Hello Ladies and Gentlemen. I am looking at moving up to a 37-38 foot and was originally considering a 76 - 77 C&C 38. However, I really love the look & lines of the Hunter 37 Cutter. Here at home we have a lot of C&C's but I have not been on a Hunter for a comparison. Can anyone give me a head-head comparison? We are looking for a boat the we can sail on the river system, and as well, can cruise across the Bay of Fundy to Nova Scotia, and Down the coast to Portland Maine and Boston Mass. Se here are my questions: How does the Hunter like/handle Blue Water Cruising? How are her accomadations for extended voyages (say three weeks to a month). What is the headroom like? I am 6'1" at 265 lbs, and our 29 footer is a touch short. Any info would be appreciated. -Peter
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I Went Through The Same Thing
I started my exposure with Hunter sailboats with two different 30 footers. I loved them both, but always wanted more interior space. I loved the H30's, but whenever I had another couple on board, I always gave them the v-berth and got stuck sleeping in the main cabin. I considered moving up to a H37. While the H37 certainly provides more interior space, it still only provides one private sleeping area - the v-berth. There is a private quarter berth, but the bunk there is too small for more than one person. Instead of the H37 I chose a 1983 Hunter 34. It has a very comfy v-berth (which we reserve for quests) and an aft cabin with a queen sized bed. The headroom in the aft cabin is tight, but once you get used to it, it can be very, very comfy. Headroom in the rest of the H34 is great throughout. I even have a small 12v fan overhead in the head to keep the air moving while showering, and don't bump my head on it. I hope this helps a bit instead of confusing you more. Gary
I started my exposure with Hunter sailboats with two different 30 footers. I loved them both, but always wanted more interior space. I loved the H30's, but whenever I had another couple on board, I always gave them the v-berth and got stuck sleeping in the main cabin. I considered moving up to a H37. While the H37 certainly provides more interior space, it still only provides one private sleeping area - the v-berth. There is a private quarter berth, but the bunk there is too small for more than one person. Instead of the H37 I chose a 1983 Hunter 34. It has a very comfy v-berth (which we reserve for quests) and an aft cabin with a queen sized bed. The headroom in the aft cabin is tight, but once you get used to it, it can be very, very comfy. Headroom in the rest of the H34 is great throughout. I even have a small 12v fan overhead in the head to keep the air moving while showering, and don't bump my head on it. I hope this helps a bit instead of confusing you more. Gary
37C is definately worth a look...
I've sailed them both as a friend had a 38 C&C and from my experiences the 37C is a lot more versitile for extended cruising with the cutter rig and is a lot more mild mannered in heavy weather. Many on this forum will also give you performance specifics and you won't sacrifice much if anything when it comes to turning speed but I must say that my 37C is a little slower than the C&C I experienced but that might be due to old sails and a slow sailor at the helm. Some other comparisons... The 37C has 6'4" headroom and we lived aboard ours with no problems. Seperate shower and vanity is a big plus! There is a slight disadvantage in that access to the V-berth and aft stateroom is a little narrow especially forward with the head door open but certainly not impossible for someone your size but once your in it's fine. I'm 210 and shorter so we probably are about the same in the middle, I certainly wouldn't flunk the boat for this trait. Now, the other good stuff... The Hunter 37C is a great bluewater cruiser when prepared properly. She feels heavier and more stable underfoot, she is a moderate to heavy displacement vessel which makes her great in a seaway, the C&C is more tender. I like the Hunter set-up plan better and my personal opinion is that if you lean more towards a cruiser than a racer the 37C will win you over and you really won't suffer a lot in performance anyway. If it's racing your after the C&C will probably be cheaper to outfit as a real go fast boat as you'd have to make some serious changes to the 37C's rigging plan to compete. 37C's have been sailed all over the world, a lot of them from people on this forum and I don't know much history on the C&C as far as distance pasagemaking are concerned. My buddy took his from Florida to the Virgin Islands and lived aboard for six month's with no problems so let's hear what others have to say as well. There is a sailboat comparison calculator at the link below that gives you some good design comparisons between different brands and models and it bears mention that the 37C was considered one of the top boats under $100,000 in a Cruising World article a while back that link is; http://www.johnsboatstuff.com/Articles/lowcost.htm. Hope this helps! Tom Hadoulias S/V Lite Chop WB4PAP
