hunter 365 sailboat

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The Hunter 356 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Hunter 356, an aft-cockpit B&R sloop, was designed by Glenn Henderson and built in the USA by Hunter Marine.

Published Specification for the Hunter 356

Underwater Profile:  Fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material:  GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall:  35'6"  ( 10.8m)

Waterline Length:  30'7"  ( 9.3m)

Beam:  12'0"  ( 3.7m)

Draft:  6'5"  ( 2.0m)

Rig Type:  B&R 

Displacement:  13,900lb (6,305kg)

Designer:  Glenn Henderson

Builder:  Hunter Marine (USA)

Year First Built:  2000

Number Built:  500

Published Design Ratios for the Hunter 356

Sail Area/Displacement Ratio :  20.0

Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  36.1

Displacement/Length Ratio:  217

Comfort Ratio:  24.5

Capsize Screening Formula:   2.0

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Hunter 356

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 20.0 suggests that the Hunter 356 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors. 

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 36.1 means that a sailboat like the Hunter 356 (which doesn't have a stiffness-enhancing bulb keel), is likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 217, tells us the Hunter 356 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 24.5 suggests that crew comfort of a Hunter 356 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula of 2.0 tells us that a Hunter 356 would not be as good a choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

The Hunter 356: A Great Choice for Recreational Sailors

The Hunter 356 was designed by Glenn Henderson and introduced in 2000 by Hunter Marine, one of the largest sailboat manufacturers in the US. The Hunter 356 is part of a scaled series that includes the smaller Hunter 306 and 326, and was later developed into the Hunter 36-2 in 2008. The Hunter 356 won the award for Best Production Cruiser Under $200,000 from Cruising World magazine in 2001, and has been praised for its value, quality and performance.

Accommodation

The Hunter 356 has a spacious and comfortable interior, with plenty of natural light and ventilation from the many ports and hatches. The boat can accommodate up to six people in two separate cabins and the saloon.

The forward cabin has a large V-berth that can sleep two adults comfortably, with storage lockers underneath and shelves on both sides. There is also a hanging locker and a vanity with a sink and mirror on the port side.

The aft cabin has an athwartships double berth that can also sleep two adults comfortably, with storage lockers underneath and shelves on both sides. There is also a hanging locker on the starboard side.

The saloon has a U-shaped dinette on the starboard side that can seat six people around a large table that can be lowered to convert into another double berth if needed. There is also a settee on the port side that can seat two people or serve as a single berth.

The galley is located on the starboard side aft of the saloon, and has everything you need to prepare meals on board. It has a two-burner stove with oven, a double stainless steel sink with hot and cold water, a top-loading refrigerator/freezer, a microwave oven, and plenty of storage cabinets and drawers.

The navigation station is located on the port side aft of the saloon, opposite the galley. It has a large chart table with storage underneath, an electrical panel, a VHF radio, and space for other instruments and devices.

The head is located on the port side forward of the saloon, next to the forward cabin door. It has a marine toilet with holding tank, a shower with hot and cold water, a sink with vanity and mirror, and a wet locker for hanging wet clothes.

The boat has a generous amount of headroom throughout, ranging from 6.4 ft (1.95m) in the saloon to 5.8 ft (1.77m) in the aft cabin.

The boat also has a 12V DC and 110V AC electrical system, with outlets in every cabin, a water heater, a battery charger, and a stereo system with speakers.

Hull and Deck The Hunter 356 has a solid fiberglass hull with a balsa core sandwich construction for stiffness and insulation. The hull is white with a blue boot stripe and a gold cove stripe. The deck is also fiberglass with a balsa core, and has molded-in nonskid surfaces for safety and traction. The deck is white with gray accents.

The boat has a wide and open cockpit, with high coamings and comfortable seats. There is a stern rail seat on each side of the cockpit, which provides a great view and a place to relax. There is also a folding cockpit table that can be mounted on the pedestal for dining or drinks.

The boat has a walk-through transom that leads to a swim platform with a folding ladder for easy access to the water. There is also a hot and cold water shower on the transom for rinsing off after swimming or diving.

The boat has stainless steel bow and stern pulpits, stanchions, lifelines, handrails, and cleats for safety and durability. The boat also has an anchor locker on the bow, with an electric windlass for easy anchoring. The boat comes with a Delta anchor with chain and rode, as well as a spare Danforth anchor.

The boat has an aluminum toe rail that runs along the edge of the deck, which provides extra strength and attachment points for blocks and lines. The boat also has six opening ports, four fixed ports, five opening hatches, and two dorade vents for light and ventilation.

