I just purchased a 1986 Hunter 28.5 on a lake in Tenn. Has anyone ever had issues with the built-in fuel tank? Currently there is only one jib halyard and one main halyard, both exiting the mast base on the starboard side. There are two additional line exits on the port side of the mast base, and I would like to add a spinnaker halyard and a topping lift. I assume there are extra masthead sheaves to accomodate both? How difficult would it be to feed the new lines from a bosun's chair at the masthead? Anything in particular I should know about this model? I have owned lots of sailboats, but this is my first Hunter.
New Hunter 28.5 Owner
- Thread starter gulfsailorp323
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Hunter 28.5 info
Welcome to the world of the H28.5. These are great boats. I suggest you take a look at the "Knowledgebase" on this site and then go to the Hunter 28.5 support group website below and look at the Forums there. Lots of useful info both places. And, you can post a specific question to other owners who might have been where you are now. Good luck with a good boat! PS: There also over 50 owner reviews of the 28.5 on this site that might be worth taking a peek at.
Welcome to the world of the H28.5. These are great boats. I suggest you take a look at the "Knowledgebase" on this site and then go to the Hunter 28.5 support group website below and look at the Forums there. Lots of useful info both places. And, you can post a specific question to other owners who might have been where you are now. Good luck with a good boat! PS: There also over 50 owner reviews of the 28.5 on this site that might be worth taking a peek at.
Thanks Warren
Thanks for the tip on the 28.5 site. I also have the shoal draft model, which I hope won't be too tender in a breeze. We are moving from Pensacola to Chattanooga, so maybe the lake sailing won't be as choppy anyway. The freshwater boat was certainly in much better shape with regard to rust and corrosion than what I was used to with a much newer boat in Fl.
Thanks for the tip on the 28.5 site. I also have the shoal draft model, which I hope won't be too tender in a breeze. We are moving from Pensacola to Chattanooga, so maybe the lake sailing won't be as choppy anyway. The freshwater boat was certainly in much better shape with regard to rust and corrosion than what I was used to with a much newer boat in Fl.
Tenderness
I have the shoal keel model as well. I chose it instead of the deeper keel model as I don't formally race and the water is thin in my marina and where I sail and gunkhole. Although I would describe my boat as "tender," the shoal draft was a good choice for me in regard to where and how I sail. By tender, I mean that I normally sail with a full main and 150 genoa. The boat will heel readily to 30 or more degrees in winds over 14-16 kts with that sail combo. The boat "likes" to sail, and sails fastest, when heeled 15-20 degrees as anything more than that and I feel I'm making too much leeway. So, I simply roll up some headsail, stand the boat up a bit, perhaps drop the traveller a bit to leeward, and normally my boat speed increases -- and the stress on everything is reduced. You'll soon get the feel for the best groove your boat likes to sail in. It's a great sailing boat!
I have the shoal keel model as well. I chose it instead of the deeper keel model as I don't formally race and the water is thin in my marina and where I sail and gunkhole. Although I would describe my boat as "tender," the shoal draft was a good choice for me in regard to where and how I sail. By tender, I mean that I normally sail with a full main and 150 genoa. The boat will heel readily to 30 or more degrees in winds over 14-16 kts with that sail combo. The boat "likes" to sail, and sails fastest, when heeled 15-20 degrees as anything more than that and I feel I'm making too much leeway. So, I simply roll up some headsail, stand the boat up a bit, perhaps drop the traveller a bit to leeward, and normally my boat speed increases -- and the stress on everything is reduced. You'll soon get the feel for the best groove your boat likes to sail in. It's a great sailing boat!
New Halyards
From a Bosun's Chair attached to the existing Gemoa Halyard (on the starboard forward masthead sheave), you can get to the forward port side sheave and feed a thin messenger line and a serries of crimped on 1/4 ounce fishing weight over the sheave and internally down the mast. The aft rake of the mast should let the weighted line slide down the aft side of the mast clearing the spreaders and exiting at the mast base sheave. After feeding in the string and weights and seeing or hearing them at the bottom sheaves, drop the remaining messenger line to the deck. You can come down off the bosun's chair and using a soft thin wire 'snag' the weighted line and pull it out the underside of one of the port side mast base sheaves. You might have to bounce the weights up and down to find and snag them. The process for installing a spinnaker halyard is more complicated in that there the spin halyard should have it's own exit slot / block cut thru the forward face of the mast below the masthead with a clean line UP to a swivel block attached to the bail on the forward top of the mast head. You'd need to find the right fitting and cut a slot for it into the mast without hitting the conduit carrying the wiring harness up the mast. The line of pop rivets just off center to port on the forward face of the mast hold that conduit in place. I have installed the second Genoa halyard and sometimes have actually used it during a race. I'd be the first to say that a back-up Genoa halyard is nice to have, particularly as a racer -- it was not a particularly easy task. Once you have the messenger line run, you should be able to attach the new halyard to the messenger and 'fair-in' the connection with just enough duct tpe to allow it to feed into and ofer over the sheave and down the mast.
From a Bosun's Chair attached to the existing Gemoa Halyard (on the starboard forward masthead sheave), you can get to the forward port side sheave and feed a thin messenger line and a serries of crimped on 1/4 ounce fishing weight over the sheave and internally down the mast. The aft rake of the mast should let the weighted line slide down the aft side of the mast clearing the spreaders and exiting at the mast base sheave. After feeding in the string and weights and seeing or hearing them at the bottom sheaves, drop the remaining messenger line to the deck. You can come down off the bosun's chair and using a soft thin wire 'snag' the weighted line and pull it out the underside of one of the port side mast base sheaves. You might have to bounce the weights up and down to find and snag them. The process for installing a spinnaker halyard is more complicated in that there the spin halyard should have it's own exit slot / block cut thru the forward face of the mast below the masthead with a clean line UP to a swivel block attached to the bail on the forward top of the mast head. You'd need to find the right fitting and cut a slot for it into the mast without hitting the conduit carrying the wiring harness up the mast. The line of pop rivets just off center to port on the forward face of the mast hold that conduit in place. I have installed the second Genoa halyard and sometimes have actually used it during a race. I'd be the first to say that a back-up Genoa halyard is nice to have, particularly as a racer -- it was not a particularly easy task. Once you have the messenger line run, you should be able to attach the new halyard to the messenger and 'fair-in' the connection with just enough duct tpe to allow it to feed into and ofer over the sheave and down the mast.
try a piece of bicycle chain.
Try a piece of bicycle chain attached to a small line. This flexibility and weight of the chain should aid you in getting the line down the mast. Once you get the line down the stick, you can attach it to the halyard to pull it through. You may want to consider trying to pull two messengers at the same time.
Try a piece of bicycle chain attached to a small line. This flexibility and weight of the chain should aid you in getting the line down the mast. Once you get the line down the stick, you can attach it to the halyard to pull it through. You may want to consider trying to pull two messengers at the same time.
Thanks for the tips!
Thanks to all for the tips regarding adding new halyards. I'm thinking I will simply run the spinnaker halyard outside the mast up to the block at the masthead. I'll use the two extra masthead sheaves for an extra genoa halyard, and a boom topping lift. I purchased a mast climbing system, so I will get to try it out soon.
Thanks to all for the tips regarding adding new halyards. I'm thinking I will simply run the spinnaker halyard outside the mast up to the block at the masthead. I'll use the two extra masthead sheaves for an extra genoa halyard, and a boom topping lift. I purchased a mast climbing system, so I will get to try it out soon.
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