Tender, it scares me

[LakeStlouis23.5]

Greetings
I have a 23.5 with the original 110 jib. If I am sailing single or jsut my gal and me and we get a gust I am very concerned that I will capsize. I have sailed on fixed keel boats and the rudder just empties out and the boat comes to. What would happen if I didnt let her point up and spill off all my wind.....It just scares me.....Any advice is appreciated

So that takes me to the 2nd reason for this thread. I am thinking i need a smaller jib. Should that be a storm jib or jjust a smaller jib. I see the specs for the normal 110 jib is 25,8" by 10'. So what should a smaller jib measure?

Thankis
Chip

 

[cephius (Dave)]

Chip,
Yes, these light boats can scare the daylights out of you in a gust.

Hunters are designed with a great deal of weather helm. This means if you do nothing when a gusts hits, the bow will swerve violently into the wind. With enough wind force, the excessive heal brings the rudder out of the water so you have no choice but to swerve into the wind. While all this makes for a rough ride, it prevents the one thing you are concerned about, a capsize.

Flying a smaller jib will help. At lease up until the rig is overpowered for the conditions again.

If your rig is not overpowered, hold your course and let the boat heel. I find that looking forward instead of to the lee really helps with your boat confidence. If your rudder starts to get overpowered, ease the sheets just enough to maintain your course. This makes for a smoother ride than heading into the wind with each gust.

You can use sail trim, or reef, to help keep the power down. One trick I use to temporary power down is to use the jib to backwind the main. (Force a bubble in the main luff by sheeting the jib too tight.)

 

[Bobbi Ullinger]

When we got our '93 23.5 in '93, we traded from a keel boat that was much more stable, and it took a bit of getting use too. But, as long as the ballast tank is full and the drain valve is closed, the boat will not capsize. Before it capsizes, the helm pressure will get extreemly heavy, and the boat will round up.

Stick with it, and give yourself a chance to get use to the boat. It's a good, safe, fun boat.

 

[Steve Dion]

You can alway reduce the sail with a reef before you head out.

 

[Clayton Fawcett]

Try Reefing the Main Down

Hello,

Try reefing the main down when you head out. This should bring the center of effort of the sailplan lower (slightly) and will take some power out of the rig. It should sail fairly well with a reefed main and full jib.

Give it a shot, might help until you realize that the boat won't capsize.

Regards

 

[LakeStlouis23.5]

Well I guess I am just being over concerned. Does anyone have a suggestion on a jib

 

[peptobysmol]

Jib

you should consider reigning in the jib when gusts are too much. You should really keep your eye out for the gusts. If you are too occupied to watch for the gusts and are worried about a knock down. Either reef the main or furl/take down the jib. Either way reduce your sail area to compensate for the gusts. Ideally you'd watch for the gusts and let the sails out to prevent a broach or knock down. HTH and keep sailing!

 

[LakeStlouis23.5]

Re: Jib

So it sounds like the boat can be knocked down. i do whatch for gusts and let out the main or luff the jib a bit. I will reef if I am single handling the boat. Dont like to take down the jib as the boat doesnt point well without it. That is why I ma considering a storm or smaller jib as it is between a reef and no jib.

 

[LakeStlouis23.5]

Dave
Thanks for the tip on sheeting the jib in to back-wind the main. Will try that.

 

[Rick Webb]

Don't Sweat it at All

You cannot get the rail of this one in the water. You can get the windows in the water but if you heel over any further than that the rudder comes out of the water and the boat rounds up into the wind.

 

[JoeWhite]

An other way to spill the wind is to move the jib sheet as far aft as possible. I added a block aft of the winch and on a windy day this block is where the jib sheet is routed to the winch. This change opens the head of the jib and spills the wind. You can also move the main traveller to windward. This will lift the boom, put more twist on the main and spill more of the wind.

 

[owner23.5]

coming on 2nd year with our h23.5 and first year nearly scared wife outa sailing "as well as me " due to the rapid heel and feeling were going over.Until I get more experience Ive learned to always have the " main line?" in one hand ready to let out. In one summer however I learned to lean this boat pretty far as people that have seen it heeled commented on afterwards.love the customer pics here of this one fella and his wife have it heeled over so much their propping their feet on the other side of the cockpit" almost standing straight up while their horizontal in the cockpit ,my wife wont allow such sailing behavior yet ....

 

[WTA]

Hunter designed their B&R rigs too use the mainsail as the powerhouse and the jib is more for rig stabilization. If the conditions are so windy that you are in fear of going over, then you have way too much canvas in the air. I believe whole heartedly in the proverb "Reef Early, Reef Often" on these water ballast boats. You actually tend to pickup speed when you are not constantly having to dump the mainsail. I have had my H240 out in 30 knot wind before (not on purpose) and with no jib and reefed main, she handled just fine. The waves were more of a problem than the wind. If you are consistently heeling more than 20 degrees, you are probably flying too much sail. Try shortening sail until you stay in around the 15 degree mark.

Fair Winds,

WTA

 

[seadaddler]

Reef Reef Reef

You need to reef more and not get a smaller jib.
If you check the weather before and they say gusting than before you leave the dock you set up your main sail or even better you need to learn to reef the main and also roll up and furl the jib.
Once you learn these things you will be a much better sailor,practice is what you need to do when you go out sailing on a nice day without gust.
Nick

 

[Dan]

Chip -

I think the main point here is that your boat isn't as near to capsizing as it may seem. You have options available to you without the need to get a smaller jib:

1. reef early and often
2. depower the main by flattening it and sheeting it out a bit
3. depower the jib by sheeting it out a bit. you can also furl it in a bit to balance the boat.
4. sail farther off the wind
5. be ready to release the mainsheet if you feel overpowered

I think you'll learn to not be as afraid with more experience.

 

[Clayton Fawcett]

Polarized Glasses Help Spot the Gusts

I was thinking after I posted yesterday and was wondering if you have Polarized Sunglasses available. I found a number of years ago that they really help me see the puffs coming. If you can see them coming, then you will be better prepared when they get there.

Just a thought...

 

[cest ah]

tender sailing

I sailed a 23.5 for years and they are tender but I found that reefing early ussually kept things reasonable. I also had a 60% jib that really helped when the winds got up to the 20s. There was a vidio around that showed 2 guys trying to turtle this boat multiple times and it just could not be done, however it can broach rather violently. Reef early and reef often.

 

[Bill Leathen]

visit you tube

There is a video on you tube showing some guys trying to capsize a hunter 23.5. They even attach some kind of a weight part way up the mast to increase the heel. Thy can not do it. The boat turns up wind but seems to be impossible to capsize. Check it out. There are a lot of interesiting sailing videos on you tube.

 

[C Jones]

This is the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w00suzaDh_A


Hope this link works

 

[scott21050]

Do you have a furler for the head sail? It well help you reduce your jib sail area and reef the main to your comfort zone. I think it would be cheaper than buying a smaller jib and easier to set.

Good luck,

Scott