What is the stability of the Hunter 33 in heavy weather? Does the 12'10'' beam really compensate for the mere 4,000 ballast in a boat of 10,500 displacement? If I buy the boat in question it will be sailed on San Francisco Bay and the ocean outside the Golden Gate. I should appreciate any comments from owners who have had her out in strong winds and heavy seas.
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Bill Lockridge
Have one
I have a 1980 Hunter 33 just bought it one year ago in August. Have sailed it during varying conditions here on the bay. My Family and I are going to cruise her down to Monterey this August. She is extremely comfortable in all kinds of conditions. My wife who has never been on a boat smaller than a ferry before buying this boat just the other day motored over to McCovey cove with me doing just the navigation in the cove. She is terrified of the Gate and so in saying that we can take our six kids and her down the coast should say alot for her feelings on how safe the boat is. E-mail me with your phone number and I will call to see if you would like to see our boat and or just talk about how she sails and handles. lockjr@pacbell.net
I have a 1980 Hunter 33 just bought it one year ago in August. Have sailed it during varying conditions here on the bay. My Family and I are going to cruise her down to Monterey this August. She is extremely comfortable in all kinds of conditions. My wife who has never been on a boat smaller than a ferry before buying this boat just the other day motored over to McCovey cove with me doing just the navigation in the cove. She is terrified of the Gate and so in saying that we can take our six kids and her down the coast should say alot for her feelings on how safe the boat is. E-mail me with your phone number and I will call to see if you would like to see our boat and or just talk about how she sails and handles. lockjr@pacbell.net
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Porter Claytor
H33 1980 Fun
I think you need to check the beam dimension, actually it is a bit smaller than the 12' 10" you mention. I can say I have had mine out in close to 10 foot seas for a time and other than raising the pucker factor a notch or two, the boat was fantastic. I've read alotover the years about bad acting boats, this is not one of them and all I have is the shoal draft (4 foot). Have fun! S/V Cynara try porter@LCE.com
I think you need to check the beam dimension, actually it is a bit smaller than the 12' 10" you mention. I can say I have had mine out in close to 10 foot seas for a time and other than raising the pucker factor a notch or two, the boat was fantastic. I've read alotover the years about bad acting boats, this is not one of them and all I have is the shoal draft (4 foot). Have fun! S/V Cynara try porter@LCE.com
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Tim Schaaf
A good boat
I have had my 1980 H33 since early 1982, when I bought it in the SF Bay area. I sailed there for six years, including up and down the California coast. Subsequently, I sailed her for three years in Southern California. For the last ten, I have been based in Mexico. My boat and I have sailed all over the Sea of Cortez. We plan to head in the direction of NZ next year. I have lived aboard for all but four years of my ownership. This has been a very good boat. Yes, I have had to modify her, somewhat, and yes, I have had to do an extensive blister job. And, like many of the Hunter's of her era, she has suffered minor deck delaminations. But, all of these things have been correctable without to much of a struggle, and none of them take away from the basic design of the boat. You will find that she has many well thought out features and details. She is very easily sailed short-handed, and has several very good sea-berths. She is pretty tough, too. Disadvantages are being initially tender due to her ten foot beam. The ballast to displacement ratio is good, but the narrow hull heels easily. Of course, she also goes to weather well, as a result of the fine entry. Just be willing to reef early. In my Bay Area days, I used to put in a reef in Spring that stayed there until the Fall. The boat sails much better upright. I also found that a full-batten main was a good addition. She also has an extremely wet cockpit. I would say a dodger is mandatory, and I added deflection boards between the cockpit coamings and the toe rails on either side of the boat, and cut out a short section of the vertical part of the toerail, to allow the water to go overboard. The deflectors direct the water that would otherwise come cascading back over the helmmsman's seat, off the side of the boat.They are angled aft, from a spot on the coaming aft of the winches, to the rail forward of the pulpit and backstays. Since these modifications, the cockpit changed into a very nice dry place. You will get the idea, the first time you take her out in a blow. But these are minor things. Get the boat, and enjoy.
