hunter 216 sailboat problems

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Hunter 216 hydraulic pump problem

• Thread starter Erik Garcia
• Start date Jun 30, 2010
• Hunter Owner Forums
• Smaller Boats

Erik Garcia

Anyone having trouble with the Sailtec hydraulic pump on their 216? Mine is hit or miss with regard to whether it will retract. Once working it seems reliable, but has to be fully extended before it'll retract.  

Have you checked with Sailtec? These units have a built in ball check valve that can be replaced in the field.  

Call Sailtec. They are extremely helpful over the phone. Essentially, pump the pump very quickly to build up the pressure. I can't recall if you keep the screw tight or not when you do it. However, it does work. Don't fret about getting it serviced or buying a new one. Just a subtle annoyance. Pricey to service and very expensive to replace.  

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• Sailboat Reviews

A lively little daysailer packing some impressive innovations, Hunter's 216 comes at an affordable price. So what's the downside? It's a little tender with too few crew.

Notwithstanding the tragedy of 9/11 and subsequently tumultuous stock market, during the past 10 years boat manufacturers have enjoyed a goodly number of buyers clamoring to purchase boats in the 30- to 45-foot range. The market has been so strong that builders have added to existing lines in one-foot increments, and introduced revisions to existing models. And this prosperity applies to both monohulls and multihulls. Builders typically ascribe this phenomenon to what Adam Smith called “a condition of the marketplace,” which, in this case, is closely related to the age of the buyers; many older sailors are moving down to mid–sized boats that are easily sailed by a couple, and the first purchase by babyboomers is often a mid-sized boat.

However, at the other end of the scale, a viable market for smaller, lively boats occupies a niche for recreational sailors whose needs do not include multiple berths, built-in microwave ovens, and enclosed heads. Rather, the market for these boats includes sailors whose primary interests are ease of handling, performance, trailerability, low maintenance, and low-cost sailing. These boats, like the aging Rainbow, continue as learning platforms for newcomers to the sport and offer no–hassle sailing for families with young children. They also appeal to the experienced sailor who wants to compete in a serious, but uncomplicated environment, or simply untie a dock line, hoist a sail, and travel in whichever direction the wind blows. In most cases, creature comforts are limited to a cuddy cabin large enough to stow some sandwiches, life jackets, and foul weather gear.

Though the community of small boat builders is a blip on the radar screen in this industry, it is thriving. Precision Boat Builders in Palmetto, FL, which offers a line of daysailers and 23- to 27-foot cruisers, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Priced at $7,500, the P-185 is a high-performance daysailer, the most recent of the Jim Taylor designs for Precision.

In the same neighborhood, Steve Colgate—who is renowned as a sailing instructor—markets the Colgate 26, also a Taylor design that is constructed at Precision’s plant. On the opposite coast, Tom Schock, President of the W. D. Schock Company, recently answered the call for a daysailor with the Harbor 20, a performance-oriented sloop displacing 1,800 pounds that is equipped with a 900-pound, torpedo-shaped fixed keel. The boat is priced at $19,000.

Two “tweeners” also occupy spots in this niche. The Catalina Capri 22, priced at $11,966, closely resembles a scaled down version of the company’s larger boats. Perhaps the most traditional design of the lot, the Com-Pac Sun Cat ($12,995) is a catboat with a Mastendr ™ mast that is hinged above the gooseneck. Both boats are considered daysailers, though they offer sleeping berths.

None of these vessels is a candidate for a Transat passage since they are typically lightweights with low freeboard. Only the Colgate 26, (priced at $29,995), has the displacement (2,600 pounds) and ballast, (1,050 pounds of lead in a fixed keel) to withstand moderate sea conditions.

The introduction of the Hunter 216, the latest of the genre on the market, adds a new creature to the mix while offering a snapshot of the change in attitude regarding boat design that occurred when Glenn Henderson was hired by Hunter Marine to assume the mantle of director of engineering.

Design Henderson, who is known for fashioning high-performance hulls and foils, began sailing as a youth, building his first boats from scraps of plywood scavenged from job sites. “The first ‘real’ boats I owned were a 420 and Sunfish, and they are still afloat,” he said. Following graduation from the University of Northern Florida, and while postponing entrance into the work force, he “studied abroad” while cruising for six years, in the process completing degree requirements from the Westland School of Yacht Design.

Eventually returning to the homefront, he started a woodworking and fiberglass repair business and became a certified IMS and IOR measurer. Henderson reentered the boatbuilding business with the introduction of a 17-foot dinghy that was followed by a 21–foot MORC racer that “did real well,” and the SR Max, a 21-footer that put his fledgling company on the map. He joined Hunter in 1999 with a charge to re-invent the company’s product line by increasing the emphasis on performance without compromising on styling and appearance.

“We discovered that the market has changed from the time when interiors sold boats, to a baby boomer generation that consists of more performance-oriented buyers,” he says. “But performance is not measured entirely by speed. It is a combination of speed, motion, stability, the boat’s reaction to conditions, and maneuverability when docking. Comfort is still important, but we’re equalizing all of the contributing factors.”

Since joining the company several years ago, Henderson has fashioned lines for the 356 (which became the Hunter 36), 41 and 44 footers, the Excite 10 and the 216.

The design target for the 216 “was an easy-to-sail, trailerable sloop, usable for daysailing, but not for camping,” he says. He aspired to endow the boat with “performance enough to intrigue a serious sailor or club racer, but easily controllable for the rank amateur. I was looking for the blend of stability produced by a moderate beam–length ratio.”

