Hunter 33

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Jul 6, 2010
8
1977 Hunter 33 NYC
Hello to all,

Well, after much time exploring many things for a long time, I decided that I would go against the grain once again, and, outfit a Hunter for blue-water cruising in 3 - 5 years time. Yes, a Hunter. Time tested bullet proof hull.

Why? Well, I have the time and opportunity to acquire at 25% of market and I have done my research and believe that I can make a good argument as to their suitability as offshore cruisers. Besides, the longest distance from land is the pacific pole at 1451 nm, and I think I can provision for twice that distance.

Obviously, she will have everything replaced and made suitable for offshore work, ie., tanks will be increased, rig size increased for strength etc., but for now, I would like to hear on the generalities. Unless I get talked out of it.

Specifics
LOA 32.66'
LWL 27.08'
Bm 10.12'
Draft 5.3'
Disp. 10600#
Ballast 4100#
Sail Area 498Ft.^2 (Greater with Genoa)
Yanmar 20HP (Way underpowered)
Reserve Buoyancy 20.6% (Excellent)
STIX 35 (failed the test barrier of 40, but the refit will increase the index)
AVS 149 deg (self righting is considered 140+ and offshore is 120+)
Safe Sinkage 2.71" (very low and can go deeper)
PPI 882#
MTI 945#

Ratios
D/L 238 (moderate)
SA/D 16.5 (cruiser/racer)
Ballast/D 38.6%
Comfort 25.9
P/D .0018
Capsize Screen 1.84 (this will be reduced as well after refit)

As you can see by her d/l ratio, she is light on her feet so quite capable of making fast passages even in full displacement. Her sinkage and PPI provide a good payload for a couple if they don't get crazy with stacking, packing and wrapping up a storage facility. Her sa/d ratio of 16.5 is good but can be considered a bit high because she has a ballast/disp ratio of 38% and will be tender for her weight which could mean reefing early or burying the rails.

Her reserve buyoancy is excellent and will clean up her hobbyhorsing and her draft is nice to get into coves and tributaries, with caution ofcourse. Her motion comfort is just breaking comfortable, but she can be tweaked with roller furling to a more comfortable motion by shifting her CE/CLR leed. Reef her at night for additional caution while underway and the reduced velocity will allow sound sleep.

Her power to weight of .0018 is very low and I suspect that she will need to be repowered to a higher HP if she is to be of any use steaming to windward for long distances or clawing off a lee shore.

I know that everyone here knows all of this, I just want to point it out to have it available in the post. Oh yes, I will christien her s/v Visualize Peace.

Enough for a start.
Questions. Comments.
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,104
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
I sail with a friend on one of these .. Good comfortable boat.. Strong, well made hull from Cheribini.. .. She sails very well and tracks much better than my 34 .. Not sure I'd up-size the rigging, since it is pretty stout.. inspect/repair/replace certainly.. The original diesel tank will be corroded, but you will be replacing that.. The fuel fill in the cockpit floor needs careful attention so water does not get in.. I think that with the re-fit you are considering, she'd make a fine companion for your trip!
 
Jul 6, 2010
8
1977 Hunter 33 NYC
I sail with a friend on one of these .. Good comfortable boat.. Strong, well made hull from Cheribini.. .. She sails very well and tracks much better than my 34 .. Not sure I'd up-size the rigging, since it is pretty stout.. inspect/repair/replace certainly.. The original diesel tank will be corroded, but you will be replacing that.. The fuel fill in the cockpit floor needs careful attention so water does not get in.. I think that with the re-fit you are considering, she'd make a fine companion for your trip!
Hello Kloudie1,

Thanks for the heads up.;)
Do you happen to know what her rigging diameter is right now? It looks like 1/4", but I haven't had a chance to measure it.

Problem with older boats is that their information fades away quickly and many times permanently. I think 9/32" may be much better for offshore work, but that will mean having to change out everything else including the chainplates and tangs. Might need a whole new standing rigging unless the pins are oversized, then we are a-ok. We'll see.

Deck hardware will have to be inspected as well, although most of it wil probably be suspect. New sails and convert the current set to a storm suit with new running rigging will complete the package. Can't skimp on the important things.

I'm moving the fuel filler cap. That must have been a brain fart. Will replace all tanks as required and will increase their capacity as well. I really like her basic base. Much can be done with her and I suspect that she will be quite able. What do you think about addittional storage and tankage?
 
Apr 24, 2006
194
Hunter 33_77-83 Mandeville LA
If there is one gripe I have it is the filler cap. I finanlly got mine where it does not leak. Replaced plastic filler cap with nice steel one with double o-rings.
 