Mast and Rigging The Hunter 356 has an anodized aluminum mast that is deck-stepped on a stainless steel compression post. The mast is 55.33 ft (16.87 m) tall from the waterline, which means it can clear most bridges and power lines. The mast has two sets of swept-back spreaders and no backstay, which gives it more support and reduces the load on the masthead.

The boat has a fractional sloop B&R rig, which means it has a large mainsail and a small jib that are both furling. The mainsail is mast-furling, which means it can be rolled up inside the mast by turning a line on the cockpit. The jib is roller-furling, which means it can be rolled up on the forestay by turning another line on the cockpit.

The boat has stainless steel wire standing rigging that connects the mast to the deck at four points: the chainplates on both sides of the hull near the shrouds, and the stemhead fitting on the bow near the forestay. The boat also has low-stretch polyester running rigging that controls the sails: halyards to hoist them up, sheets to trim them in or out, outhauls to adjust their shape, and reefing lines to reduce their size.

The boat has all lines led aft to the cockpit through organizers and clutches for convenience and safety. The boat has two self-tailing winches on the cabin top for halyards and reefing lines, and two larger self-tailing winches on the coaming for sheets. The boat also has two winch handles that can be stored in holders on the coaming.

The boat comes with a mainsail cover that protects the sail when it is furled inside the mast, as well as a UV protection strip on the jib that protects it from sun damage when it is furled on the forestay.

Keel and Rudder The Hunter 356 has a fixed fin keel that gives it good stability and performance upwind. The keel is made of lead encapsulated in fiberglass, which makes it strong and resistant to corrosion.

The boat has an internally-mounted spade-type rudder that gives it good maneuverability and responsiveness. The rudder is made of fiberglass with a stainless steel stock and shaft that connects to the wheel steering system through cables and pulleys.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

Other sailboats in the Hunter range include:

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The Hunter 356 is a 35.5ft b&r designed by Glenn Henderson and built in fiberglass by Hunter Marine (USA) since 2000.

500 units have been built..

The Hunter 356 is a moderate weight sailboat which is a high performer. It is stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a fast cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a short water supply range.

Hunter 356 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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• Sailboat Guide

Hunter 356 is a 34 ′ 6 ″ / 10.5 m monohull sailboat designed by Glenn Henderson and built by Hunter Marine starting in 2000.

• 2 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 3 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 4 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 5 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 6 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 7 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 8 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 9 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 10 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 11 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 12 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 13 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 14 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 15 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 16 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View
• 17 / 17 Midland, ON, CA 2003 Hunter 356 $87,167 USD View

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)

Shoal Draft model: 5’.

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Edwards Yacht Sales

• 866.365.0706

2003 Hunter 356

• Cocoa, FL, US

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The Hunter 356 is an award winning performance cruiser with emphasis on style and comfort.  CRUISING WORLD award the Hunter 356 as the "Best Production Cruiser Under $200k".  She's capable to single handle when shorthanded with a proven Selden In-Mast furler, Harken head sail furler and all lines leading aft to cockpit. Popular 2 cabin,1 head design with plenty of storage throughout. Bimini w/clear isenglass dodger with sunbrella covers.  Cockpit cushions,   Kato Davits.

This is a one owner boat and has been exceptionally well maintained by a knowledgable sailor and an astute member of the East Coast Sailing Association.

Specifications

Descriptions, basic information, dimensions & weight, tank capacities, accommodations.

• View Option

Model: Yanmar 3GM30F

Horse Power: 27 hp

Complete Maintenance performed March 2014 includes:

Heat Exchange Flush, New Raw Water Pump, New Hoses, Clamps, Belts, Mixing Elbow

This popular and proven Hunter design features a two berth cabin layout with private v-berth in the bow, a large salon and galley to the starboard, head aft to port, and a generous private aft berth with full door closure and lots of storage. Throughout the cabin is excellent ventilation with many opening ports that also provide a very bright atmosphere with lots of natural light. Accordion cabin window shades pull down for privacy and screens for each hatch and canvas are included. The spacious and well laid out main salon has great seating for 6 around the dining table which also is easily converted to the 3rd berth. The settee to port side of the cabin also doubles for a proper sized navigation station and under the settee you will find abundant storage area for a vessel of 35 feet. You can further enjoy your time aboard in comfort with  factory installed air conditioning with ducting to all cabins and well placed 12 volts fans. The main focal point to below decks is the salon and generous galley; it all compliments a comfortable and very functional cockpit layout for this cruiser. 

