Just recently purchased a 1994 Hunter 26 with water ballast tanks. I plan on leaving it in the water over the winter. Any suggestions for keeping the tanks from freezing? Can you just add antifreeze though the top plug? How is antifreeze on the fiberglass tanks??? Also, how can you find an owner's manual for this boat online? Free preferably...
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Not a good idea
This question has been asked a few times before. You can't add enough antifreeze to 260+ gallons to make a difference. The temperature of the air in the cabin will freeze the ballast even if the water temp is much higher. Definitely not worth losing the boat over, which is what will happen if it freezes. You HAVE to pull the boat for the winter. I hate it, too.... but it's a super great boat that I trailer a lot.
This question has been asked a few times before. You can't add enough antifreeze to 260+ gallons to make a difference. The temperature of the air in the cabin will freeze the ballast even if the water temp is much higher. Definitely not worth losing the boat over, which is what will happen if it freezes. You HAVE to pull the boat for the winter. I hate it, too.... but it's a super great boat that I trailer a lot.
owner's manual ...
The owner's manual for the 260, which is almost the same except for rudder and the sail plan (very similar though), is at the link below. For $20 I bought the it from Hunter, BUT they did not give me the one for my year so the spars were different. If you freeze the tank, insurance won't cover it and the boat will be toast. You would have to empty the tank and fill with appropriat amounts of anti-freeze and water. It will not be cheap, doubt that it would harm the glass, would use the non-toxic one. alan
The owner's manual for the 260, which is almost the same except for rudder and the sail plan (very similar though), is at the link below. For $20 I bought the it from Hunter, BUT they did not give me the one for my year so the spars were different. If you freeze the tank, insurance won't cover it and the boat will be toast. You would have to empty the tank and fill with appropriat amounts of anti-freeze and water. It will not be cheap, doubt that it would harm the glass, would use the non-toxic one. alan
H26 Manual
Welcome to the H25/260 world. There is a lot of information on this forum and in the archives about your boat. We're all here to help. I concur with the other comments. The major advantage of the H260 is that it is trailerable. If you never intend to use it this way, you are probably better off with another type of sailboat. I agree, leaving your boat in the water without some way to keep the ballast tank from freezing is a BIG mistake. Yes, it's conceivable that you could try to fill it with antifreeze, but it probably won't work. This is a 200 gl tank and I can't even begin to calculate how much antifreeze you'll need, what type would be best, how to get it in that little hole, what environmental problems you'd create, and what you'd do with it in the spring. I can just see the headlines now "Boat Owner Arrested for Fish Kill in Chesapeake Bay". Also, since the ballast tank valve leaks you'd have to haul the boat anyway to seal the tank. Sounds like you don't have a trailer. It would be fairly easy to build a cradle for it and store in a a local yard. Check this link for the H260 trailer. It has all the specs you'll need to build one: http://kobernus.com/hunter260/trailer1/dimensions.htm Check with Hunter for the H26 manual. You can find the H260 manual (very similar to the H26) at this link courtesy of Jim Seamans. http://www.ayesail.net/sailing/Hunter/ManualH260/HunterTitlePage.htm Over the winter I'd think about getting a trailer. There is lots of information on trailering your boat and other subjects at this link: http://www.kobernus.com/hunter260/index.html
Welcome to the H25/260 world. There is a lot of information on this forum and in the archives about your boat. We're all here to help. I concur with the other comments. The major advantage of the H260 is that it is trailerable. If you never intend to use it this way, you are probably better off with another type of sailboat. I agree, leaving your boat in the water without some way to keep the ballast tank from freezing is a BIG mistake. Yes, it's conceivable that you could try to fill it with antifreeze, but it probably won't work. This is a 200 gl tank and I can't even begin to calculate how much antifreeze you'll need, what type would be best, how to get it in that little hole, what environmental problems you'd create, and what you'd do with it in the spring. I can just see the headlines now "Boat Owner Arrested for Fish Kill in Chesapeake Bay". Also, since the ballast tank valve leaks you'd have to haul the boat anyway to seal the tank. Sounds like you don't have a trailer. It would be fairly easy to build a cradle for it and store in a a local yard. Check this link for the H260 trailer. It has all the specs you'll need to build one: http://kobernus.com/hunter260/trailer1/dimensions.htm Check with Hunter for the H26 manual. You can find the H260 manual (very similar to the H26) at this link courtesy of Jim Seamans. http://www.ayesail.net/sailing/Hunter/ManualH260/HunterTitlePage.htm Over the winter I'd think about getting a trailer. There is lots of information on trailering your boat and other subjects at this link: http://www.kobernus.com/hunter260/index.html
George knows that 260 but....