With a large budget for the purchase of design software, Henderson was able to model “an innovative underbody by paying close attention to the distribution of volume in the hull.” The new software allowed him to measure the pressure produced by congregations of water molecules at various points on the hull and produce a shape with little underwater resistance.

To reduce drag, “I incorporated a sportboat type hull form. The bow is plumb for maximum waterline and the waterline sections forward are hollow for low resistance and volumetric distribution control. There is a slight reflex in the stern profile that artificially extends the sailing length of the boat,” explains Henderson. “The boat is very easily driven and appears to be well rounded in her performance range from light to heavy air.”

Other design elements include low-lift, low-drag underwater appendages “that improve speed, which induces lift,” he says. The internal rudder is encased in round rotating “pod” in the hull, allowing crew to quickly elevate the foil in the cockpit without leaning over the stern, avoiding the risk of the chase that ensues when boat and disconnected rudder end up traveling in opposite directions.

“The rudder system is the VARA system that I have used on several race boats. On this boat it does a number of good things. First, it is very simple to raise the rudder partway when getting into shallow water, and continue to have steerage. The aspect ratio of the rudder is very high, so it provides a significant part of the lift when going upwind. This increases upwind performance dramatically.”

Henderson also took the approach that a weighted centerboard is the best approach for the 216, compared to internal ballast and a lightweight keel. “To have a high limit of positive stability so she would be easy to recover from wind blast, I put a heavy, solid-lead centerboard on her,” he explains.

Of the design, he says, “An advantage of internal ballast is that the stability changes little with the keel up or down. I compensated for this by placing the centerboard so that, when raised, a good portion of the board is still exposed, though lateral in position. This keeps the center of gravity low as internal ballast, and it leaves enough lateral resistance so the boat does not slide out of control when being put on a trailer. The disadvantage is that the net draft is deeper. I justify that by saying the exposed centerboard is used to guide the boat on to the trailer.”

The centerboard, which weighs 500 pounds, is designed to lift and tuck into a recess. However, the typical ratchet-wire combination found on most small boats, which requires muscle power to manage, has been replaced by a hydraulic system located under a footbrace molded into the cockpit sole. Lifting the brace provides access to “an aluminum ram designed to be corrosion resistant. The centerboard raises from 3′ 6″ to 1′ when fully retracted. When in the raised position, the board is still low enough to keep the center of gravity down so she isn’t too tippy when launching. The entire system has been designed so it can be easy to get to for maintenance.” Raising the keel, claims Henderson, takes about 30 seconds.

The rig is a single-spreader, fractional design with a 105 percent over-lapping jib that produces light loads on sheets and eases tacking.

Designed for easy rigging by trailer sailors, the mast is stepped inside the boat, rather than on deck. As the mast is raised, it slides into a groove at the forward end of the V-shaped companionway opening. This groove effectively becomes the partners, providing support at the forward face of the mast, and laterally, but not aft. And it helps maintain control when the 30′ 10″ mast is raised or lowered, so a stabilizing bridle is not necessary.

Since the introduction of the 216, says Henderson, “orders for an optional retractable bowsprit have poured in,” indicating that “buyers really are interested in performance, and want to use a spinnaker.” Even entry level users, he says, are finding that a sprit-mounted asymmetrical spinnaker requires less deck hardware and fewer lines than a traditional rig, so it’s easier to hoist, trim, and jibe.

The 216 is built at Hunter’s factory in East Lyme, Connecticut. Cutter Smith, the general manager there, says that since its introduction a year ago, more than 200 have been sold, and the factory is now producing boats at the rate of one a day.

Construction When Hunter acquired JY Boats from Rod Johnstone, it also acquired the rights to what is now the company’s patented Advanced Composite Process (ACP), which produces thermoplastic hulls formed in a closed mold. The essential components of the laminate are a skin coat consisting of a BASF plastic called Luran-S, a foam core, and fibercloth backing.

Smith says that hulls for eight of the company’s models are “constructed in a thermo–former, a machine that produces the outer shell of the hull.” The 216 is the largest model constructed using this method, though Smith says “the current machinery is capable of producing up to 23–footers.”

The urethane foam inner core “provides nearly five times the impact resistance of traditional fiberglass,” Smith says, because the hull will flex under impact and absorb energy instead of breaking. “The construction of the foam inner liner is analogous to building a sheetrock wall and then putting a stud behind it that is the same size as the entire wall.” The foam backing also provides more than 1,500 pounds of positive flotation that, says Smith, “makes the boat unsinkable,” even when completely filled with water.

An ancillary bonus that many owners will appreciate is that in the event of a collision, the hull can be sanded and buffed to its original appearance. Should the outer skin be torn, which would require substantial impact, it can easily be repaired via patching with a urethane compound. The only caveat regarding thermoplastics is that solvents will erode them, so cleaning is done either with alcohol or simply soap and water.

Pricing Hunter has taken a very aggressive approach to pricing the new 216. Though prices in the daysailer market cover a broad spectrum, in many cases the least desirable pricing characteristics offered by companies include a long list of optional equipment and the phrase “FOB the Factory.” Though nice for some buyers, such options and purchase restrictions are possible deterrents.