I've sailed them both as a friend had a 38 C&C and from my experiences the 37C is a lot more versitile for extended cruising with the cutter rig and is a lot more mild mannered in heavy weather. Many on this forum will also give you performance specifics and you won't sacrifice much if anything when it comes to turning speed but I must say that my 37C is a little slower than the C&C I experienced but that might be due to old sails and a slow sailor at the helm. Some other comparisons... The 37C has 6'4" headroom and we lived aboard ours with no problems. Seperate shower and vanity is a big plus! There is a slight disadvantage in that access to the V-berth and aft stateroom is a little narrow especially forward with the head door open but certainly not impossible for someone your size but once your in it's fine. I'm 210 and shorter so we probably are about the same in the middle, I certainly wouldn't flunk the boat for this trait. Now, the other good stuff... The Hunter 37C is a great bluewater cruiser when prepared properly. She feels heavier and more stable underfoot, she is a moderate to heavy displacement vessel which makes her great in a seaway, the C&C is more tender. I like the Hunter set-up plan better and my personal opinion is that if you lean more towards a cruiser than a racer the 37C will win you over and you really won't suffer a lot in performance anyway. If it's racing your after the C&C will probably be cheaper to outfit as a real go fast boat as you'd have to make some serious changes to the 37C's rigging plan to compete. 37C's have been sailed all over the world, a lot of them from people on this forum and I don't know much history on the C&C as far as distance pasagemaking are concerned. My buddy took his from Florida to the Virgin Islands and lived aboard for six month's with no problems so let's hear what others have to say as well. There is a sailboat comparison calculator at the link below that gives you some good design comparisons between different brands and models and it bears mention that the 37C was considered one of the top boats under $100,000 in a Cruising World article a while back that link is; http://www.johnsboatstuff.com/Articles/lowcost.htm. Hope this helps! Tom Hadoulias S/V Lite Chop WB4PAP
Drop me an e-mail...
Peter, Drop me an e-mail with your home number and I'll give you a call in the New Year (I'm spending the holidays on the West Coast) to share my experiences... or better yet: come by for a sail in the Spring! Jim Legere SV Calypso St. Margarets Bay, N.S. lighthouse@ns.sympatico.ca
Peter, Drop me an e-mail with your home number and I'll give you a call in the New Year (I'm spending the holidays on the West Coast) to share my experiences... or better yet: come by for a sail in the Spring! Jim Legere SV Calypso St. Margarets Bay, N.S. lighthouse@ns.sympatico.ca
Choices, too many!
I am a completely unbiased H37C('79) owner. Thus I agree with both Gary and Tom. The H34 is a heck of a boat, just read the "Trans Atlantic" story over on "Big Boats". The decision for me was dollars first, $20K less comparing a good H37C to a fair H34. The larger interior was almost enough to sway us. But as we learned more about Cherubini and his designs, and the construction of the boats, the decision became easier. The keel-stepped mast and cutter rig were important features. The traditional lines means there is less windage and a lower CE(Center of Effort). I can keep full sail with over 20 knots of wind. I think a tender boat like the H34 requires a deep keel where the H37C suffers little from a 4' draft. Tom mentioned a separate shower and vanity. But two couples on an extended cruise will miss that big aft cabin. Just look at those lines in the attached picture(Tom Zyber's s/v Seazure). And that's my completely unbiased personal opinion.
I am a completely unbiased H37C('79) owner. Thus I agree with both Gary and Tom. The H34 is a heck of a boat, just read the "Trans Atlantic" story over on "Big Boats". The decision for me was dollars first, $20K less comparing a good H37C to a fair H34. The larger interior was almost enough to sway us. But as we learned more about Cherubini and his designs, and the construction of the boats, the decision became easier. The keel-stepped mast and cutter rig were important features. The traditional lines means there is less windage and a lower CE(Center of Effort). I can keep full sail with over 20 knots of wind. I think a tender boat like the H34 requires a deep keel where the H37C suffers little from a 4' draft. Tom mentioned a separate shower and vanity. But two couples on an extended cruise will miss that big aft cabin. Just look at those lines in the attached picture(Tom Zyber's s/v Seazure). And that's my completely unbiased personal opinion.
Attachments
Cutter Rig Good for Offshore
For offshore work a cutter rig will be really helpful because it makes it easier to balance the sail plan. When a sloop rig has a couple reefs in the main it becomes unbalanced with the jib because the jib too far forward. With a cutter rig the jib can be furled and the boat becomes balanced again which makes it easier to sail in higher winds. A sloop rig can sometimes be converted to a cutter rig but this entails a lot of expense, time, and effort which probably will not be retrievable at resale time.