The Hunter 356 features a single wet-head design with hot and cold pressure shower/faucet combination. the 30 gallon holding tank and 6 gallon hot water heater are other great features. There is also a wet locker in the head area that is a great place to hang those wet foulies. The shower drain has separate 12v shower pump for grey water

• Privacy shades for all ports
• Selected hardwood trim
• Fully enclosed head w/shower
• Hot/cold pressure water
• Private forward cabin
• Dinette converts to double berth
• Hatch covers for all hatches
• Hardwood cabin sole
• Molded vanity w/Corian top & mirror
• (2) hanging lockers, one each berths
• Private Master cabin w/queen berth
• Navigation Station
• 16k Cruise Air Reverse Cycle Air and Heat 

The galley to starboard hosts a double stainless steel sink, vast Corian counter-tops, pressure hot and cold water with a 75 gallon supply and a 6 gallon hot water heater, built in microwave,large top loading ice box, built in waste bin, gimballed Force Ten LPG 2 burner stove, Origo Microwave and enough storage space for gourmet cooking.

• Double stainless steel sinks
• Built in trash receptacle
• Top Loading Ice Box (Wired for 12VDC Refrigeration)
• Force 10 2 burner stove LPG
• Corian counter tops
• Cabinet storage above and below

Raymarine RC435 GPS Chartplotter

ST40 Depth & Speed

ICOM IC-M402 VHF Radio

ICOM Ram Mike at Helm

Sony Stereo CD AM/FM Radio 52w x 4

2 Speakers in Salon and 2 Speakers in Cockpit

2 30 amp dockside power recepticals with shore power cord

16K btu Marine Air by Dometic Reverse Cycle AC w/digital control heat/cold New Oct '13

2 Bank Pro Tech IV 30 amp Battery Charger

AC / DC Control Panel at Nav Station

House Bank and Starting Battery

Pro Watt 1750 Watt Invertor

Automatic Bilge Pump

Tanks Systems Tank Monitors

Nav Lights w/steaming & anchor light

12VDC Fans 

Superb strength and integrity are achieved with a through bolted to deck joint. The outward turned flanges of the deck and the hull are first shaped for an exact fit. Then 3M 5200 sealant is evenly spread on to the joint prior to the lowering on the deck. The joint is clamped together and through-bolted around the entire deck. From the bow to the keel sump Hunter has added Kevlar laminate to give you added protection against collisions. The wide, walk-through transom contains large storage bins and a telescoping swim ladder The anchor locker is deep and self-draining.

• Kato Davits
• Stainless stern rail with seats
• Double life lines for safety
• (3) opening hatches w/screens
• (3) Fixed hull ports
• Lead shoal keel
• 35 lb Delta anchor w/chain and rode
• 35 lb Danforth anchor w/chain and rode
• Whitlock Steering
• Stainless Arch/w mainsheet
• Non skid deck
• (4) opening ports w/screens
• (4) dock cleats
• (2) spring cleats
• Hot & Cold Cockpit shower
• (5) cockpit/transom storage lockers

Selden In-Mast furling Main

Profurl furling Genoa

Ridged Hydraulic Boom Vang

2 sets Triple Line stoppers/organizer

Inboard jib track $ cars

Internal halyard led to cockpit

2 Lewmar ST 40 2 speed winches

2 Lewmar ST 30 2 speed winches

Harken Traveler on Stainless Arch

IJPE : 632.00 sq ft  I : 44.83 ft  J : 13.17 ft  P : 44.92 ft  E : 15.00 ft  Working Sail Area : 632.00 sq ft

Keel #1 Keel Type: Shoal_Draft Ballast: 5064 lb Displacement: 13900 sq ft Max Draft: 5.00 ft

The Hunter 356 features a tall, fractional rig, which is a direct descendent of the B&R rig that powered Hunter's Child to a second place finish in the recent BOC. Hunter has engineered the mast to carry less weight aloft with smaller sections. This is accomplished by utilizing swept-back spreaders and reverse diagonals as well as mast support struts. This combination provides superior strength without a backstay and increases the stability at the same time. By using a large roach main as the power sail, Hunter has eased the effort in sail handling and allowed for real versatility for all wind and sea conditions. The benefit is better performance with less effort. The deck layout of the Hunter 356 reflects the innovation that accompanies the rig. An integrated arch protects the cockpit from snapping main sheets and blistering sun with the optional Bimini. This arch keeps the cockpit clear and open. A custom console stands ready with the standard VHF and instruments. Single-lever control and a fold-down table along with engine instrumentation complete the command station. The swim platform and walkthrough transom complete with shower and folding ladder are perfect for water sports or for boarding the tender. Storage is everywhere and the non-skid is absolutely first-rate. Comfort is truly important aboard whether for a week or a year, so Hunter has created an interior that not only looks good, but works as well. Two private, large staterooms along with an enormous head with shower and a salon that can seat eight plus a gourmet galley will keep all the crew happy.