Hunter avoids both conditions by including a sailaway package that is just that. The standard equipment with the 216 includes North Sails mainsail and jib, Harken furler, and a trailer, priced at $13,995, including delivery, regardless of destination in the lower 48 (for a limited time, we’re told). The optional spinnaker package, including bowsprit and asymmetrical sail, will add approximately $1,600 to the total.

Performance We sailed the Hunter 216 twice at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands, not long after the resort had taken delivery of a fleet of them for use by guests, and to serve as one-design racers in the various regattas run at the resort. Both outings occurred in light breezes between 6 and 10 knots (unusually light for that area). For the first sail we ventured out solo; for the second we took along a novice sailor. In both instances the boat moved quickly and smoothly through the flat water, responding well to the helm and giving light, even feedback through the tiller. It heeled and accelerated in the puffs without increased leeway; tacked and jibed effortlessly. Though it’s not a speedster, it certainly offers a better turn of speed than most family daysailers with equal comfort and stability.

The tiller and mainsheet are appropriately located for the helmsman, and tacking the small roller-furling jib involves minimal labor. Getting underway requires nothing more than raising the main, unfurling the little jib, and casting off. Back on the mooring, or headed for the trailer, raising the 500-pound keel with the hydraulic lever pump takes about 70 throws, which meant a couple minutes’ effort, but was not hard on the muscles. Overall, this is a very simple and gratifying boat to sail in its essential form, and in those breezes.

The cockpit is remarkably open, and thus it’s easy to move anywhere about the boat. The long bench seats are comfortable, and offer good back support. In the two boats we sailed, there were no handholds anywhere on the coamings, and a complete lack of non-skid on the seats and cockpit well. The boats as they were would have been very slippery and hard to hang onto when heeled well over in a breeze.

The BEYC is a true proving ground: New sailboats see more use and abuse here in six months there than most boats do in a lifetime. We took our tests sails soon after designer Glenn Henderson had departed after inspecting the BEYC fleet. His visit was precipitated by problems with the masts pumping and inverting in the BVI’s heavy air. As a result, the spreader brackets had to be beefed up, and the masts braced better in the partners by the addition of a retention pin and mast collar. These measures had shored up the spars for our visit, and BEYC personnel were already designing handhold and non-skid solutions.

We canvassed BEYC sailing staff then, and for this review, to glean their true feelings regarding the boat. On balance, those feelings are quite positive. First (and near foremost, for them) the boat is tough. As one person said, “The thermoplastic construction is excellent—we’ve had plenty of hard contact between boats in three major pro-level regattas, and there are no dings, no scratches.”

The boats in the BEYC fleet are also tender, however, when the breeze builds to 20 knots and there are only two people aboard. The reason may be that the boats in that fleet are stripped out—they carry no loose gear or amenities, no outboard engine and fuel tank, no loaded cooler, or any of the trappings of the typical family daysailer. Consequently, they are quite buoyant and sit high on their lines. When they heel over with low crew weight, they can’t take proper advantage of Henderson’s modern underwater shape, which would otherwise help transform wind pressure into efficient horsepower. It was noted that when the boats are more heavily loaded, that tenderness disappears. Consequently, members of the BEYC staff are working on simple ballast solutions for their fleet. This tenderness shouldn’t be a problem with normal loading (and in more moderate wind conditions), but you should be aware of it nonetheless.

Cutter Smith explains that non-skid surfacing in the cockpit is now standard on all production 216s, as are reinforced spreader brackets.

We give Henderson’s VARA rudder system high marks for the excellent shape of its high-aspect rudder, and for the versatility of the system itself: It allows the rudder to be raised or removed for roll-on/roll-off trailering, easy beaching, and maintenance, yet behaves like a permanent rudder with tube, stock, and bearings, set inboard of the transom. The VARA “pod” also allows for a centerline engine mount and a small transom scoop, and makes the boat look clean and fast. Some of the BEYC boats had problems with the ball bearings in their assemblies, but these were apparently caused by an isolated installation glitch that has been resolved.

The 216 is a welcome addition to the entry-level market, and we suspect that it will be embraced as well by experienced sailors who just want to get out for a lively, easy sail, with no rigging hassles, few control lines, and no extra crew requirements.

Contact – Hunter Marine Corp., 386/462-3077, www.huntermarine.com .

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Congratulations on your new sailing yacht contains details of the craft; equipment manufactured by Hunter Marine. We have supplied or fitted, systems, and information on engineered and constructed your boat to be as operation and maintenance. Please read it fine a yacht as any afloat. In order to get the carefully, and familiarize yourself with the craft best performance and most enjoyment from before using it. If this is your first sailboat or your boat you should be familiar with its you are changing to a type of craft you are not various elements and their functions. For your familiar with, please ensure that you obtain sailing pleasure and safety, please take time to proper handling and operating experience study this manual. before you assume command of the craft. Your dealer or national sailing federation or yacht We stand behind the quality of your boat with a club will be pleased to advise you of local sea warranty, which you should review. To insure schools or competent instructors. the validity of your warranty, please complete the attached card and send it to us within ten PLEASE KEEP THIS MANUAL IN A SAFE (10) days of the purchase date. Section 15 of PLACE AND HAND IT OVER TO THE NEW the U.S. Federal Boat Safety Act requires OWNER IF YOU SELL THE CRAFT. registration of a boat’s first owner. The warranty data should also be recorded in the You should also complete the warranty cards space below for your own reference. for your engine, stove, head, electric water pump and other accessories. These are This manual has been compiled to help you enclosed in the manufacturers’ manuals that operate your craft with safety and pleasure. It are packaged with your owner’s manual.

