New to everything . . .

[ddeand]

Hello all,

Just thought I'd introduce myself since my wife and I just bought a new (to us) Hunter. Actually, the boat is an '06 170 with a replacement Hunter 18 hull. The hull has "Hunter 170" painted on it, but it is definitely the newly designed fiberglass hull. The rigging is supposedly new and the sails are from the original 2006 boat. It is, for all intents and purposes, a new boat in excellent condition, and I got a pretty good deal on it. After a decent amount of research, I chose the Hunter 170 because of its design and family-friendly intent. I was a little surprised to find that the new fiberglass design was over a foot longer than the original composite 170s, but the added length should be a plus for me as I learn how to sail her.

I live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and will use the boat around here for the most part. But I will also be taking it to Flathead Lake in Montana for a couple weeks each summer (that's where I was raised, and we still have a cabin on the lake). The boat will be a family boat that will be used by my adult children and my grandchildren as well as some in-laws who are decent sailors. My wife and I are rookies (although I have some experience with sailboards), so we'll be taking lessons next Summer. Fortunately, the relatives who are sailors and can help me get my "sea legs."

The manner in which we came to buy this boat should give you a little insight into our personalities. A couple months ago, we had a trailer hitch installed on our Durango so we could pull a U-Haul back from Montana with a bunch of stuff. My wife's first comment was, "Now that we have a trailer hitch, we should get a sailboat." That sorta came out of the blue, and, of course, I didn't argue. She stuck with it and that eventually led me to buying the 170/18, and we are both still a little stunned that we now own a sailboat. But we're also pretty darned excited!

After reading a number of threads on this forum, I have picked up a number of tips and explanations for things that I've never thought about before. As we learn to sail and get the boat into the local waters next Spring, I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions for all of you. I'm glad this forum exists!

Thanks and take care,
Dean

 

[kloudie1]

Welcome aboard, Dean !! Congrats on the new boat.. Ya gonna have a lot of fun with it !

 

[Ed Schenck]

Yes, welcome aboard. Lots of experience around here with smaller, trailerable, boats. Some like myself have cruising boats and a trailerable for the lakes. My own Highlander is very similar in design and sailing characteristics to your newer Hunter. That boat is going to be a lot of fun.

 

[BlueRunner]

I'm more than a bit curious as to how a 18' foot hull can be attached to a 17' boat deck. Also, the 170 sail area is 150 sq ft while the 180 sail area is 170 sq ft. If you do have a 180 hull on a 170, I would think you got "one of a kind".

Welcome aboard...

 

[Bostonian]

Congratulations and welcome!

 

[ddeand]

See, I told you I was a rookie . . . . I was assuming that the deck and hull were one and the same when I described the boat. Here is a picture of the boat as it sits in my driveway right now.

I measured the mast and it was 24' long with the mast step about 8" from the bottom of the inside (deck?) of the boat. That sounds like the dimensions of the 18 for mast height. The sail is definitely a 170 sail - at least that's what it says on the sail. The broker indicated that the new hull/deck was a warranty replacement, and it is the only Hunter 18 I have seen in real life. It is a bit different from the 170 in more ways than just the length: the prow is more vertical, the chine is harder and more defined, and the interior shape is different - plus it's fiberglass.

I wonder if the mast step is also different on the 18 and that accounts for the difference in mast height. Does mast height differ from the actual length of the mast? When I compare Hunter's promo pictures, it seems as if the 18 boom is lower than that of the 170 - maybe the mast length is the same, but the mast steps are different heights on the two models.

Regardless of the whole setup, I'm sure it will be more than a match for me for quite a while. I'll spend the Winter reading and learning, and when Spring comes, I'll be ready to get everything wet!

Thanks for the support,
Dean

 

[BlueRunner]

Well, the front end certainly looks like the pictures I've seen of the 18. IF the sails are from the 170, with 20 less sq ft, the boat may be a little more forgiving in gusty winds. While I would have to do some measuring to be sure, I would guess that taking 20 sq ft off my sail rig would be the same as reefing to the standard reef points.

Call me a chicken, but I reef all the time IF the wave caps are approaching showing a little "white" if I'm single handing. Just makes it easier for me and I don't notice much of a speed reduction. It's always easier to "shake" the reef out if not needed than it is to set it if the winds start picking up.

I'm a bit jealous as I wish I had an 18 if only because of the fiberglass hull.

 

[esterhazyinoz]

I am guessing that the ACP Composite hull and maybe, most likely, the spars were replaced under the warranty. The sail could be from the original boat. If it has less area than the H18 OEM and you sail in a high wind area, you are on a winner. I wish I had a slightly smaller sail for our very windy summers here Reefing just takes too much area). The OEM that came with my new H15 is perfect for our warm winter light breezes. If you sail in consistently light winds you could always consider buy the H18 OEM sail. What do they cost in the USA, $450-$550?
Anyway, I'm sure you will love sailing that boat. I'm thrilled with my H15.
Cheers!