looking @ 33Hunter

[BOB Schmit]

Looking at a used Hunter 33 and will have a pre-purchase survey next week. I noticed that the non-skid looks a little worn and was wondering was this painted on back in '80 instead of molded in? Also, I see the way to sheet the genoa is to use the toe rail. Has anyone tried a track on this model?One last thing that the surveyer will check is the deck seems a little spongy just aft of the anchor locker (the owner actually said he never noticed it...) I was also curious about the molded in rings on cabin top, are these for installing dorade style vents or?? Any other hints or encouragement would be good.Thanks in advance.

 

[Ken Palmer]

Re: genoa sheet question

Yes, the sheet blocks are attached to the toe-rail. I added 4-foot tracks on my 1981 H33, and she will now point closer to the wind. Would I do it again? It depends on what you are going to do with your boat. If you are only a day sailor or a cruiser, then leave well enough alone. The little you gain isn't worth it. If you are going to race your H33, then you should consider adding tracks, to keep up with the other boats. Installing them is a pain because of the cabin ceiling construction. You need to drill through the deck, down through the ceiling. There is an air space between these layers varying in width. You also have to look out for obstructions. Feel free to write if you have any more questions on this task.Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty

 

[Sam Lust]

33 tracks and other questions

I ended up with 11 foot tracks on the side decks of my 33 -- way overkill. With my current high cut 130 foresail I could easily do without the first 4 feet or so, but having it there does provide versatility. I have the car control lines brought back to the helm for convenience. I'm very happy with the setup.Ken is right about the installation. I drilled about 120 1 1/2" or 2" (I can't remember which) holes through the deck only, then squeezed in filled epoxy so that it mushroomed out between the deck and liner. Drilled the 5/16" holes through the epoxy and liner and used 2" washers on the inside with nylon locking nuts. (The interior of my boat has a decidedly "mechanical" look to it). This system has worked without protest for two seasons now and I'm very happy I did it.These boats, if not cared for were prone to soft decks. Knock a bunch of money off the offer, then cut the deck up and repair it.The non skid is paint, as were many boats of the period. This simply provides you with the opportunity of choosing exactly the level of non-skid agressiveness you want. I will repaint my non-skid to eliminate the awful blue and freshen up the abrasive just as soon as I decide I'm finished drilling holes on my deck.

 

[Mike]

No Genoa Track For Me

Sam,Instead of adding track and car on my 1981 Hunter 30 I rig a barber-hauler spl? or what I call an in-haul. It is 15' of 1/2" braided line with a reefing hook on the end. I put the reefing hook over the jib sheet then tail it to a cabin top winch. On my boat it brings the 130% sail inboard 6-8" and upto the the stay. I like this because it gives me pretty good flexibility with little hassle and can do from the cockpit. I also carry several snatch blocks and set them as jib blocks before sailing depending on the wind conditions.