Jul 6, 2010
8
1977 Hunter 33 NYC
WTF Happened???

:eek:

Sooo, just when I thought I heard it all after 31 years, 4 children and going on grandchild # 5, I heard something else that shook me to the core.

I take the admiral for a ride to check out the future H33 and so we can brainstorm some ideas and all goes well. We check her out from stem to stern and I took out my little hammer and started a tap dance on that baby. Found some soft sections in the cockpit, no big deal, and everything was going pretty good. The motor was okay, but way underpowered so that went right to the replace list. And it went on and on until we left.

So I'm feeling a little excited that I have lots of work ahead of me to make a really loud "before and after" impression, but I felt a little heat burning on the side of my head and when I look, the admiral, my other half, is drilling a hole in my head with her vision. So I became a little uneasy and alarms started going off in my head so I asked what's wrong?

If only I could have recorded it. A liar I am not, but I swear she said, "I want to forego the foreplay and want you to get yourself a forty footer." Well, I had to pull over because I became dizzy and when I stopped by the side of the road I was speechless. My honey knows that I am an absolute minimalist in everything and here she was asking for us to get out of the rat race a earlier in something much bigger. I couldn't believe my ears. It was all so surreal. At 40' with those kinds of cockpits and interiors it would be like being in a castle!

Sooo, to make a long story short, it appears that she was doing some research herself and has come up with 2 craft that she "loves the layout" and wants me to seriously consider them because she wants me to enjoy a "little more and do a little less." I have died and gone to the milky way heaven!!! I'm so happy I can cry laughter. :D I needed to share. Somebody please hug me.

I gotta make time to go and see these (toughest part since I'm in NY) and then it looks like I need to do some financial planning and budgeting, then engage the brokers, reach an agrement based on survey and sea trial, get a survey and sea trial and come to a higher level of consciousness by knowing that I HAVE ARRIVED!!! I am sooo there right now.

Anyone have any information on the following craft that my other half, aheemm, I mean the admiral, has identified for further consideration? I'm a bit too exited right now and think it best if "objective" opinions were asked instead of mudying it all up with my biased subjectivity. I apologize for the, ahh, well, the request for advise on the number 3 craft, you know, the other, the non hunter. But, I must be thorough. My first pick, knowing the minimalist that I am is for the shorter length overrall and the admiral seems to lean toward the private captains quarter aft in the H40. Tee hee. It's so good to be the captain.

1. http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/15492

2. http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1985/Hunter-Legend-40-2221001/Ft.-Lauderdale/FL/United-States

3. http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...-Port-Richey/FL/United-States&boat_id=2128652

Thanks.
 
Last edited:

Mulf

.
Dec 2, 2003
400
Hunter 410 Chester, MD (Kent Island)
Been there but in my case...

it was the salesman who thought he'd "died and gone to the milky way heaven". After three boat shows seeing the same salesman and checking out the same Hunter 380, my wife and I decide it's time to move up. So we're at the dealer's yard sitting in a brand new 380 with the same salesman. We've negotiated the price and we're now going over what electronics to add, etc. and the wife decides to go for a walk. Just as I get to the final all options added bottom line price the wife comes back and says "wait, I don't want this one I want the one next to this one." The salesman says "you mean the 410 next to us?" and she says "The one with the separate navigation desk, it will work great for me to grade papers and do lesson plans" (She's a teacher). So what's a good husband to do but buy the 410? We're now enjoying our 8th season on Dreamboat and it was the best decision I (or I should say she) ever made.
 
Jul 6, 2010
8
1977 Hunter 33 NYC
"wait, I don't want this one I want the one next to this one." The salesman says "you mean the 410 next to us?" and she says "The one with the separate navigation desk, it will work great for me to grade papers and do lesson plans" (She's a teacher). So what's a good husband to do but buy the 410? We're now enjoying our 8th season on Dreamboat and it was the best decision I (or I should say she) ever made.
Hello MULf,

The admiral is a teacher as well and I'm sure that she will become the self designated navigator if she can use the nav station to get her assignments generated.:D

What's a good husband to do? Well, it sounds like you and I are pretty lucky fellows, so I have no choice but to buy what she has so graciously intimated would be good and better for me.:D

So what do you think? The 40 or the 38? I'm already leaning to the longer LOA myself since they are the same waterline length, but my decades of self neglect are hard to overcome.

