I am in the process of selling my current boat. I am very interested in buying a H216. Is there anyone within an hour or two of Morehead City, NC that has a H216 and would be willing to spend part of a day with me rigging and sailing their boat???
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Evaluating the 216
I'm sorry that you are not closer to the Georgis-South Carolina line as I would be more than happy to accomodate you. As I'm sure you've determined from searching the postings in this forum, those of us who own 216s are very pleased with our boats. Most, it seems to me, were previous sailboat owners of one kind or another so there is less liklyhood of "love of first boat" type reports. A suggestion --- Use this forum to post any reservations you might have, weigh your responses, and if everything sounds like it is the boat for you, contact your nearest Hunter dealer, negotiate a price, and then commit to a sale if he will meet you half way and demonstrate all of the items that you feel necessary for your final evaluation. I doubt that you will not be pleased with the 216 --- If, of couse, it fits your sailing requirements. Good luck with your "New 216."
I'm sorry that you are not closer to the Georgis-South Carolina line as I would be more than happy to accomodate you. As I'm sure you've determined from searching the postings in this forum, those of us who own 216s are very pleased with our boats. Most, it seems to me, were previous sailboat owners of one kind or another so there is less liklyhood of "love of first boat" type reports. A suggestion --- Use this forum to post any reservations you might have, weigh your responses, and if everything sounds like it is the boat for you, contact your nearest Hunter dealer, negotiate a price, and then commit to a sale if he will meet you half way and demonstrate all of the items that you feel necessary for your final evaluation. I doubt that you will not be pleased with the 216 --- If, of couse, it fits your sailing requirements. Good luck with your "New 216."
Thanks for your thoughts
That has been my basic approach so far. This web sight has been a great resource from the owner reviews and pictures, to responses to my specific questions. Thanks for your input.
That has been my basic approach so far. This web sight has been a great resource from the owner reviews and pictures, to responses to my specific questions. Thanks for your input.
Tough Coordinating Schedules
Lee, I can fully appreciate your need to get hands on. I to would like to assist you, but timing is just bad for me now...nearing end of fiscal year..a slave to the day job thing. Two years ago I was in the hunt for H216 hands on. I met the dealers just outside Raliegh, NC on several business trips and at the show at the Raliegh Fairgrounds. They were very knowledgeable and let me play with the hardware...they successfully swayed me from a trailerable Mac 26. I then went to the big Annapolis, MD show in Oct where I could talk about and touch about every known brand of sailboat. This is where I met Rick Allen from from Backyard Boats in Annapolis. I met Rick at several other shows throughout the years and we had a continuing debate about what boat would be best for my current lifestyle. I also went to another Hunter dealer in my region during their marina's open house. Their focus is primarily on larger makes and less on small boats. I eventually bought a H216 at the Washington boat show two year ago from Rick Allen and am very happy with the boat, support from Hunter, and advice from Rick Allen. Even though I'm 3-hours away I stop by Rick's shop/showroom in the heart of Annapolis, MD while on business trips. He normally has several small boats on display. His personal boat is a fully equipped H216...really dollied up, docked next to the shop and the Chart House Restaurant on the water. Rick and I did my delivery check out in April opening day in Annapolis last year. I laughed for days at the thought of us showing off to Naval Academy cadets cruising in the Severn River. The cadets in their fully crewed Colgates and Rick and I in my brand new H-216. I recommed you shop the H-dealers, I see from the posts on this site many of them in NC, VA, and MD have used H216s for sail and are likely give hands on assistance and strike a reasonable deal. If you've got the time stop by the Annapolis boat show in Oct. Rick Allen is the one in the middle of the Hunter small boat display. His H216 is the one by the Chart House; primed and ready to launch. Good luck in your search.
