Just bought a 1982 Hunter, approx. 18.5ft. I have a few questions and appreciate any help. First is about drain plugs and which holes to fill. There are 2 holes in the stern side; one at the very bottom and one a few inches above it. The person who sold me the boat said he thought the very bottom one should be filled but not the one on top of it. Is that right? Also, there is one in the back of the cockpit and 2 more inside the cabin. Any advice on which ones to plug? The other question is about lighting. The boat has no lights but I am going to install some so I can be out at night. Can anyone recommend a web site that explains the requirements. My understanding is the red/green one goes on the bow and the white one (shielded on one side) goes on the stern. The boat has a holder for an anchor in the bow. I bought an anchor from West Marine but it didn't fit. I could use a mushroom anchor but a book I was reading said the other kind are better. Any anchor advice? Thank you in advance to anyone who answers. Gary Beckwith
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
S
Sasquatch
18.5
Suggest you contact Hunter Marine regarding the holes you want to plug because if they are designed for draining, I would not do it. You will find the requirements for running lights is the same in the US. Suggest that you contact a local person for suggestion of the best lights for that particular boat. Do use marine grade wiring.
Suggest you contact Hunter Marine regarding the holes you want to plug because if they are designed for draining, I would not do it. You will find the requirements for running lights is the same in the US. Suggest that you contact a local person for suggestion of the best lights for that particular boat. Do use marine grade wiring.
D
Dick Vance
Lights & Anchors
Gary, Congratulations on your new Hunter and welcome to HOW. I'm sure you'll find this is the greatest site for sailors on the net. You can find info on lighting on page 300 of the West Marine Sailing Master Catalog. If you don't have the catalog, you can find light requirements and safety and sailing info on these sites: http://www.boatsafe.com/ http://www.sandybay.net/ http://www.mailbag.com/users/stobo76/ If you're new to sailing, I would urge you to take a sailing course or at least, the USPS boating course, which is linked in some of these sites. Besides the commercial sailing schools many colleges and even some sailing clubs offer classes. The USPS course can be taken by videotape. Your insurance company may even give you a discount for completing one of these courses. Here's another site with info & links for trailerable sailboats: http://www.trailersailor.com/ Brad Bachelor, who used to be a regular on HOW before he bought a B******** boat, runs that site! As for anchors, much depends on where you intend to sail, current, bottom & weather conditions. The more weather and current you may encounter means more anchoring capability. As a general rule, a good danforth style anchor is the standard. You probably got this type of anchor from West. The West catalog gives a guide for anchors. If you followed this guide, you've probably got what you need, even though you might have to find a place to stow it. Having two anchors on board is sometimes very useful. There are fittings for securing an anchor to the pulpit rails if your anchor well is too small. Mushroom anchors are not suitable for holding a boat at anchor. They're generally used for dinghys and fishing boats for temporary parking. Which anchor did you buy? Where do you intend to sail? Again, congratulations and good sailing! Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
Gary, Congratulations on your new Hunter and welcome to HOW. I'm sure you'll find this is the greatest site for sailors on the net. You can find info on lighting on page 300 of the West Marine Sailing Master Catalog. If you don't have the catalog, you can find light requirements and safety and sailing info on these sites: http://www.boatsafe.com/ http://www.sandybay.net/ http://www.mailbag.com/users/stobo76/ If you're new to sailing, I would urge you to take a sailing course or at least, the USPS boating course, which is linked in some of these sites. Besides the commercial sailing schools many colleges and even some sailing clubs offer classes. The USPS course can be taken by videotape. Your insurance company may even give you a discount for completing one of these courses. Here's another site with info & links for trailerable sailboats: http://www.trailersailor.com/ Brad Bachelor, who used to be a regular on HOW before he bought a B******** boat, runs that site! As for anchors, much depends on where you intend to sail, current, bottom & weather conditions. The more weather and current you may encounter means more anchoring capability. As a general rule, a good danforth style anchor is the standard. You probably got this type of anchor from West. The West catalog gives a guide for anchors. If you followed this guide, you've probably got what you need, even though you might have to find a place to stow it. Having two anchors on board is sometimes very useful. There are fittings for securing an anchor to the pulpit rails if your anchor well is too small. Mushroom anchors are not suitable for holding a boat at anchor. They're generally used for dinghys and fishing boats for temporary parking. Which anchor did you buy? Where do you intend to sail? Again, congratulations and good sailing! Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
G
Gary
Best way to put mast down?