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• By Herb McCormick
• Updated: April 29, 2008

Glenn Henderson is a good ol’ Southern boy, a Florida native who loves surfin’, sailin’, and Gators football, not necessarily in that order. When Henderson joined the Hunter Design Team in 2001, his first commission was the Hunter 356, which was an unqualified success with more than 500 units built. This year, Henderson has revisited the concept with the Hunter 36, and it’s interesting to see the choices that he’s made on this second-generation approach.

Rather than a wholesale makeover, it’s safe to say that the 36 is an evolution and extension of the midsize theme. There are lots of features that are consistent with the brand that have been carried through with this latest Hunter, including the backstay-less B&R rig with the distinctive, swept-back double spreaders; the folding wheel and walk-through transom, which maximize the comfort and utility of the cockpit; and the Traveler Arch with built-in bimini, with the mainsail traveler within handy reach of the helmsman.

The hull of the 36 has been slightly tweaked, Henderson said, to lower the prismatic coefficient and promote even greater stability and better balance. In practice, what this means is a slightly longer waterline with a somewhat straighter plumb bow. Henderson started his design career drawing quick, sporty, highly successful raceboats, and he hasn’t lost his touch when it comes to hulls that move sweetly through the water. We tested the 36 on a day of mostly light winds hovering around 8 knots. Upwind with full sail on, the boat registered an effortless 5.6 to 5.8 knots. Cracked off to a close reach, the speedometer topped 6 knots. The helm was light, and given the spotty breeze, the performance was excellent. On our wish list, we’d add a foot chock for the helmsman and a repositioned overhead bimini window for better sight lines to the mainsail, but both can be easily addressed.

On deck, there are lots of little features that suggest a notable attention to detail, starting with the good nonskid underfoot. The anchoring system is very well done, with a large cleat adjacent to the windlass to ease the strain on the rode; a dedicated bar over the bow roller ensures that the anchor won’t jump its mount and nick the headsail furler or pulpit. The cockpit lockers are enormous and well organized, with fiddled shelves and brackets for the emergency tiller, companionway slats, and other items. We were less enamored of the small hatches in the transom scoop, which seemed out of reach and somewhat superfluous, prone to immersion, and, in the event that they became flooded, potentially hazardous.

As with the deck, the interior layout and styling have been modified and updated. This is a very big 36-footer. The straight-line galley of the 356 has been transformed on the 36 into an L-shaped arrangement that lies to starboard, adjacent to the companionway steps. To port, the aft-facing nav station is enormous; it wouldn’t be out of place on a boat 10 feet larger. Likewise, the head is big and accessible, with a sink/vanity in one section and the head/shower in a separate enclosure. There’s a V-berth in a forward stateroom (with a nifty louvered door in the bulkhead to open up the space when desired) and a large athwartships double aft (with its own headboard!). All in all, it’s a worthy successor to the original.

Herb McCormick is a Cruising World editor at large.

LOA 35′ 6” (10.82 m.) LWL 31′ 3” (9.53 m.) Beam 12′ 0” (3.66 m.) Draft (shoal) 4′ 11” (1.50 m.) Draft (deep/standard) 6′ 5” (1.96 m.) Sail area (100%) 780 sq. ft. (72.46 sq. m) Ballast (shoal) 5,064 lb. (2,302 kg.) Ballast (deep) 5,023 lb. (2,283 kg.) Displacement (shoal) 13,900 lb. (6,318 kg.) Displacement (deep) Ballast/D .34 D/Length 175 SA/D 16.9 Water 75 gal. (284 l.) Fuel 38 gal. (144 l.) Engine 29-hp. Yanmar diesel Designer Glenn Henderson/ Hunter Design Team Base Price (sailaway) $147,000 Phone (386) 462-3077 Website www.huntermarine.com

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Hunter 356 Bluewater Capable?