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HUNTER MARINE LIMITED WARRANTY

LIMITED ONE-YEAR WARRANTY Hunter Marine warrants to the first-use for a period of twelve (12) months from the purchaser and any subsequent owner during date of delivery to the first-use purchaser under the warranty period, that any part normal use and service. During this period, manufactured by Hunter will be free of defects Hunter will repair or replace any part judged to caused by faulty workmanship or materials be defective by Hunter.

LIMITED FIVE-YEAR HULL STRUCTURE Hunter warrants to the first-use purchaser and This limited warranty applies only to the any subsequent owner during the warranty structural integrity of the hull and supporting period that the hull of each boat will be free pan/grid or stringer system. The obligation of from structural defects in materials and Hunter under this limited warranty is restricted to workmanship for a period of five (5) years from the repair or replacement of hulls that are the date of delivery to the first-use purchaser determined to be structurally defective. under normal use and service.

RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO WARRANTIES These limited warranties do not cover the PURCHASER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT NO following: OTHER REPRESENTATIONS WERE MADE TO HIM OR HER WITH RESPECT TO THE (1) Problems caused by improper maintenance, QUALITY AND FUNCTION OF THE BOAT. storage, cradling, blocking, normal wear and ANY CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT tear, misuse, neglect, accident, corrosion, MAY BE INCURRED ARE EXCLUDED AND electrolysis or improper operation. JUDGES DEFECTIVE BY HUNTER. SOMESTATES OR COUNTRIES DO NOT THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL ANY AND ALL OTHER REMEDIES AND OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE WARRANTIES EXPRESSED AND IMPLIED, ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. SOME GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND STATES OR COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS THAT LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED VARY FROM STATE TO STATE OR COUNTRY WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE TO COUNTRY. LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THE

WARRANTY REGISTRATION These limited shall not be effective unless the replacements will be made by an authorized Hunter Warranty Registration Form and Pre- Hunter dealer, or at the option of Hunter, at the Delivery Service Record, which are furnished Hunter plant. If the repairs are of such a nature with each new boat, are filled out completely that the warranty work must be performed at and returned to Hunter within fifteen (15) days the Hunter plant, the owner shall pay of delivery. Responsibility for sending the transportation costs to and from the Hunter completed Registration Form remains with the plant. The labor cost reimbursement will be dealer. based on a labor allowance schedule established by Hunter and where not It is critical that the Warranty Registration Form applicable, on a reasonable number of hours as is signed by both the dealer and the owner and determined by Hunter. An authorized Hunter returned to Hunter. Warranty coverage cannot service representative must approve any be initiated until Hunter receives the completed repairs and replacements in advance. form. All repairs and/or

TRANSFER OF LIMITED WARRANTIES Limited warranties will be transferred to a (2) The notice shall include the name, address subsequent purchaser of the boat if: and telephone number of the subsequent purchaser, the date of purchase, the hull (1) A notice of the transfer of ownership of the number, and the name of the seller of the boat. boat is given by the subsequent purchaser in writing to Hunter within thirty (30) days of the Hunter will mail notice of expiration dates of the transfer. limited warranties to the subsequent owner. The transfer of the ownership of the will not extend the expiration dates of the limited warranties.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY During the first year of ownership, the first The second survey (CSS #2) is given nine to purchaser will receive two Customer ten months into ownership, and primarily gives Satisfaction Surveys: the first (CSS #1) will be the customer an opportunity to evaluate dealer received shortly after taking delivery and service capability and the boat’s functional focuses on the customer’s experience with the systems and characteristics. Both surveys are dealer and commissioning of the boat, and the contingent upon receipt of the first purchaser’s owner’s initial satisfaction. Warranty Registration form.

HUNTER MARINE’S OWNER AND FOUNDER WARREN R. LUHRS BRIEF BACKGROUND

Warren Luhrs was born in East Orange, New Inspired by Henry Ford, Henry Luhrs’ aimed to Jersey in 1944 into a family with an give the average man the opportunity to enjoy established tradition in the maritime and the luxury of boating by building an affordable transportation industries. His great- and reliable boat. He was both designer and grandfather, Henry, was a railroad and clipper- engineer, and his progressive new models shipping pioneer in America, while his great- exhibited his talent for innovation. He uncle John helped build the famous St. successfully changed the line of the bow from Petersburg to Moscow railroad for Czar straight to curved at a time when the industry Alexander II. trend was a straight square effect, and he is believed to be the first designer-builder to popularize a small boat with a fly bridge. Henry Luhrs owned shares in twenty-two different ocean-going vessels – barks, brigs, and schooners - and was the principal owner In 1960, Luhrs acquired the Ulrichsen Boat of the bark Sophia R. Luhrs, named for his Company of Marlboro, New Jersey. It was here wife. He was also a partner with Albert Sprout, that Luhrs’ Alura fiberglass division was who managed the shipyard where the Sophia located. In 1965, Henry sold his company to R. Luhrs was built in Melbridge, Maine. Bangor Arrostook Railroad, which was to become the recreational conglomerate Bangor- Punta. It was also during this period that Warren Luhrs’ father Henry worked at a small Silverton of Tom’s River, New Jersey was boat manufacturer in Morgan, New Jersey, and purchased by John and Warren Luhrs. later started his own company, continuing the Luhrs’ family sea tradition during the great depression. During World War II he repaired Today, Warren R. Luhrs and his brother John boats and installed ice sheathing on their own the Luhrs Group of marine manufacturers, bows for the Coast Guard. which consists of Silverton Marine, Mainship Motor Yachts, and Luhrs Fishing Boats with its After the War, Henry built 27-foot fishing boats Alura division, as well as Hunter Marine, which and in 1948 began to construct custom-built exclusively manufactures sailboats . pleasure craft. He then turned to skiffs and in 1952 incorporated as Henry Luhrs Sea Skiffs, In January of 1996, the Luhrs family where he constructed lapstrake sea skiffs transferred a portion of the Luhrs Group to its using assembly-line techniques. Henry employees through an ESOP program. personally “shook down” his prototypes on family trips up the Hudson River to Lake Champlain.

