North Star 1500 35'

[willardj]

Has anybody have any experience with one of these boats? The good and the bad? How they would hold up for say coastal cruising or trip over to the Bahamas?

Thanks
Jaime

[Vasco]

Don't know how Northstar built them but when Hughes built them they were pretty strong (Hughes 35). Buddy of mine singlehanded his across the Atlantic four times, coming home via the northern route once. Unfortunately it was not strong enough to survive a fall off an elevated highway when he was towing it home for winter lay-up. Sad end to a great boat.

[GRIT]

Hello, I'm glad you asked that question. My first boat was a Hughes 35 (Hughes bought out Northstar) which comes from the exact same mold as the Northstar 1500. The glass layup on the Hughes was pure chopper gun. Not the stiffest or lightest but worked just fine for what we did.
Here's what we did with that boat.
6 consecutive years, we went from Canada to Bahamas and back. About 5000 miles a year there. Next we took the boat through the Caribbean, starting in the bahamas and sailing to windward (notice I didn't say bashing, this boat doesn't bash to windward, it sails very well, and very comfortable if you're smart enough to take it easy). We sailed from Georgetown to Luperon in 4 days against the wind. Then from Luperon to Puerto Rico in 3 days of no wind, then did many short hops until we hit Trinidad.
All that with only 20 gallons of fuel and 25 gallons of water, no watermaker.
The boat is an S&S design and should be reefed early to keep the weather helm down.
We had an atomic 4 engine and changed to a yanmar 3gm30, more hp than we needed, but it was nice to motor at 7 knots.
If there's anything else I can help with, just let me know.
Cheers.
Paul.

[GRIT]

Whoops, I was there when that boat "crashed". Quite a dramatic ending for a well traveled boat.
We sailed out of PEI with ours. They're about the most undervalued boat out there. The 38 sails like a witch.
Cheers.
Paul.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by svquintana

Whoops, I was there when that boat "crashed". Quite a dramatic ending for a well traveled boat.
We sailed out of PEI with ours. They're about the most undervalued boat out there. The 38 sails like a witch.
Cheers.
Paul.

Yeah, I remember getting a call that Sunday morning and going down to help. Very sad end to "Dawn Ellen".

The Hughes 38's are going for a song, another buddy bought one with a new diesel for under 10 grand.

[GRIT]

Under $10 000, wow. The Hughes 30, 35 and 38 used to sell for about a thousand a foot in the 1990's. Under 30 feet was about $500 to $750 a foot.
We loved ours, but we grew out of it, as you do.
Cheers.
Paul.

[sailinlee]

I'm still sailing my Northstar 80/20. It's a 40' heavy cruiser and doesn't sail well to the wind. But she is a solid boat and after cruising on her for 8 years she just gets better. The hull is bullet proof. I bought her in Ft. Pierce after they had 3 direct hits by hurricanes in one summer. She was the only boat floating. Her hull had been above the pilings and had scraped away all the gel coat and paint even under the water line and there wasn't any moisture in the hull. Well layed-up boat! Another boat had flown in the air and broke her stainless stanchions off and some other damage, but the deck didn't give anywhere. She's got about 15000 sea miles on her in the last 8 years. She probably had another 30,000 before I got her. She's still solid as a boat can be. (original motor too and doesn't smoke and starts right up.)
I think that they are great boats! I'm cruising the Caribbean now. I wish the rest of the gear would hold up as well as the hull. But I still have most of the original gear that came with the boat and most of it is fine. Sea Tiger 555 windlass still works perfect, masts and spars are original. I've heard good things about the 38, it's supposed to be quick and solid. A good combination.

Lee

[willardj]

Thanks for all the info. I found one for sale for a good price and wanted to get some info on them before I called about it.

[pierrrre]

Paul,

For your info

I have owned your Hughes 35 for the last three years. She is still going strong. I rebuilt the 3gm30 last winter. I figured out that it was not the original engine when I took it out. I am heading to the Bay of Fundy with her for the month of August.

