Hunter 49 Staysail

Apr 6, 2004
59
Hunter 49 Downers Grove, IL
Curious whether any of the H49 owners here have a staysail rigged on their boats? I know it was an option, and all of the mast fittings/rigging is there for it on my boat. With my long-term plans being to take this boat to the Caribbean as my home, I felt that there could very possibly be some points where it might be nice to have. I recognize that it may potentially make things a bit more complicated on the foredeck, but at this point I'm just exploring my options.

If there's a H49 owner out there WITH a staysail - would love to hear your opinion/feedback. Also would be interested to know if you got it from the factory that way, or whether you had it added later. How/when do you find yourself using it?

Thanks in advance!

T J
 
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Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
I have seen a number of 49's with a self tracking stay sail. Would not be difficult to rig up one or a larger one.
 
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Jul 31, 2020
33
Hunter 460 Annapolis
I have a Hunter 460 with a staysail. The inner stay is removable and clips to the starboard side when not in use. I use it all the time as a cutter rig (known as Slutter. Sloop + cutter) because it has the large furling genoa and then the inner stay has the storm jib. It is fantastic for cursing off shore because you can get a lot of sail plan options. Plus, if it gets breezy, it is quick to douse the genoa, reef the main and keep the inner staysail. You now have brought everything close to center for great stability. (Great for the Caribbean!)

I didn't add the rig as it was put in with the original owner when he got it from the factory. I'm glad it is there because I'm a full time liveaboard and use it often.

I know it isn't a H49, bust still happy to discuss more or send pics. Just PM me.
 
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Jun 8, 2004
265
Hunter 49 60803 Lake Erie
My 49 has the factory stay sail. Best times with it are in heavy air using it and a reefed main the boat sails nice, and every thing feels stable, you very much feel in control. Worst times with it is in light air when there isn't sufficient wind to push the forward jib through the slot. Many times you end up going forward to pull it through the slot to finish a tack. Additionally, I do use the stay sail occasionally while beating in light and medium air to add sail area and when people are taking pictures; but I primarily use it in heavy air with a reefed main. If you have any specific questions let me know.
 
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Sep 11, 2019
126
Hunter 49 2 San Diego,Ca
My 49 has the factory stay sail. Best times with it are in heavy air using it and a reefed main the boat sails nice, and every thing feels stable, you very much feel in control. Worst times with it is in light air when there isn't sufficient wind to push the forward jib through the slot. Many times you end up going forward to pull it through the slot to finish a tack. Additionally, I do use the stay sail occasionally while beating in light and medium air to add sail area and when people are taking pictures; but I primarily use it in heavy air with a reefed main. If you have any specific questions let me know.

Do you have any part #’s for all the necessary items to install?
I’m planning on getting a 49 soon but most don’t come with staysail, I’d like to install myself, thanks
 
Jun 1, 2009
1,735
Hunter 49 toronto
I have the factory installed self tacking Genoa. I used it once, and it’s been in my sail locker since.
I installed the deck hardware, (tracks, blocks, etc), for the full sized Genoa, and had one custom made by Quantum for the largest headsail possible.
I find with the 49 that you need a good headsail, and at least 8 knots TWS.. At that point, the boat moves well.
The original self tacking headsail had nowhere near enough sail area to be an “every day sail “ on Lake Ontario.
Self tacking genoas are great if you have enough fore triangle, but on the 49, it’s just not there.
When I bought the boat, I questioned Hunter about this, and they weren’t certain if the self tacking sail would drive the boat well enough. Well, I found out very quickly that I needed to upsize.
I don’t have the cutter stay, and wouldn’t want it. After chartering several cutter rigged sloops, I found it annoying to furl the headsail for tacks, or have someone on the foredeck to get the sail around.
So, this really wouldn’t be something I’d ever want on my 49.
I’m sure other people will disagree, which is the great thing about opinions... we’re all allowed to have one.

Speaking of my 49, I haven’t done a big post in awhile.
I’ve been on a very large project since last summer, and will be documenting all of it in the spring. Guaranteed to be very impressive

Stay tuned.
 