Lee, I can fully appreciate your need to get hands on. I to would like to assist you, but timing is just bad for me now...nearing end of fiscal year..a slave to the day job thing. Two years ago I was in the hunt for H216 hands on. I met the dealers just outside Raliegh, NC on several business trips and at the show at the Raliegh Fairgrounds. They were very knowledgeable and let me play with the hardware...they successfully swayed me from a trailerable Mac 26. I then went to the big Annapolis, MD show in Oct where I could talk about and touch about every known brand of sailboat. This is where I met Rick Allen from from Backyard Boats in Annapolis. I met Rick at several other shows throughout the years and we had a continuing debate about what boat would be best for my current lifestyle. I also went to another Hunter dealer in my region during their marina's open house. Their focus is primarily on larger makes and less on small boats. I eventually bought a H216 at the Washington boat show two year ago from Rick Allen and am very happy with the boat, support from Hunter, and advice from Rick Allen. Even though I'm 3-hours away I stop by Rick's shop/showroom in the heart of Annapolis, MD while on business trips. He normally has several small boats on display. His personal boat is a fully equipped H216...really dollied up, docked next to the shop and the Chart House Restaurant on the water. Rick and I did my delivery check out in April opening day in Annapolis last year. I laughed for days at the thought of us showing off to Naval Academy cadets cruising in the Severn River. The cadets in their fully crewed Colgates and Rick and I in my brand new H-216. I recommed you shop the H-dealers, I see from the posts on this site many of them in NC, VA, and MD have used H216s for sail and are likely give hands on assistance and strike a reasonable deal. If you've got the time stop by the Annapolis boat show in Oct. Rick Allen is the one in the middle of the Hunter small boat display. His H216 is the one by the Chart House; primed and ready to launch. Good luck in your search.
sailing near Morehead City
I'm sorry that I missed your post. I was on vacation all last week (at Atlantic Beach right by Morehead City) and wasn't checking email. I had my Hunter 216 with me and took it out sailing on three different occasions in the ocean. Had a great time. My in-laws have a retirement home on Front street in Beaufort (with a dock). I was tied up there all week. I would motor sail out through the Beaufort inlet to the ocean and then sail from there. The boat handled great. I was out one day (by myself) and the wind was too strong for full sail. I had to reef to keep the boat manageable... but once reefed, it performed fine. I may get a second reef point on the main for those really windy days. My boat is now back in Richmond... Good luck with your choice. Watch out for all those shoals down there. I prefer sailing in the ocean (as long as it isn't stormy) to avoid running aground. But the nice thing about the Hunter 216 is that if you do run aground, you can pump up the keel and get off. I've done that a couple of times already down there already in the sounds by Beaufort. My only headache is getting the keel in the keel slot of the trailer when retrieving the boat. I think I will modify the trailer to put in a guide to make the keel go in the slot better.
I'm sorry that I missed your post. I was on vacation all last week (at Atlantic Beach right by Morehead City) and wasn't checking email. I had my Hunter 216 with me and took it out sailing on three different occasions in the ocean. Had a great time. My in-laws have a retirement home on Front street in Beaufort (with a dock). I was tied up there all week. I would motor sail out through the Beaufort inlet to the ocean and then sail from there. The boat handled great. I was out one day (by myself) and the wind was too strong for full sail. I had to reef to keep the boat manageable... but once reefed, it performed fine. I may get a second reef point on the main for those really windy days. My boat is now back in Richmond... Good luck with your choice. Watch out for all those shoals down there. I prefer sailing in the ocean (as long as it isn't stormy) to avoid running aground. But the nice thing about the Hunter 216 is that if you do run aground, you can pump up the keel and get off. I've done that a couple of times already down there already in the sounds by Beaufort. My only headache is getting the keel in the keel slot of the trailer when retrieving the boat. I think I will modify the trailer to put in a guide to make the keel go in the slot better.
recommendations
My main recommendation about the boat is to be sure that you really do want a day sailor. The cubby cabin on the 216 is simply for storage (not for sleeping in or hanging out in). Its nice in that you can lock it up (put all your stuff in and it won't get stolen). Rigging it shouldn't be too much longer than a Hunter 170 (maybe 5 more minutes). The 216 is quite a bit heavier than the 170, though. I'm happy with my 216. I tend to use it, though, when I can keep it in the water for a couple of days at a time. Its a long day to trailer it, launch it, sail it, retrieve it, and trailer it back home all in the same day. If you have a situation where you can split up this effort, it would be ideal. You will need to bottom paint it if you leave it in the water (for more than a few days at a time). I would love to have access to a boat lift that is custom made to hold the Hunter 216 (with keel support).
My main recommendation about the boat is to be sure that you really do want a day sailor. The cubby cabin on the 216 is simply for storage (not for sleeping in or hanging out in). Its nice in that you can lock it up (put all your stuff in and it won't get stolen). Rigging it shouldn't be too much longer than a Hunter 170 (maybe 5 more minutes). The 216 is quite a bit heavier than the 170, though. I'm happy with my 216. I tend to use it, though, when I can keep it in the water for a couple of days at a time. Its a long day to trailer it, launch it, sail it, retrieve it, and trailer it back home all in the same day. If you have a situation where you can split up this effort, it would be ideal. You will need to bottom paint it if you leave it in the water (for more than a few days at a time). I would love to have access to a boat lift that is custom made to hold the Hunter 216 (with keel support).
