I have always dreamt of sailing & Owning a small sailboat. And now I actually am going to do it! 1978 Hunter 25' Here's my problem...I know absolutly nothing... I'm taking a basic sailing course & power squadron to get started but I now own this boat and haven't a clue how to maintain it (oh yes, I am a wee bit impulsive) All I know is that it is dry, the deck is firm,no visible water damage inside,no obviouse cracks or blisters outside. and relativly new sails, new battery and new 9.9hp 4 stroke outboard. Gally with alcoholstove (don't know how to use it),sink,icebox and head. As far as we can tell all it needs is a GOOD CLEANING!& cushions need reupholstering and teak oil to woodwork. some questions; bilge; how to pump if/when needed? Storage H2O:where to fill, and how to drain? (tank and waste) And what the heck do you do with a port-a-potti? (besides the obvious) I can start the outboard, what about the engine/elect system? The seller will rig for me and I know I'll learn this in my classes but I'd really like SOME basic knowlege...HELP!
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Where are you?
There are organized Yacht Clubs all over the USA. Find one and ask for help! Most Sailer love to be asked to help. Watch what is being done, and ask lots of questions. Also, get Colgate's Basic Sailing Book. If you are in Kansas, send me an email.
There are organized Yacht Clubs all over the USA. Find one and ask for help! Most Sailer love to be asked to help. Watch what is being done, and ask lots of questions. Also, get Colgate's Basic Sailing Book. If you are in Kansas, send me an email.
Some answers
bilge; how to pump if/when needed? You need a bilge pump. There is probably one already on the boat. Ours (on a '77 h27) is a manual pump operated by a detachable lever. The other option is an electric bilge pump which can operate off a switch, or automatically based on water depth. Pull up the board in the floor and look into the bilge. If there is just a hose intake, follow the hose to the pump. If there is a little electric pump - then follow the electric wire to find the switch. We pump ours as part of our start-up checklist, and when tieing up after sailing. Storage H2O:where to fill, and how to drain? (tank and waste) The water tank will probably be the only aluminum tank on your boat (the other possibility is the fuel tank.) Ours (on an h27) is forward under the V-berth. We fill it by leading a our hose through the hatch. Both our sinks have drains that take used water overboard. The main sink by the companionway has an underwater through-hull directly below it. The second sink by the potty empties through the hull above the waterline. And what the heck do you do with a port-a-potti? (besides the obvious) Port-a-potties come in two basic installations: 1. Two pipes are attached - one to an air vent hose, and the other to a pump out hose that leads to a stainless fitting in the deck above the porta-potty. This is the better solution, since you can just motor to the pump-out (probably in your marina) where the pump out hose/vacuum sucks out the holding tank. 2. No pipes attached. You take the seat off, and carry the tank off the boat to empty in a shore toilet. Not a great job, but doable. For both water systems, go to the chandelry on this site and order Peggy Hall's book on Boat Odors. Do it now! She tells you everything you need to know about maintaining both fresh and toilet water systems. I can start the outboard, what about the engine/elect system? Don't have a clue (we have an inboard diesel.) The good news is that the systems on these older boats (we call then Cherubini's after their designer) are simple, and robust. But a joy of owning a real cruising keel boat (like any boat, really) is that you need to learn how to use and maintain every system and component on the boat. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started: Call the seller, and ask for a a below decks walk-through as well as the rigging session. Take a notebook. Ask him to start at the bow, and work through the stern, showing you every system, component, and through-hull on the way, and explain how to use and maintain it. Take copious notes! If the seller won't do this (or even if he does) here's what we did when we bought Lady Lillie, our first crusing sailboat. We hired the most experienced instructor we could find to come on our boat and take us through the whole thing. Safety, systems, rigging, procedures - the works. He had some great ideas tailored to our intended use, and needs. He also took us through docking and returning, and tieing up at the fuel/pump-out dock. This could be 2 to 4 hours very well spent! Impulsive is fine. You have an absolutely great boat that will take care of you, has real style, and sails beautifully. Enjoy her, as we do ours! David Lady Lillie