Sep 11, 2019
126
Hunter 49 2 San Diego,Ca
I have the factory installed self tacking Genoa. I used it once, and it’s been in my sail locker since.
I installed the deck hardware, (tracks, blocks, etc), for the full sized Genoa, and had one custom made by Quantum for the largest headsail possible.
I find with the 49 that you need a good headsail, and at least 8 knots TWS.. At that point, the boat moves well.
The original self tacking headsail had nowhere near enough sail area to be an “every day sail “ on Lake Ontario.
Self tacking genoas are great if you have enough fore triangle, but on the 49, it’s just not there.
When I bought the boat, I questioned Hunter about this, and they weren’t certain if the self tacking sail would drive the boat well enough. Well, I found out very quickly that I needed to upsize.
I don’t have the cutter stay, and wouldn’t want it. After chartering several cutter rigged sloops, I found it annoying to furl the headsail for tacks, or have someone on the foredeck to get the sail around.
So, this really wouldn’t be something I’d ever want on my 49.
I’m sure other people will disagree, which is the great thing about opinions... we’re all allowed to have one.

Speaking of my 49, I haven’t done a big post in awhile.
I’ve been on a very large project since last summer, and will be documenting all of it in the spring. Guaranteed to be very impressive

Stay tuned.

Thanks for the info...
Can't wait to see what you've done with your boat.
My plan is to sail the boat around the world for the next ten years so I felt it would be useful to have the cutter rig with regular 110 genoa, the boats I'm looking at don't have the cutter stay on them so I would need to add that but looks like all the infrastructure is there.
I was hoping to have the cutter stay removable so I could keep it out of the way most of the time then connect it if expecting heavy weather,also this would avoid getting the genoa around the staysail.
Any comments, suggestions about this idea are very welcome.
Also comments about any other negatives or upgrades, tips, tricks on these boats(Hunter 49)
Scotty
 
Jan 4, 2019
50
Hunter 50 Halifax & Martinique
I have my Hunter 50 in the Caribbean where 25 to 30 kn is common. I found that sailing a beat in 32 kn with full staysail and slightly furled main provided a very balanced rig. I wanted the staysail so I could easily reduce sail by completely furling the genoa and by using the staysail, maintain good sail shape and move the center of effort lower and aft as opposed to a furled genoa. I did not have any problems tacking the Genoa through the slot in front of the staysail.
 
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Sep 11, 2019
126
Hunter 49 2 San Diego,Ca
I have my Hunter 50 in the Caribbean where 25 to 30 kn is common. I found that sailing a beat in 32 kn with full staysail and slightly furled main provided a very balanced rig. I wanted the staysail so I could easily reduce sail by completely furling the genoa and by using the staysail, maintain good sail shape and move the center of effort lower and aft as opposed to a furled genoa. I did not have any problems tacking the Genoa through the slot in front of the staysail.
Hey laidback, thanks for the info, any chance you can pm me sometime to give me more info into your Hunter?
I’m about 2 months away from pulling the trigger on my around the world retirement cruising boat ant the 50 is on my shortlist, jus wanted some insight from someone who is living and sailing the boat, pros /cons etc. thanks
Scotty
 
Jun 8, 2004
265
Hunter 49 60803 Lake Erie
Do you have any part #’s for all the necessary items to install?
I’m planning on getting a 49 soon but most don’t come with staysail, I’d like to install myself, thanks
My boat is currently on Lake Erie and I am in Florida. I will next be on board around April 1. The set up is identical to the forward sail same furler and same furler foil etc. I will send anything you want but pictures of where and how it is attached may bring you the most value.
 
Sep 11, 2019
126
Hunter 49 2 San Diego,Ca
My boat is currently on Lake Erie and I am in Florida. I will next be on board around April 1. The set up is identical to the forward sail same furler and same furler foil etc. I will send anything you want but pictures of where and how it is attached may bring you the most value.
Thanks so much that helps out a lot, I reached out to the Hunter shop guys and they told me they can supply everything.
Although as much as I am in love with the Hunter 49 after running aground 5 times in one week at my boat in San Francisco two weeks ago I’m thinking seriously about my second most loved boat Island Packet 460/465/485, It was an extremely low tide when I was there and I was going slow and paying attention but bumped the bottom in the channel 3 times heading out/in from the bay(the width and depth are not clearly marked anywhere) and got stuck twice coming in to my slip(marina was supposed to have been dredged lately but found out due to permits expiring and mechanical problems they stopped 3 slips away from mine lol, it would have been nice if someone told me.
All this could have been avoided by me going in/out at a higher tide and if I’d confirmed the dredging with marina so Scottish operator error for sure but it taught me grounding can happen easier and more frequently than I imagined so as I’m thinking of circumnavigation for 10 years might be better to go with the 485 as opposed to the 49 maybe a bit sturdier on the bottom for potential operator errors!