The sea skiff is a class of boat that has been very popular, owing to its seaworthiness. It features a sharp bow, which reduces pounding in surf or choppy seas, and a hull whose forward section is rounded below the waterline to increase stability in rough water or a following sea. Such skiffs can either be smooth sided or of a lapstrake construction.

LAUNCHING & RETRIEVING PROCEDURES

LAUNCHING 1. Remove any and all tie down straps and 6. Load all loose gear and provisions aboard by ropes securing the boat to the trailer, as well as lowering the swim ladder in the transom. any lines securing the rudder in the upright position or on centerline. The only attachment of 7. Back the boat and trailer down the ramp until the boat to the trailer should be the strap from the back wheels of the vehicle are just clear of the bow eye to the trailer winch. the water, Retrieve the bow and stern lines as necessary. Loosen the trailer winch and bow 2. The spar can be raised before or after strap. launch, depending on the time available before and the docking facilities available after launch. 8. Once the boat is floating free, push the boat Beware of nearby power lines before raising clear of the trailer guides to the available dock, spar. maintaining control with the mooring lines.

3. Attach the necessary bow and stern mooring 9. Slowly pull the empty trailer out of the water, lines and fenders if necessary. Do not lower the being careful that boat and people stay clear. fenders over the side until the boat is clear of the trailer. 10. Park the trailer and vehicle and return to the boat. 4. Initially slacken the trailer winch and familiarize yourself with its gear switch action and return the winch to the locked position.

RETRIEVING 1. Raise centerboard and rudder. 6. Slowly pull boat from water until the weight of the boat is on the trailer. 2. Back trailer into water. 8. Confirm alignment on trailer. Put trailer back in water if necessary to realign boat. 3. Maneuver boat between trailer guides and up to the winch. 8. Make sure that rudder is pinned or tied in 5. Connect bow strap and with winch in correct upright position so that the tip doesn’t drag on gear, winch boat up and snug against bow stop. ground.

6. Center boat between upright aft trailer 9.De-rig and unstep mast if not already done. guides. Beware of nearby power lines when lowering mast.

10. Tie boat to trailer, and secure mast.

GENERAL CARE NOTICE Your new Hunter is built using the ACP The outer skin is a weatherable ABS plastic process. This is not a Fiberglass® boat! known as Loran® S and is built by BASF. The outer plastic skin is approximately .170” thick.

CLEANING LURAN® S SURFACES Luran® S (acrylonitrile/styrene/acrylate) should be cleaned regularly. Normal accumulations of For more extensive repairs, contact the factory. dirt can be removed simply by occasional rinsings with water. If your boat is operated in When storing, please open the drain plugs so salt water, more frequent rinsing will be the boat can breathe. When trailering make required. To remove dirt, grease or oil, use sure the boat is well supported so as not to soap and water or isopropyl alcohol. For stubborn stains, you can use mineral spirits but dent the hull. ! CAUTION never leave a rag with mineral spirits on it lying on your boat. Never leave a rag with mineral spirits You can wax the surface if you would like, but sitting on the boat as this will attack the be aware this will make the boat slippery. For plastic and void the warranty. Never light scratches you can use a wax with a light use acetone or other solvents. They will rubbing compound or a mirror glaze which is damage the finish on your boat. available at any hardware store.

CLEANING ACRYLIC

Use only mild soap and water to clean acrylics. Do not use products containing solvents such as ! CAUTION ammonia, which is found in many window cleaners. Use care when cleaning acrylic. Dry cloth and many glass cleaners will scratch. Solvents will attack the surface.

! WARNING Cleaning agents and paint ingredients may be flammable and/or explosive, or dangerous to inhale. Be sure to use adequate ventilation, and appropriate safety clothing (gloves, safety glasses, respirator, etc.). ______

GENERAL CARE SHALLOW SURFACE SCRATCHES Remove the scratches by lightly hand wet sanding gloss, sand the area with 1000 grit, then 1500 grit the surface with 600 grit sandpaper. Sand only sandpaper. The surface should be starting to until the scratches are removed (to retain as much recover some of the gloss. To further increase the thickness as possible). This will create a dull gloss level, polish the area with ultra fine polish surface. To improve the surface (automotive polishes suitable for clearcoat).

