I sailed my Hunter 216 for the first time yesterday in the York river (which flows into the Chesapeake bay). I was impressed with how easy she sailed. She did tend to head-up when over-powered (which is good). I only had a few minor (first time) mishaps: 1. forgetting to pin on the gib and having to lower the mast again 2. having the rudder stuck in the mud while trying to back away from the public boat landing 3. having the main halyard come off the sail (the pin wasn't snapped in correctly). I was able to pull the halyard back down with my boat hook and re-attach the main sail. 4. getting a wrap of the anchor line around the swing keel. Again, the boat hook saved the day. I will be sure to raise up the swing keel the next time a I deploy an anchor. 5. Forgetting to bring rain gear. We got rained on a few times. But all in all, it was a great day of sailing. The few first-time mishaps will all be lessons learned and hopefully not repeated. I was quite happy with the boat.
maiden voyage
- Thread starter Jeff Prideaux
- Start date
- Status
2nd time out
I've taken the boat out a second time where I left it at a dock in salt water for about 48 hours where I used the boat 4 different occasions. I just started to get some growth on the hull although it came off with some gentle wiping. I did have the hull waxed. Based on this experience, I will probably just have a two-day limit in salt water before I take it out for a wipe-down. I also discovered that I can attach the gib when rigging the boat by taking advantage of the trailer wench to crank in the mainsail halyard to bend the mast forward a bit. I tried the other suggestion of tying a line to the jib and stepping on a loop in the line, but I didn't weigh enough to bend the mast enough. The trailer wench worked great for this purpose. Now I can rig it up completely single handed. My only problem was in taking the boat out of the water. It took me four tries to get the keel in the keel tract on the trailer this last time of taking it out. Although, when I used it the first time, I got it in there on the first attempt. Hopefully with more experience, I'll get the keel in the trailer tract every time.
I've taken the boat out a second time where I left it at a dock in salt water for about 48 hours where I used the boat 4 different occasions. I just started to get some growth on the hull although it came off with some gentle wiping. I did have the hull waxed. Based on this experience, I will probably just have a two-day limit in salt water before I take it out for a wipe-down. I also discovered that I can attach the gib when rigging the boat by taking advantage of the trailer wench to crank in the mainsail halyard to bend the mast forward a bit. I tried the other suggestion of tying a line to the jib and stepping on a loop in the line, but I didn't weigh enough to bend the mast enough. The trailer wench worked great for this purpose. Now I can rig it up completely single handed. My only problem was in taking the boat out of the water. It took me four tries to get the keel in the keel tract on the trailer this last time of taking it out. Although, when I used it the first time, I got it in there on the first attempt. Hopefully with more experience, I'll get the keel in the trailer tract every time.
PVC Load Guides
Jeff, Does your trailer have the optional PVC Load Guides (Google Venture Trailers). If not, I recommend you get a set. I had to beef up the PVC as the single pipe cracked. I now have three pieces of PVC pipe on each side, the three pieces nested inside each other to make it stiffer/stronger. This is the only easy way to get the keel on the keel rest in a side wind! My dealer (Nelson Marine, Alameda) poo-poo'ed the idea of guides but I have been trailer sailing long enough to ignore the dealer and order them anyhow. Speaking of the trailer, you want to make sure the keel is released, loose and floppy once the boat is on the trailer. After releasing the keel, lift off the keel cover and see if you can flop the keel around. If you can't, then your boat weight is being supported by the keel...not the bunks. This is not good. I could not get my rear bunks high enough to allow the keel to flop so I had to fabricate my own rear bunk supports.
Jeff, Does your trailer have the optional PVC Load Guides (Google Venture Trailers). If not, I recommend you get a set. I had to beef up the PVC as the single pipe cracked. I now have three pieces of PVC pipe on each side, the three pieces nested inside each other to make it stiffer/stronger. This is the only easy way to get the keel on the keel rest in a side wind! My dealer (Nelson Marine, Alameda) poo-poo'ed the idea of guides but I have been trailer sailing long enough to ignore the dealer and order them anyhow. Speaking of the trailer, you want to make sure the keel is released, loose and floppy once the boat is on the trailer. After releasing the keel, lift off the keel cover and see if you can flop the keel around. If you can't, then your boat weight is being supported by the keel...not the bunks. This is not good. I could not get my rear bunks high enough to allow the keel to flop so I had to fabricate my own rear bunk supports.
keel
I don't have PVC guides on my trailer. I'll consider getting some. Thanks for the suggestions to check if my keel is supporting the weight of the boat. I'll have to check that.
I don't have PVC guides on my trailer. I'll consider getting some. Thanks for the suggestions to check if my keel is supporting the weight of the boat. I'll have to check that.
Hey Jeff,
Sounds like a perfect day! Typical of what I experience every day of sailing. Went out for maiden voyage last Sunday, almost ran over mooring ball lines. Last year, I would have. Boat is ready to rock. Really excited about maiden voyage. Left house with wind blowing pretty good. Soon as I got to lake, it was as if someone turned off the switch. No wind! This weekend will be the winner, I know it. Good luck to you, would like to hear more, George
Sounds like a perfect day! Typical of what I experience every day of sailing. Went out for maiden voyage last Sunday, almost ran over mooring ball lines. Last year, I would have. Boat is ready to rock. Really excited about maiden voyage. Left house with wind blowing pretty good. Soon as I got to lake, it was as if someone turned off the switch. No wind! This weekend will be the winner, I know it. Good luck to you, would like to hear more, George
Use the Mast Pin
Per the orignial 216 manual, raise the mast asfter pinning at base, slip the upper mast pin at the cuddy cabin top and move forward to pi the jib.
Per the orignial 216 manual, raise the mast asfter pinning at base, slip the upper mast pin at the cuddy cabin top and move forward to pi the jib.
I connect shrouds first
My manual says to connect the shrouds before connecting the jib to the bow. If I connect the jib first (no mast bending required if shrouds aren't connected yet) then I can't connect all the shrouds without bending the mast (unless the shrouds are too loose). I think it is better to connect the shrouds first, then the gib.
My manual says to connect the shrouds before connecting the jib to the bow. If I connect the jib first (no mast bending required if shrouds aren't connected yet) then I can't connect all the shrouds without bending the mast (unless the shrouds are too loose). I think it is better to connect the shrouds first, then the gib.
- Status