By the way Jeff...
I am actually in the process of selling a H240. It is just too big for me to get back on the trailer single handed. At first I was considering the H170 for its relative small size and presumed easy to trailer, rig, retrieve etc. However, reading posts here and the reviews, I was concerned about stability. So I decided to persue the H216. My hunch is (as you suggested) that the difference in the time to rig a 216 vs a 170 is nominal. Did you sail through Beaufort Inlet, or go out by way of Cape Lookout? Also, what ramp did you use, and if you had to share with motor boaters, how was the experience? I'm interested in being able sail in the sound if I can (I realize a low tide there is virtually no water). Access to the ocean is also nice. Thanks for your thoughts.
I am actually in the process of selling a H240. It is just too big for me to get back on the trailer single handed. At first I was considering the H170 for its relative small size and presumed easy to trailer, rig, retrieve etc. However, reading posts here and the reviews, I was concerned about stability. So I decided to persue the H216. My hunch is (as you suggested) that the difference in the time to rig a 216 vs a 170 is nominal. Did you sail through Beaufort Inlet, or go out by way of Cape Lookout? Also, what ramp did you use, and if you had to share with motor boaters, how was the experience? I'm interested in being able sail in the sound if I can (I realize a low tide there is virtually no water). Access to the ocean is also nice. Thanks for your thoughts.
beaufort inlet
I launched the boat at the Beaufort public boat landing (right by the fish factory on Front street). I had use of my in-laws private dock just a couple of blocks down the road from the public boat landing. I would use the Beaufort inlet to reach the ocean. I haven't tried the inlet near cape lookup yet. I also have anchored just off Shackelford (sound side) a couple of times (along with all the other speed boats). You just have to be mindful of where the sand-bars are (and how to get behind them). I've sailed the sounds between Shackelford and Beaufort but I've also ran aground a couple of times there too. You need to pay attention to where the channel is (especially at low tide). The Beaufort public boat landing can get quite busy at times. I try to use it when it isn't quite so busy. There are also not a lot of places there to rig up a sailboat (due to trees and power lines). When I took my boat out last Saturday, I had to double park in the parking lot blocking a few trailers because there weren't any accessible parking places left with my mast up (but the owners weren't there so no problem). I haven't tried any of the other public boat ramps in the area. After 5 days of sitting in Taylor creek, I did get some growth on my hull, but it came right off with some gently wiping. I wiped the hull down just after I took the boat out of the water while it was still wet. I also had my hull waxed with a marine growth deterring wax. You would feel safer with the 216 out in the ocean (as compared to the 170). But the 170 would probably be more forgiving sailing around in the sounds. The 170 would be easier to pull off a sand bar (for example). I like the greater storage capacity of the cubby cabin on the 216.
I launched the boat at the Beaufort public boat landing (right by the fish factory on Front street). I had use of my in-laws private dock just a couple of blocks down the road from the public boat landing. I would use the Beaufort inlet to reach the ocean. I haven't tried the inlet near cape lookup yet. I also have anchored just off Shackelford (sound side) a couple of times (along with all the other speed boats). You just have to be mindful of where the sand-bars are (and how to get behind them). I've sailed the sounds between Shackelford and Beaufort but I've also ran aground a couple of times there too. You need to pay attention to where the channel is (especially at low tide). The Beaufort public boat landing can get quite busy at times. I try to use it when it isn't quite so busy. There are also not a lot of places there to rig up a sailboat (due to trees and power lines). When I took my boat out last Saturday, I had to double park in the parking lot blocking a few trailers because there weren't any accessible parking places left with my mast up (but the owners weren't there so no problem). I haven't tried any of the other public boat ramps in the area. After 5 days of sitting in Taylor creek, I did get some growth on my hull, but it came right off with some gently wiping. I wiped the hull down just after I took the boat out of the water while it was still wet. I also had my hull waxed with a marine growth deterring wax. You would feel safer with the 216 out in the ocean (as compared to the 170). But the 170 would probably be more forgiving sailing around in the sounds. The 170 would be easier to pull off a sand bar (for example). I like the greater storage capacity of the cubby cabin on the 216.
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