Hunter 356 Bluewater Capable?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

If you need 40 gallons of water to make it with a margin then a 30 gallon tank is not sufficient. Don't "just go" with the 30 gallon tank.

Or have all your water or fuel in one tank each. I'd hate to wake up one morning to find all my water had leaked out into the bilge overnight.
Course maybe that comes from having a 27 yr old aluminum water tank

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

When we crossed the Atlantic, Halifax to Ireland, 19 days, we saw the sun maybe 5 days. Most of the time heavy cloud cover, my guess would be 200 watts per meter squared max irradiance at noon most of the time.

This kind of solar irradiance wouldn't pull a sitting hen off her nest.


One doesn't need to plan the perfect boat. One just needs to bring enough fuel/water to make the trip. If you need 40 gallons of water to make it with a margin then a 30 gallon tank is not sufficient. Don't "just go" with the 30 gallon tank.

How about 30gal water tank AND 2-3-4 5gal jerry cans? Or is it better to slave another month/year at a job so that one can afford to have a boat yard rip out perfectly good 30gal tank to put a 40gal tank for a cost that could have been put to a better use in the cruising kitty?

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

How about 30gal water tank AND 2-3-4 5gal jerry cans? Or is it better to slave another month/year at a job so that one can afford to have a boat yard rip out perfectly good 30gal tank to put a 40gal tank for a cost that could have been put to a better use in the cruising kitty?

Come-on give me a break. These are simple illustrations. Only a fool would have all his water in one container without a back-up hand pumped water maker. There needs to be all the prudent back-ups and contingency planning. There are 100's of books on this.

[smj]

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

This couple did half of that trip in a Hunter 380. I don't think there is much difference from your boat. PacificSailors.com



This couple did the other half of that trip in an older Sabre 34. Followed that up by crossing the Atlantic. Matt & Jessica's Sailing Page | Experiencing the world while it's still large



It can be done but you need to be a better sailor, cruiser and handyman to go in a smaller boat.



Good luck and fair winds,



Jesse

A cruiser is a cruiser, no good or bad in my books. Also I believe you would have to be a better handyman and sailor to handle a larger boat than smaller.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

90% of the people who I know personally who started out on either a world circumnav or some such were not "fully prepared" according to these modern "minimum standards", which are driven more by insurance interests and WM marketing departments more than anything. And those who are making the preps (EPRIBs, larger tanks, gensets, etc) are still dockside "getting ready". And a vast majority of them never leave for that trip as age, illnesses, family emergencies and so on interevene. But they sure have a much more bluewater rigged boat than the risk takers who left.

The most vivid example I have is an acquaintance (in his 40s at the time and in the midst of his midlife crisis I guess) who never having sailed in his life before, after spending a week with his wife and 2 kids on a chartered Catalina 34 in the early 2000s got bitten by a sailing bug. He re-mortgaged his paid off house to buy a 78footer and few months later set out for Europe with a rag tag volonteer motley crew as he could not afford a paid crew. We, all who knew him and knew of his lack of any sailing experience, never mind bluewater, expected to see news of him being picked up by the CG somewhere in the Atlantic. But 12 years later he is still on his boat, having crossed the Med and the pond a few times and now he mostly singlehands as he has trouble finding crew due to his lack of funds and social graces. If he had listened to the experts he'd still be docked trying to make his boat and his sailing skills perfect for the trip.

I stopped in Marathon several years ago, at a marina on my way to the Bahamas, for a couple of weeks and was somewhat amused at the number of people who had been preparing their boats for a trip to the Bahamas for several years, but had never actually gone yet.

One, a Tayana 37, owned by a couple, one of who worked at the local West Marine, and was next to me, looked like it would sink if one more piece of stainless steel hardware, solar panels, electronics, wind generator, or other gear, was bolted to the deck, mast, or stern pulpit. They had been preparing for the Bahamas crossing for two years they said.

On the other side of me was a Morgan Out Island 33 that had been preparing for the crossing for five years.

