I am the proud owner of a Hunter 23 (1987 year) with a winged keel. It drafts a mere 2'3". It has a 33 ft mast and has 800 pound ballast. It has sail area of 236 sq ft I've sailed it in unknown wind speed, heeling such that the Gunwells were almost in the water. Very exciting and a little scary. Hence my question: What wind speeds is this boat engineered to safely sail in?
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Depends on your sails
You much you heel depends on your sail trim as well as how much sail you have up. If you are a first time sailor get a book like "Sailing for Dummies" to get some more detail on sail trim. That will give you a better idea where the boom should be for a given point of sail and how to tweak your sheets, vang, etc.. You might have the boom too close to center or the jib sheets a bit tight and experience excessive heeling even if you have the right sails up. Lots of things can be a little off but you can figure it out easily enough. For me: In light air - up to say 15 mph or so - I have the main up and up to a 150 genoa. When the winds are between 15 & 20 I cut the genoa back to a 110 jib. When the winds are between 20 & 25 or so I sail with the main reefed and the 110 jib. When the winds are between 25 & 30 I have the main reefed and a storm jib up. If the winds are over 30 I'm not on the water on purpose. Of course you can get caught out there if you aren't paying attention to the forcasts. Gusts can screw up all your plans. I rig for the strongest gusts I'm seeing if I have the wife and kids on board because they don't like to see the rail in the water. If I'm single handling I rig for average speeds and ride the gusts out with a big grin on my face. Welcome to sailing!
You much you heel depends on your sail trim as well as how much sail you have up. If you are a first time sailor get a book like "Sailing for Dummies" to get some more detail on sail trim. That will give you a better idea where the boom should be for a given point of sail and how to tweak your sheets, vang, etc.. You might have the boom too close to center or the jib sheets a bit tight and experience excessive heeling even if you have the right sails up. Lots of things can be a little off but you can figure it out easily enough. For me: In light air - up to say 15 mph or so - I have the main up and up to a 150 genoa. When the winds are between 15 & 20 I cut the genoa back to a 110 jib. When the winds are between 20 & 25 or so I sail with the main reefed and the 110 jib. When the winds are between 25 & 30 I have the main reefed and a storm jib up. If the winds are over 30 I'm not on the water on purpose. Of course you can get caught out there if you aren't paying attention to the forcasts. Gusts can screw up all your plans. I rig for the strongest gusts I'm seeing if I have the wife and kids on board because they don't like to see the rail in the water. If I'm single handling I rig for average speeds and ride the gusts out with a big grin on my face. Welcome to sailing!
What Steve said!
Great advice. What I find is above 25 it really becomes a LOT of work. One reef in your main and reduce headsail as you have to is about it. If you don't have roller furling headsail, get it, you'll use your boat so much more and feel more comfortable doing it than you ever will with a hanked on sail.
Great advice. What I find is above 25 it really becomes a LOT of work. One reef in your main and reduce headsail as you have to is about it. If you don't have roller furling headsail, get it, you'll use your boat so much more and feel more comfortable doing it than you ever will with a hanked on sail.
Look at Peter's posting
The last post and Peter shauw's advise (Peter, hope I got your name correct. working from memory) are on point. The h23 performs best when sails are trim correctly with minimal heel angle. The occasional gust is handled by keeping the outhaul in your hand vs cleating so it is easy to let out the main with a puff. Especially for the new sailor, having the boat with excessive heel just places undue stress on the standing rig and the hull. You will go a lot faster and enjoy the sailing experience with less heel angle. Just thought to put my two cents in.
The last post and Peter shauw's advise (Peter, hope I got your name correct. working from memory) are on point. The h23 performs best when sails are trim correctly with minimal heel angle. The occasional gust is handled by keeping the outhaul in your hand vs cleating so it is easy to let out the main with a puff. Especially for the new sailor, having the boat with excessive heel just places undue stress on the standing rig and the hull. You will go a lot faster and enjoy the sailing experience with less heel angle. Just thought to put my two cents in.
What foresail?