• Thread starter HoboCanoe
• Start date Dec 8, 2014
• Hunter Owner Forums
• Ask A Hunter Owner

Hi Owners, 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 :dance:  

Best of luck on your adventure. Hunters of all sizes have traveled the world, and I am sure that some encountered a lot of blue water. A lot of that success is due to respect for mother nature and the attitude of the captain and crew, not the boat that is under them. Either skill, being poor or non-existent, can spell disaster and often does. My P42 came from the factory on it's own bottom through the canal and lived about 10-12 years on the west coast, before retracing that and back to the east coast where I bought it. The previous owner had no problems, on either trek. Nor did I, on coastal or near coastal runs. I am not sure that I would cross oceans with out shutters or protection for the big salon windows. Similarly, I would have spares and fitting out, and a rig inspection. The bigger issue, is whether you and the wife can deal with watches and action, when needed, and good decision making on all points of the adventure. My wife and I took this from our scuba instructor: 1. ANYONE can call the adventure for any reason, at any time. 2. Things come in threes, so when two happens, you have little to no time to address 3. Best to not get to 2 in the first place. Plan accordingly - never wait to reef, and never a bad time to heave to. As to a "dedicated" blue water boat, books and blogs have been written about what constitutes one and how you can turn your boat in to one. It is really only a question of time and money, and realize that ALL boats are compromises. Best of luck on your adventure. Get going, daylight is burning.  

waternwaves

If you do not think your spouse has the skills, knowledge, mindset and physical ability to sail across an ocean by their self, Why would the two of you do it. Oceans are, accidents happen there are people who cannot stay sane 40 days alone. IT's not the boat. OF course the boats can make it. The issue is the people. study, train, learn, practice, apply, then outfit the boat. Its the same. Getting the people outfitted and prepared is far more important than out fitting the boat.  

Many of the large cruiser ocean rallies have sessions on how to prepare a production coastal cruiser for blue water use. The ARC has a great one but it goes the other way! Look at the web sites for the rallies that run from the east coast to the carib. They'll have info. As others have wisely said, it more about you than the boat. But helping the boat get ready is prudent.  

Bob 04 H260

All the above advice is good I think. We sail a Hunter 356. We bought it to sail in Florida and the Bahamas, not as blue water boat. We had some rigging work done by Steve Pettengill last winter, he said he would take the boat anywhere. As far as modifications goes, there is a good write up under the Hunter 36 version here, http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/in...mid=267&cat_id=71&aid=6189&page=article&mn=36 He seems to be setting the boat up for some offshore sailing. The interview Cruising World did a few years back with Hunter has some information you might find useful, http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=87 You will no doubt have someone tell you the Hunter is too light. Compare the weight of your 356 with an Island Packet 350. ( I don't think anyone refers to an IP as lightly built.) Good luck and let us know how you make out, Bob  

The single most important item about crossing oceans is the captain's experience and ability. Relying on the boat's strength to face storm weather is just a last resort measure when you cannot out run it or avoid it. The great majority of passages either by design or luck never encounter foul weather. That is why when you hear that a 27' boat crossed an ocean it is considered an outstanding feat when in reality it may have been as easy as crossing a lake, only longer. What defines a blue water boat is mostly its sailing characteristics and life sustaining capabilities. Large water tanks and storage for provisions are usually at the top of the list. Power storage and production as well as fuel capacities follow closely. An easy going sea motion as dictated by its displacement and hull shape is very desirable. Speed can be considered as a safety factor. Important but down in the list are the boat's strength and integrity and riggin upgrades. My best answer to your question is to use the trip down the Bahamas, crossing the Caribbean, across the Panama Canal and along the coast of Mexico and California to gain experience. With good communications, weather reports and the number of safe ports along the way you can easily complete this part of the trip in a safe manner. By then you will have also figured out what modifications and upgrades you would need to do to your boat to handle long passages comfortably. Attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean is a different animal altogether as even if you are aware of a developing weather system you may not be able to outrun or avoid it. This is where foul weather experience and a boat's integrity can make the difference.  

bananabender56

HoboCanoe said: Hi Owners, 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 :dance: Click to expand

Crazy Dave Condon

Hobiecanoe; send an email to jim seamans as he owns a 356 and has sailed to the islands quite a bit and in fact has gone south for the winter. There are a lot of good posts from him in the archives.  

Weather Weather will be your worst enemy and not the boat and yes I sailed my 2007 H-36 from Montauk,NY to Florida and than around the west coast Fl. When we left 2 out 4 of my crew were not inlove with my Hunter but at the end in Fl. they told me how surprised that my Hunter was a good boat and were impressed how well my Hunter did on the trip. I know a few Blue water boats that did not do well on off shore trips and it was because of getting hit with storms and I think blue water boaters think they can handle anything and maybe should have been more careful of the weather. Jim Seamans is in Fl. as I speak and has gone to Bahama's many times and the boat has done very well,it's the equipment that was installed on the boat that usually gives in and so backup is a very good thing and yes on a older boat everything needs to be checked and have a expert check the rigging. I added solar panels supported off my arch and solar is great and free sun and more dependable than say wind or motor power charging. Nick  

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