I have had my 1980 H33 since early 1982, when I bought it in the SF Bay area. I sailed there for six years, including up and down the California coast. Subsequently, I sailed her for three years in Southern California. For the last ten, I have been based in Mexico. My boat and I have sailed all over the Sea of Cortez. We plan to head in the direction of NZ next year. I have lived aboard for all but four years of my ownership. This has been a very good boat. Yes, I have had to modify her, somewhat, and yes, I have had to do an extensive blister job. And, like many of the Hunter's of her era, she has suffered minor deck delaminations. But, all of these things have been correctable without to much of a struggle, and none of them take away from the basic design of the boat. You will find that she has many well thought out features and details. She is very easily sailed short-handed, and has several very good sea-berths. She is pretty tough, too. Disadvantages are being initially tender due to her ten foot beam. The ballast to displacement ratio is good, but the narrow hull heels easily. Of course, she also goes to weather well, as a result of the fine entry. Just be willing to reef early. In my Bay Area days, I used to put in a reef in Spring that stayed there until the Fall. The boat sails much better upright. I also found that a full-batten main was a good addition. She also has an extremely wet cockpit. I would say a dodger is mandatory, and I added deflection boards between the cockpit coamings and the toe rails on either side of the boat, and cut out a short section of the vertical part of the toerail, to allow the water to go overboard. The deflectors direct the water that would otherwise come cascading back over the helmmsman's seat, off the side of the boat.They are angled aft, from a spot on the coaming aft of the winches, to the rail forward of the pulpit and backstays. Since these modifications, the cockpit changed into a very nice dry place. You will get the idea, the first time you take her out in a blow. But these are minor things. Get the boat, and enjoy.
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Tim Schaaf
a bit more
My main has three reefs, and I have a roller furling jib. I found that the H33 could handle just about anything with two reefs in the main and the jib furled about seven or eight times. This includes rough Northern and Central California coastal sailing, Pt. Sur, Pt Concepcion, etc. etc.
My main has three reefs, and I have a roller furling jib. I found that the H33 could handle just about anything with two reefs in the main and the jib furled about seven or eight times. This includes rough Northern and Central California coastal sailing, Pt. Sur, Pt Concepcion, etc. etc.
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Jim Logan
I agree with Tim Schaaf
I'll echo everything that Tim Schaaf said, especially the part about adding the boards to keep the water from draining into the helmsmans seat. The boat is tough, you will probably have a blister problem (although I haven't fixed mine, as it is gelcoat blister, rather than the more worrisome delamination), but I've had 10 ft seas over the boat, no problems except the plastic portlights leak, but spending about $600 to replace them with new ones will stop that. If the 2QM15 Yanmar has been taken care of, then it will still be good for lots of years, but it will not power the boat into heavy seas and wind very well. You could spend a lot more money and get a lot less boat. I'm satisfied.
I'll echo everything that Tim Schaaf said, especially the part about adding the boards to keep the water from draining into the helmsmans seat. The boat is tough, you will probably have a blister problem (although I haven't fixed mine, as it is gelcoat blister, rather than the more worrisome delamination), but I've had 10 ft seas over the boat, no problems except the plastic portlights leak, but spending about $600 to replace them with new ones will stop that. If the 2QM15 Yanmar has been taken care of, then it will still be good for lots of years, but it will not power the boat into heavy seas and wind very well. You could spend a lot more money and get a lot less boat. I'm satisfied.
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Sam Lust
More 33
Just a few notes on my 1983 shoal draft 33. I don't find my 33 particularlt tender. It heels to about 15 degrees and selttles in there, after which it takes quite a bit more to get it to go further. My sailmaker was just out with me this morning and commented on the boat's stabilitysaying it has the feel of a much larger boat. I just finished a bottom job, sandblasting and barrier coating the bottom. Not one blister! Each boat is different. Maybe by '83 they had figured out what caused it. You're not likely to find more boat for the kind of money you'll pay for a Cherubini Hunter 33. If you've found a good one snap it up!
Just a few notes on my 1983 shoal draft 33. I don't find my 33 particularlt tender. It heels to about 15 degrees and selttles in there, after which it takes quite a bit more to get it to go further. My sailmaker was just out with me this morning and commented on the boat's stabilitysaying it has the feel of a much larger boat. I just finished a bottom job, sandblasting and barrier coating the bottom. Not one blister! Each boat is different. Maybe by '83 they had figured out what caused it. You're not likely to find more boat for the kind of money you'll pay for a Cherubini Hunter 33. If you've found a good one snap it up!
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