I sail for pleasure, and when the wind goes over 15 mph it starts becoming work requiring constant attention. I don't race and I'm not adventurous. Sure, I like to get the speed up, but on my own terms. Last time out on my h23, wind 20-22 mph, beam reach, I put the mainsheet traveler all the way leeward and repeatedly hit theoretical hull speed (5.7 knots) under a full mainsail only. Had more weather helm than I like, but heeling was not a factor. As Peter says, tiller in one hand and uncleated mainsheet in the other. Mac SV Boodle
I sail for pleasure, and when the wind goes over 15 mph it starts becoming work requiring constant attention. I don't race and I'm not adventurous. Sure, I like to get the speed up, but on my own terms. Last time out on my h23, wind 20-22 mph, beam reach, I put the mainsheet traveler all the way leeward and repeatedly hit theoretical hull speed (5.7 knots) under a full mainsail only. Had more weather helm than I like, but heeling was not a factor. As Peter says, tiller in one hand and uncleated mainsheet in the other. Mac SV Boodle
Good Advice
All good advice. The h23 also sails well under reefed main alone. My first mate has an integral audible inclinometer that emits a very high pitched annoying squeal when heeled more than 15 degrees, so I reef early and sail straight when she's aboard. Dave h23 "Wind Dreamer"
All good advice. The h23 also sails well under reefed main alone. My first mate has an integral audible inclinometer that emits a very high pitched annoying squeal when heeled more than 15 degrees, so I reef early and sail straight when she's aboard. Dave h23 "Wind Dreamer"
Stable boat
Lacking any way to accuratly measure wind speed, I have to estimate that I've sailed in 20+ mph winds. Take off the headsail and reef the main sail, your boat will do fine. I was told about a local h23 owner, one of the first in the area, who set out to force his boat over as far as possible. He managed to get the water up over the gunnel to about the bottom of the window. No water came in the cockpit and the boat rode fine. The projected area was not sufficient to heel it any further. I have been knocked far enough down by a windshift while I was hard on the wind that some water came in over the coaming. All I had to do was release the main sheet and we stood back up. The postings are correct. Watch the weather and be able to release the main sheet very quickly. I do leave it cleated, but with the sheet accross my leg or in my hand at all times so that I don't have to fumble for it. One basic piece of advice - if you do not routinely wear your PFD, put it on when you start thinking about reefing. THEN have fun. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Lacking any way to accuratly measure wind speed, I have to estimate that I've sailed in 20+ mph winds. Take off the headsail and reef the main sail, your boat will do fine. I was told about a local h23 owner, one of the first in the area, who set out to force his boat over as far as possible. He managed to get the water up over the gunnel to about the bottom of the window. No water came in the cockpit and the boat rode fine. The projected area was not sufficient to heel it any further. I have been knocked far enough down by a windshift while I was hard on the wind that some water came in over the coaming. All I had to do was release the main sheet and we stood back up. The postings are correct. Watch the weather and be able to release the main sheet very quickly. I do leave it cleated, but with the sheet accross my leg or in my hand at all times so that I don't have to fumble for it. One basic piece of advice - if you do not routinely wear your PFD, put it on when you start thinking about reefing. THEN have fun. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Sailing in Nebraska
Larry I don’t know what conditions you sail in but I sail an inland lake and was told that it is virtually impossible to turtle the H23. Well a friend and I set out to prove it once and for all. We were out in a measured 22knot apparent with a 150 hanked on jib NO reef in the main the traveler to windward and some water coming into the cockpit and we still couldn’t get her over. (I will mention that we BOTH had on PFS’s and I did find out what needed lashed down below) So I would say that heeling is not an issue. We rounded up. The area of working rudder gets so small that it seems to become ineffective so the boat turns into the wind and pretty much stops. I hope this helps. I learned from this and other experiences the value of reefing early and choosing the proper headsail. With a single reef and the “storm” jib Miss Lisa settles right down to a comfortable lady and we can sail all day in anything under ~25 Knots. After that it gets to be more work then I like so it’s bare poles and motoring back to the marina. Bob S/V Miss Lisa Beaver Lake Nebraska
Larry I don’t know what conditions you sail in but I sail an inland lake and was told that it is virtually impossible to turtle the H23. Well a friend and I set out to prove it once and for all. We were out in a measured 22knot apparent with a 150 hanked on jib NO reef in the main the traveler to windward and some water coming into the cockpit and we still couldn’t get her over. (I will mention that we BOTH had on PFS’s and I did find out what needed lashed down below) So I would say that heeling is not an issue. We rounded up. The area of working rudder gets so small that it seems to become ineffective so the boat turns into the wind and pretty much stops. I hope this helps. I learned from this and other experiences the value of reefing early and choosing the proper headsail. With a single reef and the “storm” jib Miss Lisa settles right down to a comfortable lady and we can sail all day in anything under ~25 Knots. After that it gets to be more work then I like so it’s bare poles and motoring back to the marina. Bob S/V Miss Lisa Beaver Lake Nebraska
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