So How Many of Us Are There?

May 12, 2004
1,505
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
Production ran from, I believe, '74 thru '82. J. Cherubini III, his son, might chime in and give a more detailed answer.
Sorry, John. I thought you were JC the Third. I stand corrected.
 
Aug 23, 2016
34
Hunter 30 Chula Vista
This seems like a good thread to introduce myself. I'm a new Cherubini Hunter owner (as of August), and I've been finding CRITICAL information on this site! I haven't posted anything yet, since I don't have anything to offer except questions (and so far the right searching techniques have gotten answers). Already I'm feeling overwhelmed by a big restoration project, but I'm encouraged by the camaraderie, the shared repairs and experiences (some not so positive, but that's helpful too), and pictures of others enjoying their similar boats. And I've connected with an owner of a similar boat that needed similar repairs here in my area through this forum.
By the way, I purchased a 1979 Hunter 30 that was abandoned at a marina. It needs everything from standing rigging to sewer tank (just figured out that if the sewage tank leak was 2 inches lower, or the boat had more load in the bow, it would be on the bottom of the harbor). I can't even sail due to rotten sails and buckled compression post I-beam. So I need all the repair advice I can get. I'm a mechanical engineer, but I don't have much experience with boats except for a 20' Seacraft open fisherman and Hobie 16 that I grew up with (but my dad did most of the real repairs on those). I think I was trying to return to roots or something related to a midlife crisis (last midlife crisis shown in profile pic, need to sell to finance current midlife crisis). So the input from you guys is huge!
WP_20160805_14_27_50_Pro.jpg
 
Aug 23, 2016
34
Hunter 30 Chula Vista
I should also mention that I feel very guilty about my non-Hunter excursions. But every time I sail a rental Catalina, I'm dreaming about my Hunter....
Cat 250 in SD.jpg
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,343
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Hey man, I be jammin' too! Listening to some reggae even as I write. Mid-life crisis indeed. Welcome to the forum. Throw out your questions as you please to this forum, and perhaps "Ask all Sailors", you clearly know how to add photos...which always help define issues or improvements. The dudes on this Hunter forum are awesome. They made my first season aboard my '78 H30C on Cayuga Lake, NY, the most stress free, awesome sailing season of my life. My boat didn't need too much to get her under sail. But the harder I look, the more needs done. We're out of the water now, but still got a few weeks before the big freeze shows up. Best of luck on your new project. Don't hesitate to get the word out if you need some help.

Wayne
 
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Jan 24, 2009
450
1981 Cherubini Hunter 27 Shipwright Harbor Marina, MD
"But every time I sail a rental Catalina, I'm dreaming about my Hunter..."
At least you're sailing! :biggrin: Between tracking down leaks, putting new hatches in, and hyrdilla clogging the marina, I haven't been sailing all season. Maybe, maybe, maybe, this Sunday finally... (maybe)
 
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Aug 23, 2016
34
Hunter 30 Chula Vista
'BlowMeAway', the pic you posted earlier in this thread is beautiful, and it's really motivating to see people out enjoying a boat that looks just like mine (but in better shape).

dkeagle, yeah, people kept telling me not to buy, just to rent through a sailing club to get the most sailing time per dollar. And of course, crewing on other people's boats during races. That was fun for awhile, but I wanted to be able to upgrade and customize the boat, and stay on it after dark, and take it anywhere I want. And even just be part of the marina community. Just needs some work first, so when relatives show up and I want to take them out on the water, I go back to the rental for now, even though it feels weird to rent a Catalina 250 with an H30 in the slip. But the other day a neighbor at the marina who had bought a de-masted Buccaneer 24 in need of TLC said, "Hey, I just bought an outboard, let's go motor around!" When I walked up to his boat the mast was up, new rigging installed, sails on the decks, and the hull was polished up and pretty. "What? Motor around? Let's sail this puppy!" "I haven't learned how to sail yet." So I got an afternoon of free sailing with beer included for just giving a sailing lesson to a nice guy. And it was inspiring to be a part of his project getting to point where he could really enjoy it.

I should also mention that I've found that sailors in general are very helpful and friendly. This is one thing I like about RVing, but even more so with boating. So when the general population has me down, reading these forums and hanging out at the marina helps restore my faith in humanity. Another reason sailing is therapeutic!
 
Oct 19, 2016
11
Hunter 27 Palatka, Florida
Hello all, new here. I have a Hunter 27 from 1978, and am looking forward to learning all I can here from other Hunter owners. I have a few problems, but the hull itself seems reasonable! I have a lot of work I have done on the haulout I am doing, to include a defouling, bottom paint, hull work and fairing, painting of the freeboards, and I am in the process of putting a bit of work inside too!

