H54's were designed for ocean racing
Hi Wendy, The 54 has been in a number of ocean races. Last summer, there was one that competed in the singlehanded Transpac 2000 from San Francisco to Hawaii (BTW, it placed 1st in division on corrected time, 2nd overall, just hours behind a SC52). I just bought a 1983 H54 last fall, the last one made, hull #42. From what I've seen and heard, here's my advice. First, secure the dinghy garage door as best you can. Mine only has one hasp on the stbd side securing it. There was a thread here a few months ago from someone who wanted to do a transatlantic crossing. Search the archives for "Crossing the Atlantic Eastbound". Next, if you’re not completely satisfied with your present autopilot, you might want to read a thread from last month entitled “Autopilots and steering a Hunter 54 downwind.” That thread is probably in the archives by now, too. Next, take a look at the two cockpit lockers under the seats on either side of the helm. The "bin" under the hatch on stbd side on mine is loose, meaning it can be lifted out, thereby exposing the locker opening to the entire below-decks area. The same locker on the port side on mine is glued in. Both of these should be secured so that in the event of a severe knockdown, you won't ship any water through these. Likewise, you should have a lanyard for the hatchboards to keep them in place for the same event. Below decks, there are some drawers and covers that need latches to keep them in place for heavy weather. Some examples include the refrig hatch, the drawers over the galley sinks, and the bottle compartment inside the salon table. Depending upon the number of crew you’re planning for, you may need to rig some sea berths. The quarter berth is the only one I am comfortable in while underway. Hope this helps. Where are you planning on going? Eric Lorgus s/v Impulse 83H54
