Hunter 27, trailering, etc

[GreatLakeSailor]

Hi all,



I've been thinking about getting a sailboat for years. I sail with friends on the great lakes. There are 2 boats, one is in the water and is what we've worked on the past several years and the other is a Hunter 27 that's been dry-docked since the 2nd one came along (the 2nd was an upgrade to a more livable boat). The Hunter 27 is not technically "for sale" yet, but the family isn't doing anything with it. The boat has been talked about as wanting to be offloaded for years... I am curious as to your thoughts.


Aside from the "your nuts" comments - does anyone have any constructive criticism, ideas, or even experiences they can share of similar boats they've run in similar environments?



In all honesty, I was thinking a smaller boat like 22-24 would be better. However, I know - and have sailed/worked on boats with - the owners for years and know the boat is a "good" boat for what it is. If it wasn't they wouldn't have it themselves. Its older, and in need of work, but that's to be expected with any of the options in the "older affordable boat" world. From a seaworthiness standpoint, also, it is, well... a bigger boat.



While entertaining the idea there are a couple points that come up in my mind.


The way I would need to operate is to trailer it. It wouldn't be used in one spot. The obvious issue with that idea with a sailboat is dealing with the mast and rigging. From what I have found online the mast is in the 250lb range. That doesn't seem very difficult to work with - aside from learning technique. I've done a lot of rigging - both on sailboats and radio towers (with some shortwave/HF beam antennas up to/over 100lbs with 40ft elements = lotsa crap to dance with riding up a mast or tower). I don't for see a tall heavy aluminum pole as much trouble to peg in a hole with a sufficient jig/gantry support + winch to assist in the maneuvering as wrestling big antennas can be while strapped to a tower.


Last year I built a dolly (basically a second variable length trailer with its own axle that sits between the truck hitch and trailer tongue) with trailer launching sailboats in mind. So getting the trailer in the water enough to float isn't a big issue, at least on the surface the idea of it has been thought through and a solution is in place for that environment already. Yeah, the Hunter 27 is a big boat to trailer - and probably an odd candidate for a trailer, let alone a dolly - but I am confident in the idea and would most certainly use it. Yeah, cranes may be available part of the time, but there would certainly be a lot of places visited where that just isn't an option - period.



Speaking of trailers - that is another point to consider. I don't want to limit myself much. I am not sure what kinds of trailer options there are out there besides custom made ones. From some earlier research a few years ago on a powerboat trailer I was looking in to - even standard model made-to-order trailers are pricey. A sailboat trailer with adjustable bunks/stands is another story entirely. That isn't to say I couldn't fabricate my own to my own specs like I did for the dolly though... Or I may be able to find a "donor" trailer frame somewhere I could acquire and modify to re-purpose. Though, what scares me with that is the road-worthy'ness of it. I'd want to go through everything with a fine-tooth comb (same with the boat, of course) to make sure springs aren't cracked (unless it's torsion), replace bearings and seals, inspect hubs, ensure axles aren't bent, yada, yada, yada.



One of the big issues I see with trailering a Hunter 27 is the beam width shows up as 9'3". That is over 8'6". I will have to look in to regs and see what they show, but that may be an issue. Maybe it isn't as big of an issue as I think... Something tells me (from my OTR time - I've run flatbed + specialized semi loads, have a class A license etc) within 4" over on either side of 8'6" can be accommodated with proper flagging and signage. However, that is an extra 8" combined, or 9'2". 9'3" is 1" past that, or 1/2" over the "4 inches over either side" criteria.



Tow vehicle is a diesel 1 ton, so thats not a problem. The estimated weight of the boat is about 7,000lbs. So even with a trailer, gear, and fluids I don't think that would be much of an issue.


Thoughts?


Edit - use of the boat would primarily be fresh water. However, I would entertain the idea of ocean sailing. I don't see any circumnavigation in my future - maybe more coastal sailing or potentially a crossing to Hawaii or the Caribbean.

[GreatLakeSailor]

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You're nuts! (There is a spelling or grammar lesson in there somewhere...)

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/hunter-27

A 27' boat with a keel is not going to be an easy 'day sailor' if you need a permit to haul it, a lift to launch it, and a crane to rig it. Your life skills will certainly help but it will still be a fair piece of work and best done with some crew. My 21-footer can be single-handed from driveway to lake and back again.

On the plus side, the cabin on such a boat is more spacious than my 21-footer, nicer for overnights and waiting on weather and such.