bilge; how to pump if/when needed? You need a bilge pump. There is probably one already on the boat. Ours (on a '77 h27) is a manual pump operated by a detachable lever. The other option is an electric bilge pump which can operate off a switch, or automatically based on water depth. Pull up the board in the floor and look into the bilge. If there is just a hose intake, follow the hose to the pump. If there is a little electric pump - then follow the electric wire to find the switch. We pump ours as part of our start-up checklist, and when tieing up after sailing. Storage H2O:where to fill, and how to drain? (tank and waste) The water tank will probably be the only aluminum tank on your boat (the other possibility is the fuel tank.) Ours (on an h27) is forward under the V-berth. We fill it by leading a our hose through the hatch. Both our sinks have drains that take used water overboard. The main sink by the companionway has an underwater through-hull directly below it. The second sink by the potty empties through the hull above the waterline. And what the heck do you do with a port-a-potti? (besides the obvious) Port-a-potties come in two basic installations: 1. Two pipes are attached - one to an air vent hose, and the other to a pump out hose that leads to a stainless fitting in the deck above the porta-potty. This is the better solution, since you can just motor to the pump-out (probably in your marina) where the pump out hose/vacuum sucks out the holding tank. 2. No pipes attached. You take the seat off, and carry the tank off the boat to empty in a shore toilet. Not a great job, but doable. For both water systems, go to the chandelry on this site and order Peggy Hall's book on Boat Odors. Do it now! She tells you everything you need to know about maintaining both fresh and toilet water systems. I can start the outboard, what about the engine/elect system? Don't have a clue (we have an inboard diesel.) The good news is that the systems on these older boats (we call then Cherubini's after their designer) are simple, and robust. But a joy of owning a real cruising keel boat (like any boat, really) is that you need to learn how to use and maintain every system and component on the boat. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started: Call the seller, and ask for a a below decks walk-through as well as the rigging session. Take a notebook. Ask him to start at the bow, and work through the stern, showing you every system, component, and through-hull on the way, and explain how to use and maintain it. Take copious notes! If the seller won't do this (or even if he does) here's what we did when we bought Lady Lillie, our first crusing sailboat. We hired the most experienced instructor we could find to come on our boat and take us through the whole thing. Safety, systems, rigging, procedures - the works. He had some great ideas tailored to our intended use, and needs. He also took us through docking and returning, and tieing up at the fuel/pump-out dock. This could be 2 to 4 hours very well spent! Impulsive is fine. You have an absolutely great boat that will take care of you, has real style, and sails beautifully. Enjoy her, as we do ours! David Lady Lillie
did you download the HOM pdf?
On an earlier thread I supplied two links to the hunter owners manual: 1 http://www.planetpadre.com/hunter27_manual.pdf 2 http://www.planetpadre.com/h22_37drawings.pdf from the owners manual... The bilge pump (WAS) a handheld manual pump. It may or may not be onboard now after 20+ years. The water tank is a 15 gal bag under the cockpit with a fill cap on the side of the starbard seat. If you add your name to the hunter owners list then you may get some more detailed specific replys and your email address is not known unless you choose to reply. Your are gooing about this correctly by taking sailing lessons which will give you the confidence to handle those unexpected conditions that can and will pop up. Fair Winds.
On an earlier thread I supplied two links to the hunter owners manual: 1 http://www.planetpadre.com/hunter27_manual.pdf 2 http://www.planetpadre.com/h22_37drawings.pdf from the owners manual... The bilge pump (WAS) a handheld manual pump. It may or may not be onboard now after 20+ years. The water tank is a 15 gal bag under the cockpit with a fill cap on the side of the starbard seat. If you add your name to the hunter owners list then you may get some more detailed specific replys and your email address is not known unless you choose to reply. Your are gooing about this correctly by taking sailing lessons which will give you the confidence to handle those unexpected conditions that can and will pop up. Fair Winds.
Find a buddy
Sailing was made for impulsive people (so long as you are safe).. You will save a lot of worry if you find one person who has experience, tell them you want their wisdom for an afternoon, and have them take you sailing on your boat. That'll answer all your initial questions,and the class will solve the rest. Have a great time. You will love it.
Sailing was made for impulsive people (so long as you are safe).. You will save a lot of worry if you find one person who has experience, tell them you want their wisdom for an afternoon, and have them take you sailing on your boat. That'll answer all your initial questions,and the class will solve the rest. Have a great time. You will love it.
responce to help
If you are located in the Perth Amboy area of New Jersey it would be my pleasure to give you a review of same size boats that you own. There are several peolpe at the Rarytan Yacht Club who can be of help.
If you are located in the Perth Amboy area of New Jersey it would be my pleasure to give you a review of same size boats that you own. There are several peolpe at the Rarytan Yacht Club who can be of help.
Lori.. I think you are in for a blast!