Before:



During (as of a few days ago, I did more today):
 
Oct 19, 2016
11
Hunter 27 Palatka, Florida
This seems like a good thread to introduce myself. I'm a new Cherubini Hunter owner (as of August), and I've been finding CRITICAL information on this site! I haven't posted anything yet, since I don't have anything to offer except questions (and so far the right searching techniques have gotten answers). Already I'm feeling overwhelmed by a big restoration project, but I'm encouraged by the camaraderie, the shared repairs and experiences (some not so positive, but that's helpful too), and pictures of others enjoying their similar boats. And I've connected with an owner of a similar boat that needed similar repairs here in my area through this forum.
By the way, I purchased a 1979 Hunter 30 that was abandoned at a marina. It needs everything from standing rigging to sewer tank (just figured out that if the sewage tank leak was 2 inches lower, or the boat had more load in the bow, it would be on the bottom of the harbor). I can't even sail due to rotten sails and buckled compression post I-beam. So I need all the repair advice I can get. I'm a mechanical engineer, but I don't have much experience with boats except for a 20' Seacraft open fisherman and Hobie 16 that I grew up with (but my dad did most of the real repairs on those). I think I was trying to return to roots or something related to a midlife crisis (last midlife crisis shown in profile pic, need to sell to finance current midlife crisis). So the input from you guys is huge!View attachment 129293
Ben, I don't see the forward signal lights on your bow... How odd, mine seems to have them factory installed... Of course, my boat seems to have a ton of things that are different from every other H27 I can locate too...
 
Aug 23, 2016
34
Hunter 30 Chula Vista
Sailing Fan, true, my 79 H30 doesn't have the recessed ones, it has a bow light attached to the pulpit. I googled 1978 Hunter 30, and it looks like they did have the recessed ones in 78. Must have been a cost cutting measure or something between those model years. I've read that some people remove them, maybe it's a potential leak area.
 
Oct 19, 2016
11
Hunter 27 Palatka, Florida
Sailing Fan, true, my 79 H30 doesn't have the recessed ones, it has a bow light attached to the pulpit. I googled 1978 Hunter 30, and it looks like they did have the recessed ones in 78. Must have been a cost cutting measure or something between those model years. I've read that some people remove them, maybe it's a potential leak area.
I doubt the leak issue is substantial, at least I can easily access them, and they are so far above the waterline that it seems that if you are leaking there, you have larger fish to fry at that moment. I do seem to have a light shining into the anchor locker that is NOT the hawse for the rode, and that concerns me immensely. It appears to be at the terminal tip of the stem, but I am looking into that tomorrow.

Mine also does not have the double lifeline that I see in the brochures and around the boatyard for other H27's of vintage both before and after my own. I additionally have tiller only steering, and today saw a 77 H 27 with a binnacle/wheel steering setup, a shallow draft keel like mine, slightly different windows, and the coaming around the cockpit was different. That boat had some rather substantial blowouts in the fiberglass underwater hull as well.

It made me appreciative of the condition I do have available in my own vessel, because mine is far better in condition than this other yard vessel. I checked my sails for the first time today, and they were in excellent shape, with a couple tiny hole in the foresail (can be covered with a single patch) and a stain and slight seam repair necessary on the Main. All these are quite easy to remedy, so I was very happy, especially since it saved me about $1400 in sails when I found these were in good shape.

I did some more hull painting today, and things are looking good (will add pics tomorrow, did not take any today for some reason, excited I suppose!). The paint bleed from the tape I put on her prior to my surgery (that took me out of commission for a month or so) had been rained on, baked in the sun, gathered tons of bugs, and gone through Hurricane Matthew. It bled as if I had just lain paper against the hull and poured paint on the seam. The cleanup painting effort today has immensely helped with that situation, so really makes her look good. Now to get the tape off that toe rail... UGH....
 

HM25LB

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Jul 31, 2016
6
Hunter 33 Mimico Cruising Club
Hi everyone,
Well, I sure hope you folks don't wander to far away because I am also a new owner of a '82 Hunter 33 Cherubini (since July '16) and the more time I spend with her, the more I love her. I took it of someone's hands that really didn't know what to do with her and didn't really look after her.
Anyways, she's now in good hands and I will spend time fixing a few things here and there, that being said, I am not too handy so your help will be most appreciated when I am seeking it.
Thanks for having the forum and keeping it alive, I have already consulted it a few times and found great stuff I needed to know.
My Hunter is now hauled out and getting ready for the winter. I suppose now is a great time do work on upgrades and renos.
Get ready for the questions.
Thanks guys.
 
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Nov 30, 2015
1,343
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Welcome HM25LB. Bring it on! We've got all winter to get things answered up here in the North.
 
