I took my spanking new 320 out for her first sail today and she performed quite well in terms of speed, handling, tracking and whatnot but I also had several irritating problems with the boat and I thought y'all might be able to lend some advice. 1. When trying to lower the main, the largest batten bent downward as soon as the halyard was released. This put too much angular pressure on the slug and the sail just stuck. No amount of pulling and finagling would bring it down. Fortunately the conditions were benign and there was very little windso the sail was not flogging all over tarnation. It took me over 40 minutes to finally drop the sail. The best I could do was have my wife get the boat speed up to prvide some apparent wind in order to keep the sail in line while I hoisted the sail all the way up and then while sloooooowly releasinhg the halyard but maintaining tension, I pulled the sail and it dropped. This is an especially irritating problem because I had the exact same issue on a 280 I owned a couple years back. On that boat I ended up replacing the lazy jacks (don't even get me started on those!) with a Dutchman system and replacing the slugs with beefier batten cars. Am I the only one having this problem? Am I doing something wrong? Looks to me like nearly everyone would have this issue. Why doesn't Hunter just supply a better car with the sail? Lot cheaper to do it then rather than have someone come out an retrofit the sail for me. Please give me any advice you have on this. 2. The permanently attached sail cover is driving me nuts as well. In order to unzip it all the way I have to do an acrobatic act on the arch with the traveler all the way over. I'm 6'1" and I have a real problem with it - I can't imagine how anyone any shorter could even do it without actaully climbing up the arch. It's just a mtter of time before I fall off the boat doing this. Also, the zipper end (which is sewed shut at it's aft end) seems sure to chafe the reefing lines and topping lift. As difficult as unzipping the cover is, putting it back on is even worse. Trying to get the far end of the sail into the cover while hanging on the arch and leaning over the bimini does not make for a happy end to the day. Am I doing all of this incorrectly as well? Please give any suggestions you may have. 3. The bimini, while wonderful for sun protection, blocks absolutely all views of the main sail. Opening up the little window only allows me to see the leech of the sail half way up. I ended up steering and trimming from IN FRONT of the pedestal! This actually worked quite well but I'd hate to do it without an auto pilot or with someone else at the helm (because I would block their entire view. It seems like a zippered rather than laced bimin would allow for easy rollup to get a better view of the sails when you are more concerned with trim than sun such as during a race. 4. I am sure this next one is my fault. There is only one winch on the port side where both the jib and main sheets are led. How do you trim when on starboard tack? Trim the main by hand and jib with the winch perhaps? On a light air day that would work fine but what about when the wind pipes up? I'd hate to have to keep switching sheets once the winch while trying to balance the rig. Obviously I am missing something here other than a spare winch! What is your technique? I apologize for my irritated tone but it just seems like the Hunter gang didn't crawl around the test boats enough to work out these issues. I hate to have to make adjustments like replacing the slugs my first week on the boat! This could mean taking the main off and getting to an overworked sailmaker for retrofitting right during the peak of our VERY short season. I know some of you must have simple solutions to these problems and I really appreciate your help. Ok - I'm done ranting. I'm quite pleased with the rest of the boat in terms of functionality, feel and features although some at Hunter REALLY has to work on bringing up the quality on fit and finish. Thanks for hearing me out, Tom
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Well on my 320....
