Is a Hunter 90 right for me?

[Megan]

I am going to be 14 in August and am currently taking sailing classes. I am good at sailing alone or with a partner. For my birthday my parents are buying me a sailboat. I want to know if a Hunter 90 is a good size for me to sail on alone. I will sometimes have my mom or dad sail with me, but the majority of the time with be spent solo. My father is pushing for a Laser or a Force 5, while my mother wants a Sunfish or the Hunter 90. I know nothing about sailboats and want one that will go fast but not too fast. I am not sure yet if I want to race, but right now sailing is just for fun. Is Hunter 90 right for me? Thank you.

 

[Dick Vance]

Other Options

Megan,Are there active racing fleets on your lake? If so, what boats are they racing?Even if you choose not to race, having other owners of the same type boat will give you the opportunity to learn tips and techniques from them. Having a boat that would qualify for one of the class fleets would give you the flexibility to race if you want to. You will also find that whenever there are two or more boats around, there will be an informal "race"! You certainly don't want a boat that is so much slower than the others or so very much faster that you always find yourself sailing alone! Racing is one of the very best ways to improve your sailing skills and gives you a chance to form good friendships with other sailors.With that said, the 90 would be a good boat for just sailing around but if there are no others on your lake you will find yourself on the outside looking if you should ever decide to participate in the racing activities.Dick VanceH-25.5 "Honey Bear"

 

[Colin Campbell]

laser talk.

Having sailed a Laser a lot in the past I offer this. The laser is really a one person boat, the is no storage space and in some ways it is a little better than a surfboard. They are great fun to sail but at 14 you might find them a bit of a handful in a blow, however they can be reefed by wrapping the sail round the mast a few times before attaching the clew. As probably the most popular single hander ever built, the resale market is very good. I have no knowledge of the Force 5 but unless the performance is better than the Laser, go for the Laser.

 

[Les]

Hunter 90 or Hunter 140, or JY15

Happy Birthday, Megan!First off, the Hunter 90, Hunter 140, and JY15 are all made out of a material that is supposed to be 8 times more durable than fiberglass. This is a "plus" to me. I sail a Hunter 140, although mine was made by JY Sailboats. You can check them out at:http://www.jysailboats.com/other.htmThe Hunter 140 has these advantages over the Hunter 90: More stability, (it's a wider boat) a jib sail for added wind catching, more room. I sail comfortably solo or with a friend. Four people of your age could have a lot of fun with it. You, your mom and dad could all sail together comfortably. However, consider this.. the JY15 is a boat that is raced all over the country, and has its own sailing association. That means there's LOTS of other people with them. It has the exact same hull as the Hunter 140, but is set up a bit more for racing. The resale value will stay way up there, since lots of people are looking for them to race. Sailing schools use them also.Both the Hunter 140 and JY15 are much more stable than the Hunter 90, sunfish or a laser, even though they are both really fun boats.Take it from me, a used boat in great condition will save you at least a THOUSAND dollars over a new boat. Then with the money saved while you learn to sail on this boat, you can save up for a bigger boat later in life!I have sailed my Hunter 140 (well, a JY14) for 4 years and love it as much as I did when I got it. Let me know what you decide on. Happy Birthday.