Makes me think back to the first boat of that size, one you could sleep on and do over nighters. Wow, you are in for a real treat! I can tell from what you wrote you have a good sense of humor and adventure. You'll need both, but you'll do just fine. Be carefull using the alcohol stove.. get someone to show you how to use it safely. Have fun and be safe. David
Makes me think back to the first boat of that size, one you could sleep on and do over nighters. Wow, you are in for a real treat! I can tell from what you wrote you have a good sense of humor and adventure. You'll need both, but you'll do just fine. Be carefull using the alcohol stove.. get someone to show you how to use it safely. Have fun and be safe. David
h25
LORI GOOD LUCK,THEY ARE A GERAT BOAT IVE GOT A 1978 H25.IF WE CAN HELP WITH ANR PROBLEMS & QUESTIONS E-MAIL ME SKIK24EVR@HOTMAIL.COM THE SAIL EASY.AND CAN HANDLE A GOOD BREEZE DOUG
LORI GOOD LUCK,THEY ARE A GERAT BOAT IVE GOT A 1978 H25.IF WE CAN HELP WITH ANR PROBLEMS & QUESTIONS E-MAIL ME SKIK24EVR@HOTMAIL.COM THE SAIL EASY.AND CAN HANDLE A GOOD BREEZE DOUG
Some answers from another H25 owner
Lori, congratulations on your purchase! We love our H25, 1979 model! Here's a few answers that you may find helpful: 1. Bilge - there is a floor board in the salon on the centerline of the boat toward the forward bulkhead that separates the salon from the "head." Pull that up, and you will see a couple of keel bolt heads and the bilge area. Our H25 already had a low-flow bilge pump with a water-level switch on it. I rewired the electrical from the pump to the battery (ours is located in the cockpit lazarette - starboard side. To test it, just lift up on the water level switch and you should hear it start humming. Don't run dry too long - it could damage the pump. By the way, we've had our H25 for 9 months, and have never seen a drop of water in the bilge (knock on wood). 2. Fresh water - after some serious detective work, I finally found out that there is a 16-gallon "bladder" bag located on the center line of the boat directly under the cockpit sole just behind the companionway area. This bladder bag is very hard to see - you have to stick your head down into the starboard cockpit lazarette and look down to the area under the cockpit sole (floor). You should see a flat, brown colored bag laying on the bottom of the hull. This bag should have a fill hose that leads to a capped fitting on the inboard wall of the starboard cockpit lazarette - right by your head if you are still peeking down there. There should be a fresh water line that leads from the bag to the sink faucet in the galley. Ours has a stainless steel sink - there was no pump faucet (it was missing) when we bought the boat, so I installed an electric fresh water pump and a regular single-spigot faucet instead. I'm planning on replacing my bladder bag sometime this summer - right now I'm using a fresh water jerry can... 3. As far as the waste water goes, I was able to trace the drain lines in the boat, and I found that the bilge, the sink drain and the ice box drain all connect together to drain out the bilge. The bilge thru-hull fitting is located just above the water line on the starboard side of the boat. 4. We sleep aboard our H25 pretty regularly - so we use our Porta-Potty alot. We use the standard blue stuff (pour 2-3 capfuls into the waste tank). Since we sail on a lake, it is not too inconvenient to drop into our marina and flush the waste down the toilet at the marina (they told us that is okay to do - what's the difference anyway?). Since the girls tend to use the onboard potty more than the guys, we find that about 24 hours use is maximum before dumping and re-loading. 5. The alcohol stove - get a small funnel to fill the stove. On ours, the fill opening is at the back of the stove, a screw-on cap. We purchase alcohol from the marine store. Here's how to operate - pump the pressure pump (located at front of stove) up and down about ten - fifteen times. Here's the weird part - open the left or right burner knob just until you see some alcohol pooling into the little "cup" under the burner jets. Then shut off the alcohol flow. Light the pooled alcohol. It will flame up pretty high (several inches) - this is normal. The idea here is to pre-heat the burner before turning on the flow again. Let the pooled alcohol burn completely away, then open the flow knob. With the burner jets preheated, the pressurized alcohol should simply light up! Adjust the flame as needed. You will love your Cherubini Hunter! We completely redid our interior - new cushions, new wall coverings, refinished all wood. She looks better than new! Send us an email if you get good answers on your electrical - I would like to add more battery power to mine...
