Have any one sailed the new H49? It seems to have the same hull speed as the Beneteau 473 which is a favorite but a greater displacement that promises more comfort perhaps. I would like to hear opinions about these two sailboats and how they compare. Price-wise the B473 is more affordable... Thank you.
Hunter 49
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Claudius
I interviewed Mike Harker yesterday for this site. Look for an article here in a week or so. Mike as you are probably aware recently completed a mostly solo circumnavigation in a Hunter 49. He was very complimentary about the 49. He particularly liked the way it handled the seas, with less yaw than his prior boat which was a 446. He also said that while his 446 took a fair amount of water over the bow, the hollowed out sections of the bow on the 49 forward actually pushed the water away from the boat and kept the deck much drier. More in the article. Gary Wyngarden
I interviewed Mike Harker yesterday for this site. Look for an article here in a week or so. Mike as you are probably aware recently completed a mostly solo circumnavigation in a Hunter 49. He was very complimentary about the 49. He particularly liked the way it handled the seas, with less yaw than his prior boat which was a 446. He also said that while his 446 took a fair amount of water over the bow, the hollowed out sections of the bow on the 49 forward actually pushed the water away from the boat and kept the deck much drier. More in the article. Gary Wyngarden
speed
Claudius, Having sailed past many a Beneteau 473 while sailing Hunter 44's I would expect the 49 to be even faster. It may be because the 473's tend to sit low in the stern for some reason. I think Beneteau may have been anticipating lots of anchor chain
Just my two cents. Bob
Claudius, Having sailed past many a Beneteau 473 while sailing Hunter 44's I would expect the 49 to be even faster. It may be because the 473's tend to sit low in the stern for some reason. I think Beneteau may have been anticipating lots of anchor chain
Just my two cents. Bob
Gary, I think you mean...
...466, not 446, in reference to Mike's previous boat. I'm curious as to what he means by "yaw." Is he using the term technically, as in "pitch, yaw, roll?" If so, it's hard to understand how he'd have experienced such a tendency in a 466 unless the autopilot was seriously out of tune. My 46LE is so stable on the yaw axis that I tend to think Mike H. is misusing the term. Or was this something that Hunter corrected when they switched back to the rudder with the SS post? Was the 466 rudder smaller than the one on the 46? If I might diverge, I was down in the Sea of Cortez last week and had the opportunity to chat with someone chartering a new Moorings 49 built by Juneau. When I asked how he liked the boat he complained about the quality of the joinery, and that the veneer was delaminating throughout the cabin. I commented that such problems were not unusual in production boats, and the charterer disagreed, stating that he owned a Hunter and it didn't have any of those problems
...466, not 446, in reference to Mike's previous boat. I'm curious as to what he means by "yaw." Is he using the term technically, as in "pitch, yaw, roll?" If so, it's hard to understand how he'd have experienced such a tendency in a 466 unless the autopilot was seriously out of tune. My 46LE is so stable on the yaw axis that I tend to think Mike H. is misusing the term. Or was this something that Hunter corrected when they switched back to the rudder with the SS post? Was the 466 rudder smaller than the one on the 46? If I might diverge, I was down in the Sea of Cortez last week and had the opportunity to chat with someone chartering a new Moorings 49 built by Juneau. When I asked how he liked the boat he complained about the quality of the joinery, and that the veneer was delaminating throughout the cabin. I commented that such problems were not unusual in production boats, and the charterer disagreed, stating that he owned a Hunter and it didn't have any of those problems
John,
Forgive my ignorance, but, what is the difference between a H-466 and a H-46LE? Is the 46LE an upgraded version of the 466 or a completely different boat?
Forgive my ignorance, but, what is the difference between a H-466 and a H-46LE? Is the 46LE an upgraded version of the 466 or a completely different boat?
Buck,
I believe that the 460, the 466 and the 46 all had the same hull and rig. In essence, they were all aft-cabin variations of the 450 hull. As I understand it, most of the changes between models were in terms of interior layout. There was a change in rudders somewhere along the line because a few boats with carbon-fiber rudderposts--including the one owned by Mike Harker--had lost their rudders, but I don't know if the basic rudder design/size changed at that point. The LE designation was a special luxury edition that came at the end of the run, right before they discontinued that hull to replace it with the 49. Beyond that, all I know for certain is that my boat, hull #350, was the last one built.
I believe that the 460, the 466 and the 46 all had the same hull and rig. In essence, they were all aft-cabin variations of the 450 hull. As I understand it, most of the changes between models were in terms of interior layout. There was a change in rudders somewhere along the line because a few boats with carbon-fiber rudderposts--including the one owned by Mike Harker--had lost their rudders, but I don't know if the basic rudder design/size changed at that point. The LE designation was a special luxury edition that came at the end of the run, right before they discontinued that hull to replace it with the 49. Beyond that, all I know for certain is that my boat, hull #350, was the last one built.
Thanks John,
Having the last of the 46x run is a nice destinction. While it may be last, I'm sure it's not least
Having the last of the 46x run is a nice destinction. While it may be last, I'm sure it's not least
New Hull
I am a huge fan of Hunter's newest hull which has a hollow indentation at the water line near the bow. I am note sure what year they started this but I am sure that the 49 has the same variation. When you walk the dock and compare this hollow to any Bene or older Hunter, the difference is substantial and I swear that it feels and sails faster than comparable boats of the same size. I've also heard that the 49 is discontinued and they are changing that model to a 54. I haven't sailed a 49 but I have spoken to people that have delivered them up the coast and they say that it motor cruises under moderate RPM's at an easy 9 knots.
I am a huge fan of Hunter's newest hull which has a hollow indentation at the water line near the bow. I am note sure what year they started this but I am sure that the 49 has the same variation. When you walk the dock and compare this hollow to any Bene or older Hunter, the difference is substantial and I swear that it feels and sails faster than comparable boats of the same size. I've also heard that the 49 is discontinued and they are changing that model to a 54. I haven't sailed a 49 but I have spoken to people that have delivered them up the coast and they say that it motor cruises under moderate RPM's at an easy 9 knots.
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