Hi Tom, my thoughts below: 1. I don't have any problem with lowering the mainsail, it drops like a charm. I ease the mainsheet and the boom vang, pull the traveler to the middle of the arch, head to wind and she drops like a charm. I have the rigid vang, so I don't have to mess with tensioning the topping lift. 2. The secret to this one is flaking the sail, with the sail flaked and the traveler over to one side of the boat it is relativly easy to close the stack pack. With the sail flaked, I pull the sides of the stack pack up and over the sail then go start the zipper and I'm done. It should be noted that this is getting easier as the sail flakes more naturally. As for unzipping it, its a breeze, again with the traveler over to one side of the boat, its quick and easy. 3. My bimini is not installed yet, so I don't have an opinion on this. 4. There should be some jam cleats that the jib sheets are lead through, you jam the sheet, unload the winch and adjust your main, unload the winch and reload your jib, this works like a charm and is surprisiningly easy in heavy wind. Hope this helps. Bruce Neon Moon
Hi Tom, my thoughts below: 1. I don't have any problem with lowering the mainsail, it drops like a charm. I ease the mainsheet and the boom vang, pull the traveler to the middle of the arch, head to wind and she drops like a charm. I have the rigid vang, so I don't have to mess with tensioning the topping lift. 2. The secret to this one is flaking the sail, with the sail flaked and the traveler over to one side of the boat it is relativly easy to close the stack pack. With the sail flaked, I pull the sides of the stack pack up and over the sail then go start the zipper and I'm done. It should be noted that this is getting easier as the sail flakes more naturally. As for unzipping it, its a breeze, again with the traveler over to one side of the boat, its quick and easy. 3. My bimini is not installed yet, so I don't have an opinion on this. 4. There should be some jam cleats that the jib sheets are lead through, you jam the sheet, unload the winch and adjust your main, unload the winch and reload your jib, this works like a charm and is surprisiningly easy in heavy wind. Hope this helps. Bruce Neon Moon
When you get your bimini....
please let me know how it works then. When I test sailed the boat the bimini had not been installed and handling the cover was actaully helped by having the arch to hang on to. It's definitely a different story now. Maybe your rigid vang helps somehow in lowering the main - I'll have to think about that. Was that a factory installed item? Any particular reason you went with it? Now that I'm thinking about it, the absence of a topping lift might help with the cover since I could drop the end right off the end of the boom. Right now the topping lift gets in the way. I'm sure a lot of this stuff will become second nature with practice but it sure was a frustrating first day.
please let me know how it works then. When I test sailed the boat the bimini had not been installed and handling the cover was actaully helped by having the arch to hang on to. It's definitely a different story now. Maybe your rigid vang helps somehow in lowering the main - I'll have to think about that. Was that a factory installed item? Any particular reason you went with it? Now that I'm thinking about it, the absence of a topping lift might help with the cover since I could drop the end right off the end of the boom. Right now the topping lift gets in the way. I'm sure a lot of this stuff will become second nature with practice but it sure was a frustrating first day.
H290 problems too!
Tom, I have a 290 and have had no problem at all with lowering the main. However, since you brought it up! The permanently attached sail cover is a piece of crap. I have experienced all the same problems you have trying to get the darned thing closed. At 5'11, I have to stand on the cabin top and lean over with my chest resting on the arch to reach the end of the boom! Doing it by yourself is a pain. If you have crew, have them stand in the cockpit and hold the aft "tab" to help you get started zipping. Also, since day one, the stiching on the cover has begun to come out at the aft part of the cover. I believe this is due partly to the problems encountered trying to zip it up. And all the excess stitching gets caught in the zipper, which I think is just poor workmanship. After 8 months of use, the cover is coming apart, which I plan to bring to Hunters attention. I'll post their response.
Tom, I have a 290 and have had no problem at all with lowering the main. However, since you brought it up! The permanently attached sail cover is a piece of crap. I have experienced all the same problems you have trying to get the darned thing closed. At 5'11, I have to stand on the cabin top and lean over with my chest resting on the arch to reach the end of the boom! Doing it by yourself is a pain. If you have crew, have them stand in the cockpit and hold the aft "tab" to help you get started zipping. Also, since day one, the stiching on the cover has begun to come out at the aft part of the cover. I believe this is due partly to the problems encountered trying to zip it up. And all the excess stitching gets caught in the zipper, which I think is just poor workmanship. After 8 months of use, the cover is coming apart, which I plan to bring to Hunters attention. I'll post their response.
Fold back bimini?
Here in the NW, where biminis are considered rain protection, most of them are designed to fold back and out of the way for those days when we actually have sun.
Seriously, though, I wonder if your bimini could be modified to fold back and store out of the way so you could reach the boom easily.
Here in the NW, where biminis are considered rain protection, most of them are designed to fold back and out of the way for those days when we actually have sun.
Seriously, though, I wonder if your bimini could be modified to fold back and store out of the way so you could reach the boom easily.Furling main???
