What I liked about the Boat...more

St Martin. Hanging out at Time Out Boatyard - note the BBQ we purchased there!

Making Decisions: Part 2

Manoeuvrability. The wheel steering is light and the boat responsive, especially when manoeuvring around a marina.  It’s also well balanced providing the sails are set properly, same as any other sailing boat. Big fella though and so need to be careful and well fendered when approaching a dock (I’ve got 10 fenders). 

Ventilation.  Very well ventilated with lots of opening aluminium hatches (8 on top, 8 on the coach house sides, 2 on the hull in the quarters and one into the starboard side of cockpit: total 19.  Allows lots of air to circulate which is great in the tropics but also requires some frantic scrambling to close them all when it suddenly rains.  

Galley.  Large and seaworthy ie the galley largely runs fore and aft allowing the cook to wedge in securely between the two fore and aft benches while sailing.  Force 10 Marine 3 burner gas stove, with oven, plus deep 110 volt fridge and freezer (freezer keeps things frozen but does not freeze stuff unless you are on shore power) plus a fair amount of stowage.  Double deep sinks.  Microwave oven fitted.  When at a marina you can use continual shore power to continuously run the fridge/freezer - plus air conditioning, etc.

Generator.  I didn’t particularly seek a boat with a generator but this boat happened to come with one, plus two air conditioners.  A bit luxurious but very nice on a hot day and when at a marina.  At sea, I run the generator twice a day to charge batteries, run fridge/freezer and sometimes air conditioning for the cook (necessary in the tropics) when preparing meals.  Northern Lights generator, very good but works harder than anything else on board.  Need to check water intake strainer routinely to check it does not clog with any debris, especially in harbour, and regularly check coolant.

Internal Grid System Glassed to Hull.  The Hunter’s internal grid system is actually glassed to the hull, rather than glued like some other production boats, and so are the knees for the chain plates – quite substantial.  No/little noise from hull twisting, bulkheads rubbing, etc but there is some noise at sea in a swell.

Gelcoat.  The gelcoat shows no signs of osmosis.  I understand it includes isothalic resins which are supposed to resist osmosis plus some Kevlar around the bow area.  Surveyor reported gelcoat in above average condition.

Deck to Hull Joint.  I think the Hunter approach, ie deck attached to hull with sealant, and bolts through a flange facing outwards, makes a lot of (common) sense – keeps any leaks outside the hull.  It has a ‘rubber’ flange over it which also acts as a rubbing strake.  This arrangement might also be one of the reasons why the boat is quite dry.  The rubbing strake is a very good idea – I’ve tested mine on docks at least on one (or two) occasions.

Rudder.  Balanced rudder makes for easy manoeuvring and steering.  Most production boats have balanced rudders these days.  Rudder had a fibreglass rudder stock.

Mainsheet.  This is mounted on a substantial stainless steel arch which is part of the bimini.  Out of the way so that boom can’t hit heads although not quite as easy to operate as a mainsheet system mounted in the cockpit. You get used to it.

Canvas Work.  Great bimini over back of cockpit makes for good shelter from the sun and rain – well reinforced with stainless tubing. 

Protection from all sorts of things under the bimini

Lights.  There are lights and power points everywhere, plus shore power plugs for the 110volt system.  There’s as much electric cable as a house – 12 volt and 110 volt – which can be a good thing but can also be not so good ie complicated, with wires running everywhere.  I’m determined to become an electrician so I can understand it all.

Tank Capacity.  Plenty of water (200 gals) and diesel tankage (100 gals) however see NOT LIKE section.  Need to fit a manual water pump for the galley – everything electric.

Owners Manual.  The boat comes with its own comprehensive manual – thank goodness.  The boat has so many systems that you need it and particularly for electrical tradesmen when they come on board to fix stuff.

Anchor Well and Anchoring.  I can stand up in the well so there is lots of room.  The well floor is well above the waterline, so drains well when at anchor.  Self draining although I’ve added some plastic grating at the bottom so that anchor chain is not continuously immersed in a small puddle of water.  I filed the drain holes at the bottom so that the anchor well drained more efficiently thereby minimizing the amount of water that sits in the bottom of the well.  The anchor winch Lewmar is one of our favourite devices and easily handles our large Rocna anchor (33kg/72lb) and all chain rode.  Anchors that came with the boat are 45lb Delta and 40lb Danforth, which I tend to use as secondary or stern anchor when I have to, each with 50’ of chain plus 5/8’’ line (length as required) – a ‘blend’ of nylon and polyester.  The chain and rope solution makes it easier to put it all in the dinghy and then lay it down as I motor away from the boat.  The bow fitting rollers allows for the anchor to drop itself when lowered ie the anchor doesn’t need to be pushed.

Room to snooze in the cockpit

Sugar-Scooped Stern.  We love the sugar scoop stern with boarding ladder, lockers, etc. It’s easy to take an early morning swim, get back aboard then shower with the stern shower – lovely!  The steps allow for easy entry and exit to the dinghy plus a great place to catch then clean fish so that smelly blood etc is kept out of the cockpit.  Older or less able-bodied visitors really appreciate this access. The lockers hold heaps of stuff – spare anchor, shore power leads, mooring lines, buckets, fishing gear, etc etc.