For offshore work a cutter rig will be really helpful because it makes it easier to balance the sail plan. When a sloop rig has a couple reefs in the main it becomes unbalanced with the jib because the jib too far forward. With a cutter rig the jib can be furled and the boat becomes balanced again which makes it easier to sail in higher winds. A sloop rig can sometimes be converted to a cutter rig but this entails a lot of expense, time, and effort which probably will not be retrievable at resale time.
Peter
You can't go wrong with a Cherubini Hunter. (Subject to a good survey). They are well built, sail fast, and more stable than any of the later models.
You can't go wrong with a Cherubini Hunter. (Subject to a good survey). They are well built, sail fast, and more stable than any of the later models.
Here's one view of both
Peter, I have had some limited experience with both. I had sailed big C&C in our sailing club and it was definitely on my list when I went looking to buy. I was not able to find one that met our needs, but I certainly enjoyed sailing the one in the club. It was fast, sailed well in San Francisco Bay (a good test), and I took my ASA bareboat class in a C&C. The last day everyone on the Bay but us ran for cover and we were having a great time waving at the tourists at Pier 39 as we went flying by in 30 knots. But the C&Cs I saw when shopping were all beat up, and had major needs. We were not looking for a H37C, but found one in excellent shape in San Diego, and have now had it for a year. No regrets. We sailed in Southern California for six months, including overnight trip to Catalina. Then had it delivered up the coast to SF Bay. The delivery captain, in a hurry, ran into heavy weather for the last day and a half, and sailed right through it. Nothing broke, and other than cleaning up the salt spray, you would not know the boat had been put through a washing machine. We probably have put 2,000 miles under the hull this year, half of it in the ocean, and the boat did fine. For extended voyages? For a couple, just fine. More than two people long-term, unless one is a child, would be tight. Headroom is fine. My son is 6'3" and has never noticed, or hit his head. And, the price is right. The boats are typically underpriced because the "Hunter" name leads to bad assumptions. Good luck with your search. S. s/v Good News
Peter, I have had some limited experience with both. I had sailed big C&C in our sailing club and it was definitely on my list when I went looking to buy. I was not able to find one that met our needs, but I certainly enjoyed sailing the one in the club. It was fast, sailed well in San Francisco Bay (a good test), and I took my ASA bareboat class in a C&C. The last day everyone on the Bay but us ran for cover and we were having a great time waving at the tourists at Pier 39 as we went flying by in 30 knots. But the C&Cs I saw when shopping were all beat up, and had major needs. We were not looking for a H37C, but found one in excellent shape in San Diego, and have now had it for a year. No regrets. We sailed in Southern California for six months, including overnight trip to Catalina. Then had it delivered up the coast to SF Bay. The delivery captain, in a hurry, ran into heavy weather for the last day and a half, and sailed right through it. Nothing broke, and other than cleaning up the salt spray, you would not know the boat had been put through a washing machine. We probably have put 2,000 miles under the hull this year, half of it in the ocean, and the boat did fine. For extended voyages? For a couple, just fine. More than two people long-term, unless one is a child, would be tight. Headroom is fine. My son is 6'3" and has never noticed, or hit his head. And, the price is right. The boats are typically underpriced because the "Hunter" name leads to bad assumptions. Good luck with your search. S. s/v Good News
Many Thank You's
Dear Gentlemen, Many thanks for your information. Tom, I read some other comments of yours at another web-site, thanks for the info. Jim, I will drop you an e-mail (seeing as your in our neck of the woods). Gary I appreciate the info on the 34 (she's beautiful) but $$ here in Canada put the 34 outta reach. In short I can get into a 20 yr old HC 37 for the same price as a 30 yr old C&C. Ed, John, David, Sanders: Thanks as well for your comments. I will be in the market in about 10 months for a 37 HC. Meantime, one more summer with our 29 before the move up. Merry Christmas everyone, and again, Thank You for the Info. Peter S/V Excalibur
Dear Gentlemen, Many thanks for your information. Tom, I read some other comments of yours at another web-site, thanks for the info. Jim, I will drop you an e-mail (seeing as your in our neck of the woods). Gary I appreciate the info on the 34 (she's beautiful) but $$ here in Canada put the 34 outta reach. In short I can get into a 20 yr old HC 37 for the same price as a 30 yr old C&C. Ed, John, David, Sanders: Thanks as well for your comments. I will be in the market in about 10 months for a 37 HC. Meantime, one more summer with our 29 before the move up. Merry Christmas everyone, and again, Thank You for the Info. Peter S/V Excalibur
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