. We were probably way over canvassed, becauae we did broach on one gust, but we were covering some distance. It helped that we were racing a guy back. Mike Pajewski H26 "Loon"
Ron, I've seen numbers in the mid 7's on my GPS, particularly when we were on Lake Superior, returning from Rasberry Island to Port Superior. We covered the 24 miles in just a little more than 3 hours. We were probably way over canvassed, becauae we did broach on one gust, but we were covering some distance. It helped that we were racing a guy back. Mike Pajewski H26 "Loon"
Why I redesigned the reefing system on my 23....
Out on our little lake. Wind turned out to be more than expected. Our marina is sheltered more than I realized. Luffed across lake in our '88 23. Gave up and went forward to reef main and it jammed. Turned boat for home on a beam reach with full main and working jib. Boat took off like a rocket. At hulk speed she crested a wave and accelerated again. Finally, by the GPS, we were doing something over 12 kts. A very wild and tense ride. after we barreled into the shelter of the marina and dropped the sails I remembered the last line in an old field guide to sailboats. "The Hunter 23 will plane" was the line. Inspection of the boat after the ride showed the jib block on the starboard side to be all but pulled from the deck. I've sense replaced both blocks with 2000# units with large backing plates. I've repeated the run many times sense. It's fun when your ready and prepared. P.s. I've completely redesigned the reefing system. I can reef in any conditions now.
Out on our little lake. Wind turned out to be more than expected. Our marina is sheltered more than I realized. Luffed across lake in our '88 23. Gave up and went forward to reef main and it jammed. Turned boat for home on a beam reach with full main and working jib. Boat took off like a rocket. At hulk speed she crested a wave and accelerated again. Finally, by the GPS, we were doing something over 12 kts. A very wild and tense ride. after we barreled into the shelter of the marina and dropped the sails I remembered the last line in an old field guide to sailboats. "The Hunter 23 will plane" was the line. Inspection of the boat after the ride showed the jib block on the starboard side to be all but pulled from the deck. I've sense replaced both blocks with 2000# units with large backing plates. I've repeated the run many times sense. It's fun when your ready and prepared. P.s. I've completely redesigned the reefing system. I can reef in any conditions now.
8.3
I've had my 240 up to 8.3 on the GPS. I don't think you can get a 240 or 26 to plane, but you can benefit from surfing it down wave faces, and a favorable current. I have a furler so if I'm over canvased off the wind I can furl the jib some before heading up. If I'm going to be on anything other than a broad reach I would put the reef in the main first. Even with a reefed main and a full jib I have hit hull speeds on the Bay frequently.
I've had my 240 up to 8.3 on the GPS. I don't think you can get a 240 or 26 to plane, but you can benefit from surfing it down wave faces, and a favorable current. I have a furler so if I'm over canvased off the wind I can furl the jib some before heading up. If I'm going to be on anything other than a broad reach I would put the reef in the main first. Even with a reefed main and a full jib I have hit hull speeds on the Bay frequently.
10+ knots in a 376 with a GPS
OK so we did have a 4+ knot tide with us, but it was still a great way to make time. Russell S/V Allie Kat
OK so we did have a 4+ knot tide with us, but it was still a great way to make time. Russell S/V Allie Kat
over ground or water
I believe the knot meter on your boat gives an over water reading and your gps is usually lower since it is over land???????????? When determining true speed and distance the gps gives a more accurate reading???? I have also reached almost 8 knots on the knot meter.
I believe the knot meter on your boat gives an over water reading and your gps is usually lower since it is over land???????????? When determining true speed and distance the gps gives a more accurate reading???? I have also reached almost 8 knots on the knot meter.
20 Knots, but.....
this was in Seymour Narrows just north of Campbell River in British Columbia. For people not familiar with the area this is where there are large tides and a large body of water which must be squeezed through a small space. There are monster eddies and whirlpools. The speed was measured with GPS but boat speed in the water was about 6.3 knots. Not using GPS and measuring just boat speed through water, we've been at 10 knots several times in our H-35, under sail. Good memories! Last weekend we were at 7.5 for a couple hours and my wife wouldn't let me have the helm until the boat had slowed down!!
this was in Seymour Narrows just north of Campbell River in British Columbia. For people not familiar with the area this is where there are large tides and a large body of water which must be squeezed through a small space. There are monster eddies and whirlpools. The speed was measured with GPS but boat speed in the water was about 6.3 knots. Not using GPS and measuring just boat speed through water, we've been at 10 knots several times in our H-35, under sail. Good memories! Last weekend we were at 7.5 for a couple hours and my wife wouldn't let me have the helm until the boat had slowed down!!
17.5kts true speed
While on the my trip home from Hawaii we were doing 16 kts and actually hit 17.5. These speeds were quite unbelieveable and believe me it felt fast. We were sailing on a Santa Cruz 52 with full main and a reacher/blaster jib running wing'n wing with the jib held out to starboard with the spinnaker pole.
While on the my trip home from Hawaii we were doing 16 kts and actually hit 17.5. These speeds were quite unbelieveable and believe me it felt fast. We were sailing on a Santa Cruz 52 with full main and a reacher/blaster jib running wing'n wing with the jib held out to starboard with the spinnaker pole.
My Best Speed...
We've raced our '96 Hunter 26 for five seasons now and for the longest time our best speed was 7.5 knots. We eventually upped this to 7.8 knots this season after we added jib tracks and a traveler to "Legacy". This August at the Leech Lake Regatta in northern Minnesota (we got 3rd in our division) we hit 8.0 knots several times during a broad reach in steady 25 mile-per-hour winds and surfing down 3-4 foot waves. I think these are called "4.4's" (four foot waves, four feet apart). It was a pretty wild ride. I think if a Hunter 26 could sustain a plane, it would have been then but it didn't. Our Knotmeter has been calibrated and I believe it to be pretty accurate as we have a hard time sustaining speeds above 6.4 knots (theoretical hull speed for a Hunter 26). Hope this helps. By-the-way, we set the boat up to fly a spinnaker and borrowed a sail today to try it out. Gotta get me one! Too much fun.
We've raced our '96 Hunter 26 for five seasons now and for the longest time our best speed was 7.5 knots. We eventually upped this to 7.8 knots this season after we added jib tracks and a traveler to "Legacy". This August at the Leech Lake Regatta in northern Minnesota (we got 3rd in our division) we hit 8.0 knots several times during a broad reach in steady 25 mile-per-hour winds and surfing down 3-4 foot waves. I think these are called "4.4's" (four foot waves, four feet apart). It was a pretty wild ride. I think if a Hunter 26 could sustain a plane, it would have been then but it didn't. Our Knotmeter has been calibrated and I believe it to be pretty accurate as we have a hard time sustaining speeds above 6.4 knots (theoretical hull speed for a Hunter 26). Hope this helps. By-the-way, we set the boat up to fly a spinnaker and borrowed a sail today to try it out. Gotta get me one! Too much fun.
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