I have a 1999 Hunter 310 and I we have had a lot of fun with it on Lake Michigan, but I have to move to Maryland. This means I will be taking her out on the big blue and I do have some questions or concerns. The Hunter 310 has a CE rating of “B” for Offshore “not a “A” for Ocean. I do not know what or how they do this rating, I have gone to INTERNATIONAL MARINE CERTIFICATION INSTITUTE website but it does not really tell you how they do this rating. I would like to sale to the Abaco but I am rather concerned if I should take into the open water. Does anyone have any ideas?
Hunter 310 Sea Worthiness
- Thread starter DonCole
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Hi Don, Good news on your move as your sailing season will be extended! I'm not familiar with the Hunter 31. However I sail an H37.5 and for five years I owned an sailed an H33.5. I've sailed both boats out on the Pacific in ten foot waves which they handled nicely. Having said that, I think most Hunters in the medium size range are optimized for coastal cruising not open water blue water passages. That includes the two boats I've owned. If I lived in Maryland and wanted to sail to the Bahamas on my H37.5, I'd work my way down the Chesapeake and the ICW to Florida and then wait for a favorable weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. Hope this helps. Gary Wyngarden H37.5
Hi Don, Good news on your move as your sailing season will be extended! I'm not familiar with the Hunter 31. However I sail an H37.5 and for five years I owned an sailed an H33.5. I've sailed both boats out on the Pacific in ten foot waves which they handled nicely. Having said that, I think most Hunters in the medium size range are optimized for coastal cruising not open water blue water passages. That includes the two boats I've owned. If I lived in Maryland and wanted to sail to the Bahamas on my H37.5, I'd work my way down the Chesapeake and the ICW to Florida and then wait for a favorable weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. Hope this helps. Gary Wyngarden H37.5
A guess as to why 'no comments'.
Maybe it's because we have beaten this subject to DEATH! Gary's right of course; these boats handle ocean waves wonderfully. But it's the stuff that's left off that makes them more coastal than ocean boats. Things like manual emergency pumps and, and, you know, stuff. And having been 'out there' with mine too, I learned that the wide open interior that Hunter builds is counter to a safe ocean voyager. When I rebuilt my H34, those tilted slider storage compartments were the first thing to go. Why does Hunter build them this way? Having gone to more than one boat show, I am going to put forth another guess. All one has to do is sit in a corner of one of these boats and listen. Soon you will hear a couple (probably married) talking after entering the salon. The wife will say 'Oh look at all the room honey'! The conversation goes on from there. What they don't know is that on a "sailboat" all that "room" is the last thing they want. But like I said, this subject is beaten to death. Oh IMHO.
Maybe it's because we have beaten this subject to DEATH! Gary's right of course; these boats handle ocean waves wonderfully. But it's the stuff that's left off that makes them more coastal than ocean boats. Things like manual emergency pumps and, and, you know, stuff. And having been 'out there' with mine too, I learned that the wide open interior that Hunter builds is counter to a safe ocean voyager. When I rebuilt my H34, those tilted slider storage compartments were the first thing to go. Why does Hunter build them this way? Having gone to more than one boat show, I am going to put forth another guess. All one has to do is sit in a corner of one of these boats and listen. Soon you will hear a couple (probably married) talking after entering the salon. The wife will say 'Oh look at all the room honey'! The conversation goes on from there. What they don't know is that on a "sailboat" all that "room" is the last thing they want. But like I said, this subject is beaten to death. Oh IMHO.