MIN R DAMAGE Minor damage is defined as a problem that does one direction only. In a well-ventilated area, apply not affect the overall structure of the part orO area. a thin layer of Plexus adhesive in a 1:1 ratio to the They are usually appearance concerns, such as damaged area. After the Plexus has dried, smooth scratches, surface mars, and minor dents. It is the area with a fine (220 grit) sandpaper. Now, very important to ascertain the full extent of the apply a thin layer of automotive body filler (Bondo) damaged area. If any jagged edges or cracks are to fill in any imperfections, and allow to dry. Lightly present, see the major damage section. sand with a 220 grit sandpaper, followed by a 400 Mask off the damaged area, lightly hand sand (220 grit sandpaper, then a 600 grit sandpaper. Finally, grit) the damaged area to remove any surface apply an automotive paint to match the color. ridges and to promote adhesion. Sand in MAJOR DAMAGE This type of damage can be holes, cracks, or large The Plexus will expand as it hardens. Skim the dents. Cracks, even those found around holes, excess Plexus (if any) from the repair area must be prevented from growing. To do this, the keeping it level with the surrounding area. Allow to ends must be found and blunted (by drilling small dry for 1 hour. Sand the damaged area until the holes). Once this is done, the crack can be ground surface is flush with the surrounding area. Apply a or routed into a V groove. This allows it to be filled thin layer of automotive body filler to fill any voids. easily and promotes a good bond. We suggest Allow the filler to dry, then wet sand with 220, 400, using a Dremel tool, being sure to work in a well- then 600 grit sandpaper. ventilated area. After sanding the repaired area flush to the Mask off the damaged area and lay down a bead surrounding area, paint can then be applied. of Plexus adhesive in a 1:1 ratio into the damaged Recommended paints are spray enamels and oil area, slightly under filling the V groove. based enamel brush-ons (Rustoleum).

Safety C onsiderations: Use of solvents requires adequate ventilation, Always follow all warnings and instructions given keeping in mind that they are usually highly by the manufacturers of the products used for flammable. Use proper procedures to avoid repairs. injury. In some instances, the use of these This information is provided for your guidance materials is controlled. Check all regulations only. We urge you to make all tests you deem prior to using. appropriate prior to use. No warranties, either Keep in mind that a repair can only attempt to expressed or implied, including warranties or match the performance predicted in the original merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, part. The repair may not be quite as strong or stiff are made regarding products described or as the original part. The overall part/system information set forth, or that such products or behavior has probably changed. information may be used without infringing patents of others.

About Your Hunter 216

The Hunter 216 is a composite boat built by Hunter Composite Technologies located in East Lyme, CT. The boat is built using a process called ACP or advanced composite process. The Hunter is actually built using an outer plastic skin, foam core and inner fiberglass layer. The results are a lightweight boat that is 5 times more impact resistant than fiberglass. ACP is also much more environmentally friendly than a traditional fiberglass building process. The Hunter 216 requires very little maintenance, and with the right care, your 216 will last for many years of sailing.

** IMPORTANT INFORMATION **

Before towing your Hunter 216 make sure that the centerboard is eased down so the weight of the center board is on the bunk of the trailer. This is accomplished by opening the centerboard release valve in the cockpit. You do not want the boat to take the stress of the centerboard bouncing up and down. See the centerboard section for details.

Before launching your Hunter 216 make sure that the centerboard is raised and the release valve is closed. If the valve is not closed, when your Hunter comes off the trailer the centerboard will drop and may hit the bottom or the launch ramp. See the centerboard section for details.

When stepping the mast or launching and retrieving your Hunter make sure you are clear of all power lines.

Rigging your 216

Visually inspect your boat and all of its equipment. For the first time assembling your 216 take the mast and boom off of the boat and place them on Saw Horses.

Preparing the Mast

Run the Main Halyard through the blocks in the Head of the mast and back down to the foot. You want the Shackle to be on the aft side of the mast (the side with the track).

Tie the topping lift off to the small stainless eye loop near the very top of the mast.

Attach the spreaders to the mounting points about halfway up the mast. Make sure that the base of the spreader is flush with the mast and the spreaders are swept back (toward the sail track).

Attach the upper and lower shrouds. The shorter shrouds are attached to the tangs just below the spreaders. The longer shrouds are attached to the side tangs about ¾ of the way up the mast. The shrouds are attached to the mast on the end that does not have turnbuckles. They are pinned with a clevis pin and a cotter pin on the inside. It may be necessary to use the shroud and clevis pin to slightly bend the tang outward. The upper shrouds need to be run through the end of the spreaders.

The very short “pigtail” cable gets attached to the tang on the front of the mast in the same location as the upper shrouds. Attach the Harken swivel bearing to the other end of the pigtail.

Preparing the Boom

Attach the two Harken blocks to the aft two stainless loops on the boom. The Block with a Becket gets mounted to the aft loop of the two loops and the single block gets attached to the forward of the two loops.

Assemble the boomvang. This is sometimes easier if the top block (without the cleat) is attached to something. Attach the top block of the boomvang to the stainless loop near the gooseneck on the boom.

Preparing the Boat

Attach the large Harken mainsheet block and cleat assembly with the spring to the mounting point in the center of the cockpit. The spring needs to be compressed between the bottom of the block and the mounting base. Make sure the cotter ring gets into the clevis pin and inside the spring without getting hung up.

Attach the Harken roller-furling drum to the aft most hole in the bow plate. Run the roller-furling line through the four fairleads on the deck and into the roller- furling drum. At the drum, push the line through the small hole in the top. Make sure that the line runs straight from the last fairlead into the drum with out any rubbing. Tie a figure 8 or half-hitch at the end of the line to prevent it from pulling back through the small hole. Wind line up on the drum clockwise 10 turns. Tie a figure 8 knot at the other end of the furling line in the cockpit to prevent it from pulling through the fairleads.