While many consider it a giant water tank with a sail I think George got the water ballast weight and tank size a teensy bit reversed. A 2000gal tank would be just about as big as the whole hull but its "200" gal tank weighs about 2000lb full. Please don't dump 100gal of antifreeze(or any) in that tank. When emptied it will be an eviromental disaster. You just can't winterize this tank and leave it in the water, Pull the boat. Thanks, Michael
While many consider it a giant water tank with a sail I think George got the water ballast weight and tank size a teensy bit reversed. A 2000gal tank would be just about as big as the whole hull but its "200" gal tank weighs about 2000lb full. Please don't dump 100gal of antifreeze(or any) in that tank. When emptied it will be an eviromental disaster. You just can't winterize this tank and leave it in the water, Pull the boat. Thanks, Michael
H260 Ballast Tank
Of Course Mike is correct: 1 gl of water weighs 8.35 lbs 2000lbs = 240 gls Lets see, at a 50 percent ratio you'd be looking at over 100 gls of antifreeze. Gosh this is fun...
Of Course Mike is correct: 1 gl of water weighs 8.35 lbs 2000lbs = 240 gls Lets see, at a 50 percent ratio you'd be looking at over 100 gls of antifreeze. Gosh this is fun...
We Talked About This a Number of Times Before
Rock salt was thought of as a means of improving the odds. Check the archive for previous discusions. You seem to be on the cusp of where to wory aout it and where not to even think about it. The best option may be to find a place where you could keep the mast up on the trailer and launch it each time you want to use it.
Rock salt was thought of as a means of improving the odds. Check the archive for previous discusions. You seem to be on the cusp of where to wory aout it and where not to even think about it. The best option may be to find a place where you could keep the mast up on the trailer and launch it each time you want to use it.
Ballast Water H260
From Hunter H26/260 Manual: "...If subjected to freezing conditions, the water inside the tank can freeze and expand. The expansion will cause the tank to repture or break its join where it is sealed to the hull. This damage will render the boat unusable" "The temperature of the surrounding water will not (because of the insulating qualities of the balsa core) prevent the tank from freezing when the air temperatures go below the freezing point." "Hunter recommends that the boat be removed from the water during freezing conditions; and that the ballast tank be drained and the valve be left in the open position."
From Hunter H26/260 Manual: "...If subjected to freezing conditions, the water inside the tank can freeze and expand. The expansion will cause the tank to repture or break its join where it is sealed to the hull. This damage will render the boat unusable" "The temperature of the surrounding water will not (because of the insulating qualities of the balsa core) prevent the tank from freezing when the air temperatures go below the freezing point." "Hunter recommends that the boat be removed from the water during freezing conditions; and that the ballast tank be drained and the valve be left in the open position."
Yes, but...
If you pump the water out of the ballast, the boat will be very unstable. Even in a slip with the windage of the hull alone, this boat could easily tip over and sink. For example, I once launched in 25-30 knots winds (it was 12 knots when I started) and didn't open the ballast to fill. When I was broadside to the wind, the boat went to about 65 degrees and my back got wet! With the companionway wide open, I thought I was going to go over and down. I just wouldn't take this chance, even if it was tied to the dock securely. This boat is meant to be on the hard in freezing conditions.
If you pump the water out of the ballast, the boat will be very unstable. Even in a slip with the windage of the hull alone, this boat could easily tip over and sink. For example, I once launched in 25-30 knots winds (it was 12 knots when I started) and didn't open the ballast to fill. When I was broadside to the wind, the boat went to about 65 degrees and my back got wet! With the companionway wide open, I thought I was going to go over and down. I just wouldn't take this chance, even if it was tied to the dock securely. This boat is meant to be on the hard in freezing conditions.
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