It's 44 freaking miles across, for God's sake.

[smackdaddy]

I own a Hunter 40 Legend and sail it with my two boys. I love the boat - and trust it. My biggest concern for a weeks-long passage like you're describing would be tankage as has been discussed above. Our boat has 100g/water, 40g/fuel. It looks like yours has 75g/water, 38g/fuel.

Just do the math based on your planned usage and see if it's doable.

For me on a trip like that - I'd definitely go for a water-maker and solar. Honestly, I'd go for a bigger/newer Hunter (in the 45-50 range) with more of everything. But I like comfy cruising.

Beyond this, there's all the other typical stuff you should do to prep a boat for a long passage. Just make sure it's all done before you hang that left. If so, the boat will likely do just fine. Then it will come down to you.

[a64pilot]

I got my boat in maybe March or Apr of this yr? First sailboat.
In July we went on a mini-cruise as I still work, we left Panama City and went to Tarpon Springs and down the west cost of Fl and came back.
When we got back, several of the people that had owned boats for years were asking all kinds of question on how to do that, that they were getting ready to go.
they haven't moved yet, Geez it's just a two or three day sail, if I can do it, anybody can.

I think for some it's the dream of if I wanted to I can, but they never just go.

I'm thinking Dry Tortugas this yr, if I can do that in two weeks anyway.

[anacapaisland42]

Hmmm, I seem to remember that the Hiscocks tried the sail from LA to SF, gave up and took the train.

Sailing is like peeing, always downwind when you can, if you can't, don't go!

Bill




. The Hiscocks Wanderer III carried 12 gallons of fuel and I would guess a comparable amount of water as Taleisin. Why is it nowadays people feel they need a floating condo with enough fuel and water to support a third world country for their boat to be considered seaworthy. With the ability to make water nowadays why would 75 gallons not be enough?

[Stu Jackson]

Here's a link to a friend's COASTAL cruise from Vancouver BC to Mexico. While coastal, many of his points, particularly the watermaker, make good sense. The other issue you should carefully consider are your portlights, both fixed and opening: are they up to the task?

1500 Mile Interim Refit Report & 3596 Update

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

Come-on give me a break. These are simple illustrations. Only a fool would have all his water in one container without a back-up hand pumped water maker. There needs to be all the prudent back-ups and contingency planning. There are 100's of books on this.

So was what I was saying about jerry cans. Most people just have no clue. As I was when I started.

Here's another one where I myself started from zero knowledge. When I still had my 27footer my mooring neighbor had to replace the alternator on his Pearson28. He was gloating to me and the launch driver how he lucked out replacing it for "only $800" total cost incl the installation and how he was quoted up to $1,200 by other yards. Fast forward to my 2nd season owning a 36 footer - she needs a new alternator. Prices varied from $50 for a used one to $650+ for new Motorola. Plus installation of course. My marine pro buddy laughed when he heard my lamentations and directed me to online 110A alternator, brand new for $70 incl. delivery. Basically he said that at this price if I do not trust it I can keep a bunch of new ones in sealed pouches on board. Anyway, it took me with a help of a friend, who held the brackets tight, about 30mins to replace and test it and that was it. 3 years later it is still doing its' job. Now, I'm sure there will be enough detractors pointing out how I was foolish to buy a no name alteernator, hwo it is not "marine specked" (although at this price I can replace them annually and still come out ahead) and so on. May be they're right but instead of slaving at the office for that extra grand that I saved buying and installing that one myself I was sailing those days or putting the money to a much better use than to support the family of the boat yard tech.

[Matt Johnson]

We carry 55 gals of water in two tanks (was three, but removed one for space). On our Atlantic crossing we just used the bow tanks 30 gallons and refilled with our watermaker. We also carried two 1 gallon water containers just in case. Hell, with the beer, wine and soda onboard, we could have went without water

Just filled the tanks today in prep for our return crossing in a few days and may pick-up some extra water jugs, but I'm not too worried about that issue.

