What is the rudder post made from? Have there been instances of rudders being lost on a 40.5? Should I be worried about it?
Hunter 40.5 rudders?
- Thread starter Dennisail
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What prompts the question? Rudders have been lost on many boats including Hunters. So I have to assume that a 40.5 is probably among them. In 2010 two Hunters lost rudders in the Florida to Mexico race. One was newer and one was 30+ years old. But without knowing the exact cause how do you prepare? Pretty sure that most Hunter rudders were made by Foss Foam with a stainless rudder stock. I have been to the plant and I think I remember that Hunter tried making a rudder for one boat. But that was way after your 40.5. My '79 Foss Foam rudder has the original stainless rudder stock(post).
I think one year Hunter tried a composite rudder post which was a good idea, however, an owner of one (not a 40.5 which never had a composite rudder post) hit a submerged object and bent or lost the rudder. The story morphed into a bad wrap of composite rudders which were replaced on further production runs. Can't recall but think it was a 2000 Hunter 450.
I think it was for more than a year that Hunter used a composite post. My 04 44DS has a composite post. I also know that Mike Harken lost a rudder on his 466 (Wanderlust II) somewhere in the South Pacific, and I believe that was a composite post.
What prompts me to ask the question is hearing the stories of rudder failure. Yes I know all boats can loose them. I was just wondering if the 40.5 was overly susceptible and if there are any known instances of loss. So the 40.5 has stainless rudder a post? Thats good then. I read one article released by hunter admitting to 16 rudders losses in only a few years of boats, and another article where they tested a composite rudder for a 40.5. I realize that moste stories are highly beat up and largely untrue.
I may be sailing one across the Pacific. The boat seems as good as any another prod boat such as Beneteau. My main worry is the large "windscreen"
I may be sailing one across the Pacific. The boat seems as good as any another prod boat such as Beneteau. My main worry is the large "windscreen"
I have never heard of a 40.5 losing a rudder and there are some that sailed in challenging conditions. If you are crossing an ocean and want back up, there is always Hunter who (used to) provide a back up rudder or you could go with an SOS rudder which is similar: http://www.selfsteer.com/products/sos/index.php
Our '95 H336 has the all composite rudder and rudder post. I like it a lot. Nothing to ever rust out or corrode. No rudder post seals to mess with. The boat's 16 years old and the rudder is still bone dry. I read an article once where they set up a test rig to stress the shaft on both their stainless steel and webbing rudder as well as the composite rudder. The stainless one tore loose at some point, but they had to give up on the composite one when the test device tore up before the rudder would yield.
Good news. Seems I don't have much to worry about as expected.
Rick, our (soon to be) 40.5 is also at longbeach. Waiting for our arrival in Feb. We were in the US recently and looked at the boat there. We are live in Australia.
I know a guy who sailed a 40.5 from the US to AU, he was very happy with the boat, as I hope we will be.
Rick, our (soon to be) 40.5 is also at longbeach. Waiting for our arrival in Feb. We were in the US recently and looked at the boat there. We are live in Australia.
I know a guy who sailed a 40.5 from the US to AU, he was very happy with the boat, as I hope we will be.
My 2004 41AC has a composite stock. I asked Hunter and they said that all of the new boats are using SS as it is now cheaper to make. They said that they had a bunch of charter boats in BVI that had rudders snap off when they hit stuff or grounded them. Net net was that SS bends and composite snaps. I am not sure that Hunter is being totally honest on the subject.....
i know from personal experiance that the 29.5 1996 model had a composite tube rudder as i was trying to get that boat.... it also had the shole draft keel torn out of the bottom ...i was bidding on that boat and i wasnt willing to put more tha 3 grand in the bid the final bid was $ 12,500.00...so it wasnt ment for me to have that boat ...saw it on ebay last year repaired and in the water ...the discription of the boat said nothing about the rudder or the keel damage just that it had a new bottom paint job....
regards
woody
regards
woody
Is this one that was sold through Heritage and has dinghy davits with solar panels on it? It's in Alamitos Bay. If so, it was my neighbor's. If there is anything you need or that I can help you with, don't hesitate to contact me via e-mail or private message.
I really hope so. Slightly nervous at the cost of the the upgrades I will need to do.
Are there any areas I should pay extra attention to on this particular design? I will be replacing the rigging. You mentioned in an email you have a removable inner stay and storm sail. I would love to see pics and explanation on how it works. How do you fasten it to the foredeck?
40.5 Cutter Rig
If you would like a photo, I can get one in a week or so when I go to the boat. Or, feel free when you get here to contact me and take a look, or both. It is an easy upgrade and while, I doubt you could get the deck tang from Hunter, having one fabricated would not be difficult.
Don't worry about the 'upgrades'. I'm sure I have done everything you are doing and I'm not sailing to AUS. It's just advancing what you would do of any boat of that vintage anyway.
There is no photo, unfortunately. However, it is a stay attached to a mast tang below the jib, which is probably already on yours. The cutter halyard is installed and in my case, not run to the cockpit but rather cleated at the mast. (BTW, it makes a great pole lift for the reaching pole.) The stay attaches to a chainplate that is on the aft bulkhead of the anchor locker. It screws, I'm told, into an aluminum plate that is already embedded into the deck, and the stay attaches to it by a compression quick release lever.
If you would like a photo, I can get one in a week or so when I go to the boat. Or, feel free when you get here to contact me and take a look, or both. It is an easy upgrade and while, I doubt you could get the deck tang from Hunter, having one fabricated would not be difficult.
Don't worry about the 'upgrades'. I'm sure I have done everything you are doing and I'm not sailing to AUS. It's just advancing what you would do of any boat of that vintage anyway.
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Remind me...
Bob make a note to remind me around the 20th of November when I'm back in the USA. I have the photo at home on that computer.
If its ok with you Rick I can forward BustedRudder (nice name haha) the email you sent me on the matter including pics.
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