I ordered mine with the furling main and it is sooooo eassssy. I have had all the hassle with bags and stack packs I want over the years so i opted for ease over a little performance loss (to be determined). According to the dealer the furling mast is taller. Maybe its not to late to bargain for the furling main.
I ordered mine with the furling main and it is sooooo eassssy. I have had all the hassle with bags and stack packs I want over the years so i opted for ease over a little performance loss (to be determined). According to the dealer the furling mast is taller. Maybe its not to late to bargain for the furling main.
Furling main...grumble grumble
I seriously considered the furling main especially since I single hand a lot. After getting lots of advice from people here and elsewhere I decided to forego it because: 1. It decreases performance 2. The boat wasn't designed for it 3. Weight aloft 4. If something goes wrong, it happens up high at a bad time Of course what I have found out or realized since is that: 1. I Never race and seldom trim my sails to perfection 2. If the boat was designed for the stupid sail cover - it's a pretty poor design 3. So what - I can stay in if it gets too rolly out there - I'm not crossing oceans 4. The %^*$*&(%(*& batten gets stuck high up the mast at the worst possible time anyway!!!! I really think I blew this decision and as I understand it, it would cost me huge dollars to do a replacement because I would need a new mast, new sail, new boom and possible all new standing rigging. I'm such an idiot sometimes.
I seriously considered the furling main especially since I single hand a lot. After getting lots of advice from people here and elsewhere I decided to forego it because: 1. It decreases performance 2. The boat wasn't designed for it 3. Weight aloft 4. If something goes wrong, it happens up high at a bad time Of course what I have found out or realized since is that: 1. I Never race and seldom trim my sails to perfection 2. If the boat was designed for the stupid sail cover - it's a pretty poor design 3. So what - I can stay in if it gets too rolly out there - I'm not crossing oceans 4. The %^*$*&(%(*& batten gets stuck high up the mast at the worst possible time anyway!!!! I really think I blew this decision and as I understand it, it would cost me huge dollars to do a replacement because I would need a new mast, new sail, new boom and possible all new standing rigging. I'm such an idiot sometimes.
I've had both on the same boat...
and my vote is for the furling main. It is so easy to use. Like some of the other posters, you do loose some light air performance, but the ease of use FAR outweighs that. There is no more wrestling getting that big main down, no more fighting trying to get the sail cover on. In about one minute my sail is furled and I'm on my way.
and my vote is for the furling main. It is so easy to use. Like some of the other posters, you do loose some light air performance, but the ease of use FAR outweighs that. There is no more wrestling getting that big main down, no more fighting trying to get the sail cover on. In about one minute my sail is furled and I'm on my way.
Dutchman is a sail flaking system
The dutchman has two or three lines of heavy monofilament that run from the boom through holes in the main up to the topping lift. When you lower the sail, it comes down accordian like onto the boom as the Dutchman lines keep it aligned. Basically the Dutchamn does everything that lazy jacks claim to do - it keeps the sail out of the way and makes it easy to flake. Unlike lazy jacks, you do not have anything to catch the battens on and you don't have any chafing from control lines. After dealing with lazy jacks for a season on my old 280 I had the Dutchman installed and it was fantastic. I HEARTILY recommend it. In fact, after my adventures of the past weekend, I'll probably end up getting it on the new boat. Note that you do need to have a sailmaker put little grommets in the sail and modify your sail cover to accomodate the additional lines.
The dutchman has two or three lines of heavy monofilament that run from the boom through holes in the main up to the topping lift. When you lower the sail, it comes down accordian like onto the boom as the Dutchman lines keep it aligned. Basically the Dutchamn does everything that lazy jacks claim to do - it keeps the sail out of the way and makes it easy to flake. Unlike lazy jacks, you do not have anything to catch the battens on and you don't have any chafing from control lines. After dealing with lazy jacks for a season on my old 280 I had the Dutchman installed and it was fantastic. I HEARTILY recommend it. In fact, after my adventures of the past weekend, I'll probably end up getting it on the new boat. Note that you do need to have a sailmaker put little grommets in the sail and modify your sail cover to accomodate the additional lines.
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