Comments, suggestions, advice and personal anecdotes always encouraged and welcome???
Help me Obi one your my only hope!

Scotty Sailor
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
No harm should come from a soft grounding regardless of the boat model. A good charting system will help identify reefs, rocks and other hard objects you need to avoid. A hard strike agains a rock or reef will cause some damage depending upon a glancing or direct strike and boat speed. Keeping a sharp eye on tide state will also help avoid those groundings where insufficient water results and reducing speed to creep minimizes any serious boat damage.

Our sailing grounds include lots of hazards in navigation, even where departing or arriving our marina. So I make it a point to wait until the tide state offers sufficient water for a safe navigation. Otherwise, a grounding is for certain.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
ScottySailor. Congrats on your nearing retirement.
The idea of circumnavigating the world in a sailboat is a seductive one. Your having recently experienced a soft grounding in the waters of Sausalito puts you in the club of boaters. We all are just a few inches away of grounding our boat's. If you hear an owner bragging "I have never run aground!" he is not using his boat very much.

I can imagine you are considering a lot of things in selecting your new to you boat. Certainly the rig configuration is a good idea to explore. Long passages through new waters can invite all sorts of conditions. Having multiple ways of rigging your sails have helped sailors manage the weather and bring their boat and crew safely to port.

When considering size, consider the size of the sails. As I have aged I have recognized that the sails on a 50ft boat require more work effort than the sails on a 35ft boat. If you are going to have a strong crew sailing with you, should be not an issue. If you are going to be solo sailing or sailing with a crew that is not into carrying a 50 pound plus sail bag, you might find a 40'ft boat more practical.

Looking forward to following your adventure.
 
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Jun 1, 2009
1,735
Hunter 49 toronto
Re: The cutter rig..
I can certainly appreciate that with consistently higher winds, that the cutter rig has value.
But, on Lake Ontario, 10 -12 knots TWS is your typical day. My boat had the self tacking Genoa, which was very under-powered. My first big project was installing the Genoa tracks, and getting a large head sail. I rarely need to reef it on a typical outing.
As far as a world cruiser, the 49 /50 is an ideal boat. There are very few things I would change in the overall implementation / layout. I wish you the best of luck with your future plans
 
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Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
I recognize that it may potentially make things a bit more complicated on the foredeck, but at this point I'm just exploring my options.
Hi T J, our boat was designed for, but not equipped with a staysail. To do so meant a considerable expense; winches, sails, furler, rigging, chainplate, etc. Another alternative to consider for off shore cruising in heavy weather is upgrading your sail and adding another reef point or two. The P42 came with a traditional coastal grade mainsail with two reef points. Adding a third and/or fourth reef point would help to solve the heavy weather issue with such a large sail. We had plans for some off shore cruising down the Pacific Coast when we purchased Belle-Vie, but alas we have had way too much fun in our PNW cruising grounds.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
With my long-term plans being to take this boat to the Caribbean as my home,
T J The idea of sailing to the Caribbean sounds exciting. Considering you are on vacation. You do not need to do it in one giant 2,400 mile leap from the estuary of the St Lawrence to the Caribbean.

You can do what sailors have done for eons. You can make your way down along the coast in comfortable day sails. You can choose to sail or stay in port and sip cool refreshing drinks, while storms ravage the sea. By choosing a more relaxed retirement you avoid the need of severe storm sailing and the expense that accompanies outfitting a boat to survive Force 10 Gales.

If your plan is to have the boat as your home in the Caribbean then you likely will learn the way to stay away from the major storms by sheltering in ports that offer you protection and not sailing into the teeth of a maelstrom.
 

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Jun 8, 2004
265
Hunter 49 60803 Lake Erie
TJ

Here are the pictures I promised you. See second page for last picture.
 

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