Thanks
 

Mulf

.
Dec 2, 2003
400
Hunter 410 Chester, MD (Kent Island)
I'd vote for the 1985 40'

It's hard to tell from just the pics, but I like the looks of the 1985 40' the best. I know nothing Jeneau quality, but I just chartered a 43' Benetau (I think they are similar quality to the J) in the BVI's for 10 days and would not swap my 2002 Hunter for the B for quality of construction, appearance of interior finished surfaces, big rubrail vs nothing on the B, very shallow bilge vs my H, etc. The 1985 40 is very similar in layout to our 410 except we have an athwartship master not an island bed. We've been very happy with the size and weight difference of the 410 vs the 380. We're mostly just the two of us, although I do two 5 day trips a year, one with my three siblings, and one with a male sailing relative, and it accomodates all comfortably. I did an 1100 nm trip from the Chesapeake to Block Island, Newport, NYC and back and never had any qualms about being out in the ocean, etc on her. I have no desire to go bigger, it's a great size and gives us all we need in a very stable secure boat. Good luck on whatever you choose.
 
Jul 6, 2010
8
1977 Hunter 33 NYC
Good morning to all,

Mulf, thank you for your kind wishes. Luck will be given the opportunity to play a role in our decision, but I don't usually leave any rocks unturned. I also like the H40 in Lauderdale as well. Right now, the Jen is appealling because there is a skeg hung rudder and I think the keel is lead. I believe the H40 is spade rudder and keel is steel. I haven't had a chance to find any information yet. There is so little writen info on the older models, or at least I just can't find it.

I'm convinced that the aft centerline berth is going to be the deal maker in this case because the admiral absolutely loves that layout. We don't have to contort ourselves or crawl over each other to get out of bed in the middle of the night in order to get something to drink or tap the bladder, both facilities being right at our doorstep. Genius. I definitely agree that we don't need to go any bigger, ever.

How deep is the H40 bilge? I'm hopeful that more H40 owners will chime in soon and set things straight for me. I've been reading my a** off in here to find out as much as I can. Another week or so and I think I will have read everything in here! Maybe a different post?

Thanks
 
Feb 6, 2009
257
Hunter 40 Camano Island
VP,

So did you finally pick the H40, I have notice prices relaxing even a little more.
The inner liner box frame results in several small bilges that some owners connect togehter with through holes drilled in the boxframe. Aft Waste tank depth varies depending on which tank was used to replace the original.

I think you would be hard pressed to find a more comfortable better sailing boat at a lower price.
 
Jul 6, 2010
8
1977 Hunter 33 NYC
VP,

So did you finally pick the H40, I have notice prices relaxing even a little more.
The inner liner box frame results in several small bilges that some owners connect togehter with through holes drilled in the boxframe. Aft Waste tank depth varies depending on which tank was used to replace the original.

I think you would be hard pressed to find a more comfortable better sailing boat at a lower price.
Hello waternwaves,

O chit man. Where to start? Long story short, take a trip, 2 days. Haul out, get full survey done. Do a sea trial on second day as is. Left with the intention to purchase if the survey was favorable and the oil comes back clean.

Survey comes back, another trip, we start going through everything with the owner (his admiral was there) and I start to point out items that I consider important, but am willing to overlook knowing that I was going to put another 20% into her anyway. Then I pointed out more serious chit and began to reduce his price in my head.

Finally, I sat with my surveyor, discussed the numbers for the serious stuff (he told me to put everything in regardless because of the owner's asking price) and I said no. Gave owner the number and he became extremely unreasonable and no this and no that. His admiral tugging on one arm telling him it's a fair shake and he should consider it and he just rambled on about his "surveyor friend" and that my surveyor was bullchitting. So my surveyor challenged him and told him to provide a survey or ask his friend to contradict his findings in person.

Needless to say, the "friend" never did a survey and took the position that because he didn't he would not dispute another surveyors finding. The owner went into tomato mode and threw the phone right into the canal. So, in my wisdom, and realizing that a bad scene was about to happen, I told the surveyor to pick his chit up and lets jet. I was outta there.

Went to get a drink in Las Holas and an old timer came to me and told me things went well from what he can see. When queried, he mentioned owners wife is divorcing him and he has the ship at a much higher asking price (confirms my surveyor). The guy justifies it by saying that Fort Lauderdale demands a higher price because it is the sailing capital of the world.

So, in my dissappointment, I walked the docks, looked around at all the drunks and went home. Oh damnn, I hope the owner isn't in here.:eek: Oh well, he was drunk too and that was at 7am.

Life is full of water n waves huh? :)
 
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