[MARCEL ST ONGE]

Hello , I joined this forum to-day . I own the same northstar 35 since 1982 . The rudder slowly drips rusty water when hauled out .I have done small repairs ,drain and patch ,but it has started again .Has anyone had the same problem , and can you share your experience with me . The rudder still appears rock solid with no other sign of deterioration . We sail from Florida to the Abacos every winter . The boat now sits in water all year since 2006. Marcel

[Vasco]

Water getting into the rudder is a common problem with many boat. Drill a hole and let it drain at haul-out, hopefully before it freezes. Plug the hole before launch.

[sailinlee]

Hello,

Next haul out I suggest fixing the rudder. It's not that horrible of a job. My rudder leaked for about 4 years, I tried draining the water then patching the holes where it leaked but it didn't work. So about four years ago, I took the rudder off the boat and cut out a good sized hole out of one side of the rudder, it's good to cut the piece out with a mind toward putting the same piece back in. A clean cut with a thin blade, with at least a 45 degree angle, so you can put it back together easily. A hole about 18" by 24". Then I took out the old foam that was in there, it was mostly rotten. But the difference is I didn't have any rusty water, it was all stainless steel inside the rudder, hadn't rusted out in four years of water being there. Eventually you have to fix it. Just deal with it on your next haulout. It's not a nice feeling to know that there is something wrong down there. Especially if you cruise a lot. I'm down in Grenada now.

When it was clean and dry inside I roughly put the piece back on leaving a hole on the upper part and put that expanding foam you poor and it expands to like 10 times. I would poor in a little bit, let it expand, poor again and let it expand until it filled all the way to the top. IF YOU PUT TOO MUCH IN, IT WILL PUSH THE PIECE RIGHT OFF. SO BE CAREFUL ON THE EXPANDING FOAM. Then put cloth and polyester resin on the repair, sand and fare it, coat it with something good and then paint and it was done. there is enough to worry about on a boat without something you know is bad. But it probably could have gone for few more years before something broke in there, but who knows?

Good luck,
Lee

[MARCEL ST ONGE]

Originally Posted by sailinlee

Hello,

Next haul out I suggest fixing the rudder. It's not that horrible of a job. My rudder leaked for about 4 years, I tried draining the water then patching the holes where it leaked but it didn't work. So about four years ago, I took the rudder off the boat and cut out a good sized hole out of one side of the rudder, it's good to cut the piece out with a mind toward putting the same piece back in. A clean cut with a thin blade, with at least a 45 degree angle, so you can put it back together easily. A hole about 18" by 24". Then I took out the old foam that was in there, it was mostly rotten. But the difference is I didn't have any rusty water, it was all stainless steel inside the rudder, hadn't rusted out in four years of water being there. Eventually you have to fix it. Just deal with it on your next haulout. It's not a nice feeling to know that there is something wrong down there. Especially if you cruise a lot. I'm down in Grenada now.

When it was clean and dry inside I roughly put the piece back on leaving a hole on the upper part and put that expanding foam you poor and it expands to like 10 times. I would poor in a little bit, let it expand, poor again and let it expand until it filled all the way to the top. IF YOU PUT TOO MUCH IN, IT WILL PUSH THE PIECE RIGHT OFF. SO BE CAREFUL ON THE EXPANDING FOAM. Then put cloth and polyester resin on the repair, sand and fare it, coat it with something good and then paint and it was done. there is enough to worry about on a boat without something you know is bad. But it probably could have gone for few more years before something broke in there, but who knows?

Good luck,
Lee

Thank you for sharing your experience . I appreciate it . I was thinking of doing very much what you are suggesting . I am now more convinced that it has to be done . I am hoping to do it without removing the rudder . I may perhaps use epoxy resin to facilitate working on a vertical surface ?? Marcel

[MARCEL ST ONGE]

[QUOTE=willardj;831219]Has anybody have any experience with one of these boats? The good and the bad? How they would hold up for say coastal cruising or trip over to the Bahamas?

Thanks
Jaime/QUOTE] My northstar 35 is now for sale . Have owned it since 1982 . Bilge structure has been re-built to extreme strenght , including 6 new keel bolts . Re-engined with 29hp Yanmar in 2006 . Boat is in Florida and not getting much use . All is very good shape except for fading red awlgrip . You may e-mail me at jmstonge7@hotmail.com Marcel