Pin the ratcheting jib sheet blocks to the loops on the top of the cabin to the right and left of the companionway. A spring gets compressed between the block and loop similar to the mainsheet block.

Stepping the mast (first time)

Make sure the mast is in the mast crutches with the foot of the mast at the bow and the sail track is on the bottom side. Unfold the jib and pin the head of the jib to the roller-furling swivel bearing ¾ of the way up the mast. Make sure there are 10 – 12 turns on the roller-furling drum so the jib can be rolled up after the mast is put up.

Remove the hatch cover and panels to the cabin.

Hold the mast near the foot and walk it toward the stern of the boat until the foot of the mast lines up with the mast plate located in the center of the cabin. Pin the rear of the mast plate to the rear hole of the mast foot. Pic.

Make sure that all the shrouds are untangled and free to let the mast go up. They do not need to be attached to the chain-plates because the mast will free stand.

Stand toward the rear of the cockpit and push the mast over your head. Walk toward the bow while pushing the mast up. If you have two people, have the second person stand near the bow and pull on the jib. Once the mast is vertical, pin it into place.

Pin the tack of the jib to the top of the roller-furling drum. Roll the jib up with the furling line so that it’s not blowing around. Use a small piece of line to keep the jib from unrolling.

Attach the Shrouds. Make sure the turnbuckles are even and loose enough to easily reach the chain plates. The lower shrouds attach to the forward loop of the chain plates. The upper shrouds attach to the rear loop of the chain plates.

Run the jib sheets. Tie one end of the jib sheet to the loop at the base of the jib sheet block. Run the sheet up to one of the blocks on the clew of the jib and back through the jib sheet block on the cabin. Make sure the block ratchets the correct way. Finally, run the jib sheet through the cleat and tie a figure 8 knot so it does not pull through.

Tuning the rig.

This is an initial tuning guide only. It provides a starting point for tuning the 216 rig. Once further testing is done, we will provide more detailed tuning suggestions.

When tightening or loosening turnbuckles you must hold the top swage stud with a wrench or pliers to prevent it from turning while you are turning the body of the turnbuckle. Failure to do this may result in damage to the stay. Also note that you must re-install the cotter pins in the upper and lower studs to prevent the turnbuckle body from loosening up. They should be taped to prevent damage or injury.

Make sure the lower shrouds are loose. Adjust the upper shrouds until the mast is straight from Port to Starboard. Use the main halyard as a measuring tool. This is accomplished by pulling the halyard shackle until it just touches the chain plate loop on one side of the boat and cleat the halyard off. Now move the halyard to the same point on the other side of the boat and adjust the shrouds until both sides are even. Be aware that the halyard is somewhat stretchy and the same force must be used to get accurate results. Sight up the mast sail track from low on the deck and make sure that there is no side to side bend from the lower shrouds.

Adjust the bend of the mast. Attach something heavy to the main halyard and let it hang straight down just above the deck. Tighten the upper shrouds until the main halyard hangs approximately 2 inches from the mast at the gooseneck. Be sure to tighten the shrouds evenly. Again, sight up the mast and make sure that it is straight from side to side.

Tighten the lower shrouds. They only need to be hand tight, as too much tension will pull the bend out of the mast. When tightening pay close attention that the mast remains straight from left to right.

Boom and Mainsail

Pin the gooseneck of the boom to the mast. The topping lift can be attached to the cleat or the eye strap near the end of the boom.

Pin the base of the boomvang to the mast at the stainless loop just above the deck.

Run the mainsheet line. Start the mainsheet at the Becket on the aft most mainsheet block on the boom. Run the line down to one of the small blocks on the mainsheet block on the deck, return the line back to the starting block, then back down to the base block, then to the forward block on the boom, then back through the large block and through the cleat.

Centerboard

Your Hunter 216 is equipped with a 500lb solid lead centerboard for stability and performance. An advanced hydraulic mechanism was developed for raising and lowering this centerboard. This system consists of a manually operated hydraulic ram, which is attached to the centerboard via a stainless steel cable.

To lower the centerboard, simply turn the release valve (counter clockwise) located in the center of the cockpit. As the centerboard goes down you can view the hydraulic cylinder extending toward the bow of the boat through the centerboard cover.

To raise the centerboard, attach the pump handle extension to the pump stub located just aft of the release valve. Close the release valve (clockwise) and pump the hydraulic handle. Verify that the centerboard is coming up by watching the hydraulic piston retracting toward the stern of the boat.

The Hydraulic piston can be removed for service or replacement when the Hunter 216 is on its trailer. To remove the pump, lower the centerboard on to the trailer bunk. Remove the centerboard cover. Remove the cotter pin and clevis pin holding the centerboard cable to the piston. Slide the hydraulic piston up and back to remove.

Before towing your Hunter 216 make sure that the centerboard is lowered down so the weight of the center board is on the bunk of the trailer. This is accomplished by opening the centerboard release valve in the cockpit. You do not want the boat to take the stress of the centerboard bouncing up and down.

Bottom Paint

If you are going to leave your Hunter 216 in the water, you may want to consider an ani- fouling paint on the bottom for protection against barnacles and other marine growth.

The waterline for the Hunter 216 can be found by measuring down from 5 points on the boat. For each point use a flexible measuring tape and measure along the contour of the hull from the bottom of the rub-rail. This point will indicate the actual waterline (where the water hits the boat). You may want your paint line an inch or two higher.

