Question on Hunter 240 sailing performance

[John]

I would like to know how well a Hunter 240 sails.Does it point well in a 15 to 20 knot wind and what is the expected speed?How does it perform when the wind is up to 25 knots and there is a 3 to 4 foot choppy sea?Any good or bad features that I should know about?I live in New England and the winters are cold, is any special winterizing required for the water balast compartment?ThanksJohn

 

[Ken Shubert]

FACTS (0r and opinion)

The H240 has just slightly less sail than my H23.5 but generally it's the same boat. It doesn't point very well in winds above 15kts and the main sail should have a second reefing point added for winds over 20kts. It's tender in gusty winds and has notorious weather helm. Either a storm jib or a furler is necessary for stiff breezes too. It's a great boat in moderate winds and will outperform longer boats in light breezes though. The problems in winds over 20kts are mostly due to the size of the boat. I don't really think that any other water-ballast 24' boat will outperform it but there are limits. I quite often have the mainsail on the spreaders in strong winds and wear holes in the batten pockets which rub on the shrouds. KenS/V Wouff Hong

 

[Tom Adams]

h240 is Wonderful

1. Fantastic2. Yes3. Good (reef and reef early)4. Only good things to say5. No special winterizingGo for it!

 

[Joe R.]

my 240

We sail on Lake Michigan and the wind is often 20 to 30 mph. At 30, I stay tied up at the slip. 10 to 15 is ideal.15 to 20 is fun. 20 to 25 gets squirly until we reef the main. Actually 15 to 18 is OK to furl the main, but I like the speed at 18 with full sail.A self furling jib helps because there is a point with reefed main that full jib is too much and no jib is too slow.4 to 6 ft waves are fun. 8ft waves are scary. A broad side wave at 6 to 8 ft usually includes 25 to 30 mph winds and could cause a slap down with full sail. At which point I would probably be motoring. My 8 hp honda can go a good 30 miles on a tank of gas which can get you to safety in a high wind situation

 

[Eric C Lindstrom]

We've had a fantastic season

Our 240 performed well beyond our expectations. She was truly a fast and safe (we had our 16 months on board for most sails) boat that built my confidence in the water ballast each time we took her out.We could outsail many similar-sized boats on the fluky, narrow Finger Lakes and our accommodations were much more comfortable.After this season I would recommend the 240 to any new sailor.