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Nov 17, 2014
13
Catalina 30 3099 Louisville
I do lurk as well. I grew up on my Fathers 80' 33, I have a 77' Hunter 30 that I'm in the process of repairing. It had a rotten core on the cabintop.The boat had been abandoned at a marina for what I guess to be 15 Years, I hope to have it in by the spring. also several of us post in the Cherubini Hunters facebook group.
 

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Oct 19, 2016
11
Hunter 27 Palatka, Florida
Tehsailor, I will check out the Facebook group as well. I had not considered that there would actually be a Cherubini group out there!
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,343
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
I do lurk as well. I grew up on my Fathers 80' 33, I have a 77' Hunter 30.
Wow, Tehsailor, that looks awful with the deck rotting. How did so much water get into the wood core? Was that boat underwater at some time? I can't imagine recoring and glassing all that. You're a bigger man than most of us here. How's the rest of the boat? I think you may have drawn the biggest project boat ever...a lot of folks on this forum would be interested in your progress, and probably could help with restoration. But damn man, that's brutal what you're working with.

By the way...welcome brother, we own the same boat.

Wayne
 
Nov 17, 2014
13
Catalina 30 3099 Louisville
Every Cherubini hunter I've seen had crazing on the cabintop that's allowed some water intrusion and softspots to form over the years. Unfortunately one of the PO's had taken off the handrails so it sat with those holes exposed for I don't know how many years which completely ruined it. The only core that was fine was the plywood that was used under the handrails. I got the boat from Carlyle Illinois, Got plenty of funny looks trailering a 30 foot boat.

The boat was listed as PARTS ONLY. which I hate to see a good boat be parted out/cut up. Besides the cabintop core being mulch the boat was also on it's cradle improperly and for way to long (and aparently with water inside) Thankfully it didn't get into the engine compartment (it still turns over!)

So the stern of the boat had oil canned in, putting it on a proper trailer it's popped back into place for the most part. the wonders of fiberglass. (it did break the tabbing on the aft berth though) The Teak flooring is ruined and the compression post and Steel I beam were just gone. Those have been replaced and the majority of the hard work has been completed. My father and I are just prepping the topsides to be repainted (I'm going to be using Perfection, and TuffCoat for nonskid)

Projects boats are a labor of love, and when you're in/fresh out of college you have more time than money so in my case it worked out. It's also helped immensely that my father is in the boat repair business and done a similar repair on his own. Just not nearly as extensive.

One pro to the boat was that someone had recently installed the new style Lewmar hatches so I'm really happy about that. I was also able to find and source replacement dome lights for the interior at $9 dollars for the singles and $15 for the doubles. I really can't wait to see it finished and in the water.
 
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Nov 30, 2015
1,343
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
IMG_0274.JPG
Every Cherubini hunter I've seen had crazing on the cabintop that's allowed some water intrusion and softspots to form over the years. Unfortunately one of the PO's had taken off the handrails so it sat with those holes exposed for I don't know how many years which completely ruined it. Projects boats are a labor of love, and when you're in/fresh out of college you have more time than money so in my case it worked. I really can't wait to see it finished and in the water.
Nice, you've got that winning attitude. I sense success coming your way. Best of luck and keep us posted with progress pics and questions as they arise. We are here to help...at least verbally. When you're done it'll probably look better than my ole girl above.
 
Nov 17, 2014
13
Catalina 30 3099 Louisville
I do like that yours has an Anchor locker, mine doesn't. But on that same note you get so much more vbirth without one.
 
Oct 19, 2016
11
Hunter 27 Palatka, Florida
I have noticed that most of the H27's I am seeing have a second top hatch, behind the mast and forward of the companionway slide. Mine does not. I am also considering replacing my cracked single top hatch frame with a wood one that I can reinstall the otherwise intact pane into.

I, too, have witnessed the horrible gelcoat crazing on the cabin top. Mine has not has as much intrusion yet, as so far only the mast step seems damaged (poor bedding of fittings for leading lines aft by a PO), and that damage seems to be about a foot or so square, solidly under the mast itself.

I am looking for a way to lower the mast to effect repair of that area, as I cannot think of another way to safely do the work. The cabin top is not compressed internally, it is just the core, about 1/2 inch of compression within the core material itself. I am considering using a portable man lift to raise the mast, carving off the area of glass directly under it (the T shaped section, essentially, plus some side material to ensure even repair and an even base height after I push the caved glass skin to proper height again and reinstall it). I am probably going to use fiberglass fabric and epoxy for the repair (thinking maybe plywood instead, just not sure yet, I have both available plus plenty of epoxy, at the moment). I have the feeling this will not go as easily as it just seems it must go, because I am blessed like that.