Owner racing

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HOW Editorial

39% of responding Hunter owners have entered their Hunters in an organized race, according to last week's Quick Quiz. What has your racing experience been? Has your Hunter performed well? Do you believe it's more about tactics and skills than hulls? What's been the primary element of your success -- or failure?
 
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Don

Hunter Racing for Fun

I have raced my Hunter 37.5 twice in the last three years. I don't take my racing seriously and I don't enter highly competitive regattas. The first race was a single handed regatta sponsored by the Galveston Bay Cruising Assoc. I placed first in my division and got squat for my effort (and $45 entry fee). The second place in my division was a C&C 37. I had to give him 20 seconds over the ten mile course. I beat him by one second on corrected time. I would not recommend single handed racing a Hunter 37.5 in an around the buoys race. It is too risky. I will not enter that race again. More than a year later, I heard about a Galveston Bay regatta that is connected with the Houston International Film Festival. The deal is, no entry fee, no protests, free beer (and barbecue) after the race. You take a number of passengers from the Houston International Film Festival. These people are non-sailors in general. You and your crew show them a good time by racing once around a 6 mile triangle course. Although there was a race committee and a formal starting sequence, etc., I would not consider this a serious test of sailing performance. However, it was a good feeling to cross the finish line first. On corrected time, I placed second behind a "race equipped" Sabre 32 that is a serious racer on Galveston Bay. He also had the advantage of watching me search for the second mark which had drifted 1/2 mile downwind from the position published in the race instructions. The second place trophy is nicer than my trophies left over from my previous life as a J/24 racer. Cruiser Don
 
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Kathie

Huanter cruising/facing

I have an 85 Hunter 31 on a large midwest lake. We have V 17 bottom, folding prop, 150 genoa. full battened main. We are almost always in top 3 of finishing. It is a great crusing and race boat. We do PHRF..never raced in one design with this boat. We also own a Viper 640..that is a race boat!
 
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Hrab john

Vision racing

Have entered two 24 hours races on Lake Champlain in the past year. One first overall (2nd PHRF) Third overall (2nd PHRF) Boat is excellent in heavy air 20 Kn+ did not need to reef, made up distance by pointing handles without any needed strenght: my driver was holding the wheel with two fingers at 25 kn of wind. It is slower in light wind otherwise holds straight, we never lost it even if we pushed it. We opened the main a little if we were heeling, and picked up speed doing it. In three to five feet of water it just plows right through. Everyone is amazed at the unsopported mast. (I get tired of explaing so I tell people that all the wiring was an optional extra that I could not afford, this stops conversations) It is really an amazing boat. The previous owner won local races five years out of seven on Narragansette Bay.(He changed it for a 376 last year. John Hrab, skipper Aurora Vision 32.
 
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Ron

Racing my Hunter

I've entered my boat in two "organized" races. My own experience wasn't all that rewarding. But, every class was won by a Hunter.... Does it count that both races were connected to a Hunter Rendevous?
 
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Gerald Davies

Racing H30

I race my '88 H30G in PHRF events in the Ventura CA area. These consist of bouy races in winter to the Channel Island races in the summer months. The races range from 10 - 50 miles depending on type. So far DEFENDER has finished as high as 4th and as low as 9th. These fleets are usually made up of 20 - 30 boats. I am of the opinion that Hunters are not the FASTEST boats but if sailed well can do great against the Catalina crowd / herd, and other like kind. Sailing on the Pacific is always a challenge and it is all about the crew then the hull gd
 
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Tim Gabrielse

Hunter racing

I have entered my previous boat - a hunter 31 - in lots of organized racing, mostly poin to point; and have done very well with her, against all makes of boats including C&C's, J24's etc. WE have collected many 1st's through 3rd's. I have recently raced my newly acquired Legend 37 against C&C 35's and Schock 35's in point to Piont and have beaten them, also The outcome of a race , for any make sailboat, is directly proportional to the amount of preperation an owner puts into the sailboat before and during a season. Tim Gabrielse Hunter Legend 37 BLAZE Sail # 42082
 
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Wilkie Marvel

1999 Figawi - Hunter 336

In this years Figawi we took first in Class out of about 24 boats.. Also we were the second boat to finish out 0f 200+ boats. Last year we took 3rd.. Beginning to learn to sail the 336 and keep it moving.. In this years race some local knowledge helped.. Find we must reef earlier then we had in the past to reduce rudder drag..
 
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