Good story of a Hunter 31 sailing the Bahamas
In 2000, Roger and Susie Mummah (s/v Endless Summer Hunter 31 #58) wrote a nice story of cruising in the Bahamas on their Hunter 31. They had a Hunter 25.5 anchored next them at Highborne Cay Marina in the Exumas. We also sail a Hunter 31 on Lake Michigan. We are fair weather sailors but have had occasion to be out in some pretty ragged weather. Below is a link to the NMMA Compliance page. The boat itself can handle a lot more than we can. The condition of the boat and the preparation of the crew is just as important as the scanlings of the boat. My opinion is that a "classic" blue water boat would be more suitable for being out of sight of land for an extended length of time than a mass-produced consumer sailboat. Heavier boat, stouter gear, take more abuse for a longer time without failure. IMHO
In 2000, Roger and Susie Mummah (s/v Endless Summer Hunter 31 #58) wrote a nice story of cruising in the Bahamas on their Hunter 31. They had a Hunter 25.5 anchored next them at Highborne Cay Marina in the Exumas. We also sail a Hunter 31 on Lake Michigan. We are fair weather sailors but have had occasion to be out in some pretty ragged weather. Below is a link to the NMMA Compliance page. The boat itself can handle a lot more than we can. The condition of the boat and the preparation of the crew is just as important as the scanlings of the boat. My opinion is that a "classic" blue water boat would be more suitable for being out of sight of land for an extended length of time than a mass-produced consumer sailboat. Heavier boat, stouter gear, take more abuse for a longer time without failure. IMHO
H310 seaworthiness
Don, I too had a 1999 H310, which I traded in last year for a new H36 (CE category A). Since I do coastal Atlantic sailing out of a harbor entrance that the USCG considers pretty near the bottom of the boater friendliness scale, I put a fair amount of effort into addressing exactly the question with which you're concerned. The little 310 had no problem handling 6-foot seas, and I've crossed the Merrimac emtrance bar with her in conditions that frightened-off all the local power boaters (and had the coasties out in their 47-footer turning away non-local boats). However, when I first got her, I was appalled to find that she lacked some very basic seaworthiness features that I corrected and was damned glad I had the first time I was pooped by an 8-foot breaker. She had absolutely no gasketing or latches on any of her cockpit lockers - this would have allowed that wave to downflood into the cabin had I not corrected it. She also had no grab rails along the coach roof. Jacklines and tethers notwithstanding, my wife (rightly) refused to go forward until I installed 6-foot stainless rails on each side. (I also installed lacing through the lifelines to toerail-mounted strapeyes, which added triangular-truss strenghtneing - but that may have been guilding the lilly.) I'd suggest you look your 310 over very carefully and correct such little Hunter shortcuts before taking her on Mother Atlantic. The 310's basic design is fully capable of handling more than (this) owner can, but those little details can certainly ruin your day. Ask someone who has some bluewater experience to go over her with you.
Don, I too had a 1999 H310, which I traded in last year for a new H36 (CE category A). Since I do coastal Atlantic sailing out of a harbor entrance that the USCG considers pretty near the bottom of the boater friendliness scale, I put a fair amount of effort into addressing exactly the question with which you're concerned. The little 310 had no problem handling 6-foot seas, and I've crossed the Merrimac emtrance bar with her in conditions that frightened-off all the local power boaters (and had the coasties out in their 47-footer turning away non-local boats). However, when I first got her, I was appalled to find that she lacked some very basic seaworthiness features that I corrected and was damned glad I had the first time I was pooped by an 8-foot breaker. She had absolutely no gasketing or latches on any of her cockpit lockers - this would have allowed that wave to downflood into the cabin had I not corrected it. She also had no grab rails along the coach roof. Jacklines and tethers notwithstanding, my wife (rightly) refused to go forward until I installed 6-foot stainless rails on each side. (I also installed lacing through the lifelines to toerail-mounted strapeyes, which added triangular-truss strenghtneing - but that may have been guilding the lilly.) I'd suggest you look your 310 over very carefully and correct such little Hunter shortcuts before taking her on Mother Atlantic. The 310's basic design is fully capable of handling more than (this) owner can, but those little details can certainly ruin your day. Ask someone who has some bluewater experience to go over her with you.
Thanks for the Info
Thanks this is some of the information that I was looking for. I knew there must have been some basic differences, things that I could do to make it safer if we ever get stuck with some heavy weather. I already installed jacklines and a hand rail for the companion way. And it does sound safer to put latches and seals on the cockpit lockers. The swim deck lockers have both already. Thanks!
Thanks this is some of the information that I was looking for. I knew there must have been some basic differences, things that I could do to make it safer if we ever get stuck with some heavy weather. I already installed jacklines and a hand rail for the companion way. And it does sound safer to put latches and seals on the cockpit lockers. The swim deck lockers have both already. Thanks!
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