Thanks for the great list of websites and advice. In answer to your questions, I got another danforth anchor at West Marine that was smaller but the guy said it was big enough for my boat. I also put some heavy chain on it which he said would help. I live in Burlington, VT, about 5 blocks from Lake Champlain. I'm not new to sailing but I've never owned a boat. I spent all my summers on Seneca Lake in upstate NY at a summer camp and went sailing (mostly on Sunfish) all the time. So I know how to sail, but I didn't really know much about lights and bouys until I started reading about it a few weeks ago. I ordered a West Marine catalog which should arrive soon (the store was out of them). Today was my day to finalize getting the boat ready and hopefully we are going sailing tomorrow. Just before sunset we rose the mast and set it down just to make sure we could do it. We had some trouble getting it down properly. The guy who sold it to us showed us how to do it with two people but we couldn't remember exactly how. My wife held the rope on the bow side and I tried to keep it steady while she let the rope out. But it started to go to the side and I couldn't stop it. Actually parth metal bracket that the mast step is on got bent a little. I bent it back into shape and everything's ok. But I don't want to bend it again! I think maybe the problem was that I was standing on top of the cabin when we started and I had to jump down to the deck as I was "walking" the mast down. I think maybe I should start on the deck, even though I can't really reach the mast from there, and let her lower it down to me. One thing you might be able to answer. Can I keep the side shrouds connected while she lowers it down? That would make it much easier because the problem is that it tries to go to the side. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks, Gary
Thanks for the great list of websites and advice. In answer to your questions, I got another danforth anchor at West Marine that was smaller but the guy said it was big enough for my boat. I also put some heavy chain on it which he said would help. I live in Burlington, VT, about 5 blocks from Lake Champlain. I'm not new to sailing but I've never owned a boat. I spent all my summers on Seneca Lake in upstate NY at a summer camp and went sailing (mostly on Sunfish) all the time. So I know how to sail, but I didn't really know much about lights and bouys until I started reading about it a few weeks ago. I ordered a West Marine catalog which should arrive soon (the store was out of them). Today was my day to finalize getting the boat ready and hopefully we are going sailing tomorrow. Just before sunset we rose the mast and set it down just to make sure we could do it. We had some trouble getting it down properly. The guy who sold it to us showed us how to do it with two people but we couldn't remember exactly how. My wife held the rope on the bow side and I tried to keep it steady while she let the rope out. But it started to go to the side and I couldn't stop it. Actually parth metal bracket that the mast step is on got bent a little. I bent it back into shape and everything's ok. But I don't want to bend it again! I think maybe the problem was that I was standing on top of the cabin when we started and I had to jump down to the deck as I was "walking" the mast down. I think maybe I should start on the deck, even though I can't really reach the mast from there, and let her lower it down to me. One thing you might be able to answer. Can I keep the side shrouds connected while she lowers it down? That would make it much easier because the problem is that it tries to go to the side. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks, Gary
Lowering the mast
Like you, I have been dinghy sailing for many years and recently bought my first Hunter (took me four years of searching). I still own my Missile (40 year-old one-design), which came with a mast crutch approx. eight feet long. I used the crutch to raise the mast partway and hold it until I could attach the forestay. Here is the procedure, modified slightly for my H23: Shackle a sheave to the jib tack fitting on the foredeck (or the bow pulpit if you think it is strong enough). Attach a line to the end of the forestay, run it forward through the sheave and back to the cockpit. Place the crutch under the mast just below the spreaders, and push up to raise the mast. As the mast goes up, retrieve the line through the sheave to keep it under control. Once the mast goes past halfway, you should be able to take up the tension on the line and keep pulling the mast up. The crutch will help prevent the mast from swinging to one side or the other, which it will try to do until the side stays are tight. Once the mast is up, cleat off the line, go forward to attach the forestay. If your boat has winches, you can wrap the line on the winch to help keep it under control. Unstepping the mast is the reverse. It's not perfect, but it works, and one person can do it in a pinch (not recommended but possible). Good luck. Peter Suah, S/V Raven Orlando, Florida
Like you, I have been dinghy sailing for many years and recently bought my first Hunter (took me four years of searching). I still own my Missile (40 year-old one-design), which came with a mast crutch approx. eight feet long. I used the crutch to raise the mast partway and hold it until I could attach the forestay. Here is the procedure, modified slightly for my H23: Shackle a sheave to the jib tack fitting on the foredeck (or the bow pulpit if you think it is strong enough). Attach a line to the end of the forestay, run it forward through the sheave and back to the cockpit. Place the crutch under the mast just below the spreaders, and push up to raise the mast. As the mast goes up, retrieve the line through the sheave to keep it under control. Once the mast goes past halfway, you should be able to take up the tension on the line and keep pulling the mast up. The crutch will help prevent the mast from swinging to one side or the other, which it will try to do until the side stays are tight. Once the mast is up, cleat off the line, go forward to attach the forestay. If your boat has winches, you can wrap the line on the winch to help keep it under control. Unstepping the mast is the reverse. It's not perfect, but it works, and one person can do it in a pinch (not recommended but possible). Good luck. Peter Suah, S/V Raven Orlando, Florida
S
Scott Stupak
Own an ('88?) H18.5
How goes the boat? Does she have swing or fixed shoal keel? The crutch idea in one of your responses is a good set-up idea IF you can get the mast pinned to the plate first. I've made alot of mods to my set-up if your interested you can e me at Thompak@Worldnet.att.net
How goes the boat? Does she have swing or fixed shoal keel? The crutch idea in one of your responses is a good set-up idea IF you can get the mast pinned to the plate first. I've made alot of mods to my set-up if your interested you can e me at Thompak@Worldnet.att.net
C
Chris
Read "Chapmans" as a start
Gary, Sounds like you could really benefit from reading a good book (I'd recommend "Chapmans Piloting and Small Boat Handling" (or something like that) as a start. You should also consider taking a sailing class that will teach you a lot about boat handling, etc. Mushroom anchors are fairly usless, unless you get a big and heavy one. Light requirements vary depending on wheather you are using the engine or not, or are anchored. I hope I haven't offended you, but please at least do some serious reading before you start using the boat. Have fun!
Gary, Sounds like you could really benefit from reading a good book (I'd recommend "Chapmans Piloting and Small Boat Handling" (or something like that) as a start. You should also consider taking a sailing class that will teach you a lot about boat handling, etc. Mushroom anchors are fairly usless, unless you get a big and heavy one. Light requirements vary depending on wheather you are using the engine or not, or are anchored. I hope I haven't offended you, but please at least do some serious reading before you start using the boat. Have fun!
B
Brent Stiles
I just bought an 18,5 too
Gary- I just purchased my 2nd boat, an 1988 Hunter 18.5 please e-mail me at puckstop@fuse.net Maybe between the two of us, we can sort this out. Brent in Cincinnati
Gary- I just purchased my 2nd boat, an 1988 Hunter 18.5 please e-mail me at puckstop@fuse.net Maybe between the two of us, we can sort this out. Brent in Cincinnati
- Status
- Not open for further replies.