With the autopilot and everything else running, our 475 watts of solar could just barely keep up with us most of the time. When we ran our watermaker, the engine had to be on to keep everything going and we also had to run the engine on cloudy days. We have 30 gallons of diesel and three 5 gal jerry cans. We used 3-4 gallons between Bermuda and the Azores, which means we ran for about 8 hours total.

Fuel and water are a non-issue for the Hunter. There are other way more important things to be concerned with.

Matt

[JK n Smitty]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

We carry 55 gals of water in two tanks (was three, but removed one for space). On our Atlantic crossing we just used the bow tanks 30 gallons and refilled with our watermaker. We also carried two 1 gallon water containers just in case. Hell, with the beer, wine and soda onboard, we could have went without water

Just filled the tanks today in prep for our return crossing in a few days and may pick-up some extra water jugs, but I'm not too worried about that issue.

With the autopilot and everything else running, our 475 watts of solar could just barely keep up with us most of the time. When we ran our watermaker, the engine had to be on to keep everything going and we also had to run the engine on cloudy days. We have 30 gallons of diesel and three 5 gal jerry cans. We used 3-4 gallons between Bermuda and the Azores, which means we ran for about 8 hours total.

Fuel and water are a non-issue for the Hunter. There are other way more important things to be concerned with.

Matt

Well, there you have it from a pretty definitive source.

Matt, please correct me if I am wrong but didn't it also take you guys over a month at sea to make your crossing?

Also, any chance you can elaborate on what other things we should be concerned with?

Thanks,

Jesse

[a64pilot]

[Polux]

Originally Posted by FightinGravity

My wife and I are planning to leave for a nice bluewater cruise in March from Delaware. We are currently planning to sail from Delaware to San Francisco through Panama but do not want to feel restrained if we decide to hop across the Pacific.

I bought our Hunter 356 as a step between our old Cal 25 and a larger bluewater boat but I am having second thoughts about moving on from the hunter. The boat serves all of our coastal sailing needs and is very comfortable - fun to sail.

So here is the question. Any 356 owners with significant bluewater experience? Any recommended upgrades to take my 356 out for a circumnavigation? Any reasons to move on to a dedicated bluewater boat? Anybody have spares for sale

I would say it is not the best boat to circumnavigate or to cross the Pacific but the question is: Have you money for a better one? I know of people that have circumnavigated on not very different boats, but I would not choose that boat for that, but that is just me.

So i would say go on with your cruise to S. Francisco and know more about you and the boat and you can decide after that.

As first upgrades, a sail for bad weather. It can be mounted on a separated removable stay or be a kind of sail you mount over your furled genoa.

Besides that if you decide to cross the Pacific it makes sense to have a floating anchor, an Epirb, a liferaft (if you don't have them already) and some way of receiving meteorological information. Regarding water there are some malleable deposits that can come handy as a way to increase your tankage. You have also to look at your means to produce electricity. That can be with wind generator/solar panels, or just an hydrogenerator. that one will produce enough power for your needs but only with the boat sailing so you may consider any of the other two. You need also to have some spair items for the engine, for the autopilot, for the navigation lights.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Polux

I would say it is not the best boat to circumnavigate or to cross the Pacific but the question is: Have you money for a better one? I know of people that have circumnavigated on not very different boats, but I would not choose that boat for that, but that is just me.

I think a lot of people would say that, not just you, but that was not their question. From previous discussions, you have a pretty good idea what I would recommend.

So i would say go on with your cruise to S. Francisco and know more about you and the boat and you can decide after that.

You DO know that one can't just harbour hop from the Panama north to San Francisco if your sailing, right? It will take an extensive over 6000 mile trip out to Hawaii and back. That's bluewater. If you are going to motor, you need lots of diesel, and be prepared to get beat up going north. Both you and your boat.

Could they go up the coast? Yes, but most who have tried it in very capable boats won't do it again.