1) Bow Cleat – 28” 2) Cabin/Deck Joint Line – 28 ¾” 3) Chain Plates – 28 ½” 4) Main Sheet – 26 ¼”

5) Stern Cleat – 24 ¾”

The first step to adding bottom paint to the 216 is to scuff sand the bottom surface of the boat below the waterline. Next wipe down the area with denatured alcohol to remove wax and dust from sanding. Finally, paint the boat with Interlux Fiberglass Bottomkote ACT. We only recommend Interlux’s Gray White color.

If the boat is going to be left in the water the centerboard and centerboard trunk should also be painted. To access the centerboard for painting, you can either hoist the boat and drop the centerboard, or remove the centerboard from the boat. To remove the centerboard, unscrew the 8 stainless screws securing the centerboard frame to the boat (in the cockpit). Using a hoist carefully raise the complete centerboard cartridge from the boat. The centerboard is solid lead and is already primed with a suitable primer.

Do not use Acetone or any other surface preparation chemicals as it may attack the hull material.

Cabin Deck Main Sheet Base Bow Cleat

Stern Cleat

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Hunter 216 vs Capri 22?

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My wife and I have been sailing in a club for 7 years and have decided to buy our own boat. The boat will be kept at our dock on a lake in deep water in GA and will be used for daysailing - we don't care about trailering and won't be sleeping on it. We have narrowed our search to a Capri 22 (fin keel, standard rig) and a Hunter 216. My concern about the Hunter is whether or not we will be happy in the long term with the lack of sail controls and the comfort level aboard when the weather turns cool. On the plus side, it is hard to imagine a simpler boat to sail and maintain. My concern about the Capri is whether or not I want the additional maintenance this boat presents over the Hunter. We don't really care about racing, but don't want to sail a slug either. Any thoughts, experience, or advice about these boats would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!  

Welcome to the SailNet from the other Jeff_H...  

I've not sailed the Hunter 216. I have seen them and the Asym sprit rig on them seems pretty sweet. The Capri 22 is hardly a slug, so no worries there. It can also be setup about as easy or as hard as you like, with as few or as many sail controls as you might want. History: The Capri 22 comes in 2 mods, (the mod 1 which had chiseled looking windows, and the Mod 2 which had ovaled out windows - this is the most obvious difference there were plenty)... Within that they came in 3 keels... shoal (almost never sold), wing, and fin. The wing USUALLY was sold most frequently, and USUALLY with the standard rig. The TALL rig was sold mostly to FIN keel buyers, but basically added 2 feet to the mast height. It should be pretty obvious that if water depth is of no concern, and speed is the ultimate goal, then FIN KEEL, TALL rig is what you are searching for... and you want the race package, to get all the extra sail controls (even if you don't use them now). Even in the wing keel, standard rig, the Capri 22 is a great sailing boat. It's hard to be unhappy with these boats, as they are still in current production... the parts are easily found, and there were a lot of these boats sold (easy to find others who can help you set them up, get parts cheap, and find used boats). I owned/sailed my Capri 22 for 2 years, and loved the boat. I moved up (or was it down) to the Capri 25 because it has even more performance. Again I know very little about the 216, but I know the Capri 22 is faster, and has more sail controls, so it's likely the better long term boat. I bet the 216 is easier to get out and going to sail, certainly easier to throw a chute up on that sprit. The Capri 22 one design looks for a Symmetrical spinnaker so there is your biggest difference.  

I've sailed the 216, sweet boat but slim control on the sails and below decks is non-existent. Search google for 216 problems with ice splitting the laminates. Not too much of an issue were you are, but be aware that 216's are not your normal fiberglass and gel coat construction. We also had a minor issue with the centerboard - the cable is turned around a tight radius and likes to break. We replaced it with Dyneema.  

I've had a chance to race on Capri 22s a number of times. They are a great day sailor with a huge cockpit and nicely laid out controls. The cabin is just big enough to hide from the weather in and do easy overnighters, but it would feel cramped for longer trips. I haven't worked on one, but they seem like quite simple boats with limited systems. I doubt that it's much different than a 216. Get the fin keel/tall rig if you can. A club here has 6 of them and races them on Thursday nights. The fin/tall boats do noticeably better than the wing/standard. They actually have them with 3 rig heights, one of the fin keel boats has a brand new rig using Selden spars (I think that is same as what is sold on the Capri 22 today) and it looks a little shorter than the other talls. It's still fast. The Hunter 216 looks interesting, there is one that comes out to Duck Dodge (a weekly race in Seattle) and appears to do quite well compared to larger boats. I have no experience sailing one though, and the cuddy cabin doesn't look as useful as the Capri 22. Since the Capri 22 already has an enormous cockpit (comfortable for 4 people while racing) there is little reason to give up that little cabin.  

I haven't sailed the Capri but I have the Hunter. I do have limited experience but I loved sailing the Hunter. I wasn't able to find one here locally or it would be sitting in my driveway now. We did have an issue with the cable snapping for the centerboard though. easily repaired but not fun.  

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• Sailboat Guide

Hunter 216 is a 21 ′ 5 ″ / 6.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Glenn Henderson and built by Hunter Marine starting in 2003.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

ABS plastic contruction (Luran®) Hydraulically lifting keel. Lifting ‘VARA’ rudder system. Replaced (2010) with a newer HUNTER 22, built of more conventional FG.

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