Lori, congratulations on your purchase! We love our H25, 1979 model! Here's a few answers that you may find helpful: 1. Bilge - there is a floor board in the salon on the centerline of the boat toward the forward bulkhead that separates the salon from the "head." Pull that up, and you will see a couple of keel bolt heads and the bilge area. Our H25 already had a low-flow bilge pump with a water-level switch on it. I rewired the electrical from the pump to the battery (ours is located in the cockpit lazarette - starboard side. To test it, just lift up on the water level switch and you should hear it start humming. Don't run dry too long - it could damage the pump. By the way, we've had our H25 for 9 months, and have never seen a drop of water in the bilge (knock on wood). 2. Fresh water - after some serious detective work, I finally found out that there is a 16-gallon "bladder" bag located on the center line of the boat directly under the cockpit sole just behind the companionway area. This bladder bag is very hard to see - you have to stick your head down into the starboard cockpit lazarette and look down to the area under the cockpit sole (floor). You should see a flat, brown colored bag laying on the bottom of the hull. This bag should have a fill hose that leads to a capped fitting on the inboard wall of the starboard cockpit lazarette - right by your head if you are still peeking down there. There should be a fresh water line that leads from the bag to the sink faucet in the galley. Ours has a stainless steel sink - there was no pump faucet (it was missing) when we bought the boat, so I installed an electric fresh water pump and a regular single-spigot faucet instead. I'm planning on replacing my bladder bag sometime this summer - right now I'm using a fresh water jerry can... 3. As far as the waste water goes, I was able to trace the drain lines in the boat, and I found that the bilge, the sink drain and the ice box drain all connect together to drain out the bilge. The bilge thru-hull fitting is located just above the water line on the starboard side of the boat. 4. We sleep aboard our H25 pretty regularly - so we use our Porta-Potty alot. We use the standard blue stuff (pour 2-3 capfuls into the waste tank). Since we sail on a lake, it is not too inconvenient to drop into our marina and flush the waste down the toilet at the marina (they told us that is okay to do - what's the difference anyway?). Since the girls tend to use the onboard potty more than the guys, we find that about 24 hours use is maximum before dumping and re-loading. 5. The alcohol stove - get a small funnel to fill the stove. On ours, the fill opening is at the back of the stove, a screw-on cap. We purchase alcohol from the marine store. Here's how to operate - pump the pressure pump (located at front of stove) up and down about ten - fifteen times. Here's the weird part - open the left or right burner knob just until you see some alcohol pooling into the little "cup" under the burner jets. Then shut off the alcohol flow. Light the pooled alcohol. It will flame up pretty high (several inches) - this is normal. The idea here is to pre-heat the burner before turning on the flow again. Let the pooled alcohol burn completely away, then open the flow knob. With the burner jets preheated, the pressurized alcohol should simply light up! Adjust the flame as needed. You will love your Cherubini Hunter! We completely redid our interior - new cushions, new wall coverings, refinished all wood. She looks better than new! Send us an email if you get good answers on your electrical - I would like to add more battery power to mine...
thanks for the help
I have been talking to everyone I know who sails, reading, and playing around with the boat...realize alot of my questions were silly. We took a great sailing course which helped ALOT! I absolutly LOVE sailing so far...although my hands are beginning to look like a longshoreman's. I would also like to upgrade the electrical capability (next season) and replace all thesheets/lines/halyards...would really like to convert to a self furling jib. I need to find something to remove the old name and numbers without damaging anything. A fellow at the marina suggested a hairdryer to make the vinyl come off easier...so far no luck. Any thoughts? I can see how this will become an expensive addiction...
I have been talking to everyone I know who sails, reading, and playing around with the boat...realize alot of my questions were silly. We took a great sailing course which helped ALOT! I absolutly LOVE sailing so far...although my hands are beginning to look like a longshoreman's. I would also like to upgrade the electrical capability (next season) and replace all thesheets/lines/halyards...would really like to convert to a self furling jib. I need to find something to remove the old name and numbers without damaging anything. A fellow at the marina suggested a hairdryer to make the vinyl come off easier...so far no luck. Any thoughts? I can see how this will become an expensive addiction...
Check Archives, Boat Units
...expensive. Definition: a boat unit = $100. As in, "Oh, I just spent a couple of boat units on electronics today." Very helpful in smoothing over financial rough spots of having a real boat! By the way, check out the recent posts with drawings and manuals for the h25 (along with all her sister boats. I'd put roller furling number one after any safety issues. What do you mean by "upgrade the electrical capability?" What are your objectives? Finally, and most important, the best place to consider all of these weighty issues is while sailing your new boat! Second best is anchored in a protected place for lunch, a swim, and a snooze. David Lady Lillie
...expensive. Definition: a boat unit = $100. As in, "Oh, I just spent a couple of boat units on electronics today." Very helpful in smoothing over financial rough spots of having a real boat! By the way, check out the recent posts with drawings and manuals for the h25 (along with all her sister boats. I'd put roller furling number one after any safety issues. What do you mean by "upgrade the electrical capability?" What are your objectives? Finally, and most important, the best place to consider all of these weighty issues is while sailing your new boat! Second best is anchored in a protected place for lunch, a swim, and a snooze. David Lady Lillie
Boat units = $1,000
We were always told a boat unit was $1,000. This way you can afford roller furling (one unit), or new cockpit cushions (1/2 unit). Makes something like the 1/4 unit GPS seem REAL cheap. My boat only cost 21 units.
We were always told a boat unit was $1,000. This way you can afford roller furling (one unit), or new cockpit cushions (1/2 unit). Makes something like the 1/4 unit GPS seem REAL cheap. My boat only cost 21 units.
Eric's "boat units".
Eric is right, a boat unit is $1000. Not sure where David came up with $100. but wish it were true. Makes the B-O-A-T acronym a trueism: "Break Out Another Thousand".
Eric is right, a boat unit is $1000. Not sure where David came up with $100. but wish it were true. Makes the B-O-A-T acronym a trueism: "Break Out Another Thousand".
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