H Boat

[Sandgrounder]

Any one know anything about these rather beautiful looking boats? Peter Poland recommends them, in the June issue of PBO, as a good occasional cruiser.
From the little I can find out on-line they appear to be 27ft overall with a displacement of 1450kg and a 50% ballast ratio. All the photos I have seen show crews of 3 or 4 sitting out using toe straps! Are they as lively as they look or is this just class association bravado?
I am interested because although maybe a bit spartan they sound, from his comments, to be suitable for my lake sailing but I don't want a boat that is so liveley that I spend all my time reefed down to almost no canvas.
I've tried all the usual sources e.g reviews - none I can find, Yachtsnet etc but with no luck. I'd be grateful for any information/advice anyone can offer.

Simon

 

[Tranona]

If you Google H Boats you will get masses of sources of information including the class association. The reason you don't find much in the UK is because the boats never caught on here.

 

[Seajet]

I met a chap who had one, and thought highly of her; he was also the skipper of the topsail schooner T.S Malcolm Miller ! ( Hello if you're reading this ).

She's a narrow, low boat and any cruising will be on the frugal side, but I'd think fine.

One thing to bear in mind is that boats behave differently ( in my experience slightly worse, harder mouthed ) if designed for salt water then used in fresh; she may be even wetter, but waterproofs are available...

With her shape and ballast ratio, I don't think you'll have to send SWMBO up on the side deck, unless using this as a ploy !

A great boat, if you have the chance, go for it...

 

[savageseadog]

An experienced yachtsman freind of mine really rates them. He said they are very reasonable to buy in Sweden.

 

[Seajet]

I forgot to mention, H-Boats, a sort of Folkboat derivative, are - or were - a popular racing class at Lymington.

 

[Lakesailor]

I had a friend to stay this weekend who races a Folkboat in the Solent. They are 26 ft and long keel with a 50% ballast ratio. Sound familiar?

Yes, they hike out with the crew of three (no reefing in their class) but the boats are reknown for being solid seaboats and good cruisers as well.

H Boats

Folkboats That is my friend on the foredeck, it's his boat, but he knows his place.

Unfortunately this is also him

 

[mihtjel]

I don't want a boat that is so liveley that I spend all my time reefed down to almost no canvas.

If you do decide to get one, be sure you check it actually CAN reef - most of the H-boats I've seen around here don't have reefing gear at all, and just rely on wellies and hiking crew to handle high winds.

 

[Sandgrounder]

Thanks all. I agree about the similarities with the Folkboat. The H Boat's advantage is that it has a self-draining cockpit.
Lovely photos as ever Lakey

 

[nautibull]

There are in fact two types of H boat. The one without guardrails and little down below and the other with guardrails and properly fitted out for cruising, (spartan) we have an example of both at our club

 

[mcanderson]

Try the H Boat link below

http://www.h-boat-class.org/

Also try the Royal Forth Yacht Club website for some links as they are popular there.

 

[Racecruiser]

Here's one for sale with Hamble mooring! Page down a long way.

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/community/classifieds/view.asp?id=1591

 

[FWB]

My first boat with a lid was an H Boat. Made by Artekno,the other maker was Botnia. Bought it new in 1980 sail number 12. Where is she now I wonder?
Ideal for lake sailing. I sailed mine to France. Fast boat with lovely lines.
The outboard arrangement not very easy to use. Otherwise a great small boat. Described in 1979 Yachting World as " the gentlemans one design cruiser racer ".

 

[Signed Out]

Nice looking for sure (although I prefer the long keels of Folkies (and derivatives of course!)), and made by OTT Yacht (amongst others I guess), who also build the most lovely boat of all- the Aphrodite 101.

http://www.ott-yacht.de/en/h-boot/

There was another thread on these not so long ago, and I think someone mentioned they were actually a Soling Hull with a lid, but maybe that was just a guess from a pic. No idea.

 

[doug748]

......who also build the most lovely boat of all- the Aphrodite 101....

There was another thread on these not so long ago, and I think someone mentioned they were actually a Soling Hull with a lid, but maybe that was just a guess from a pic. No idea.

I regret to say that the position of most lovely plastic boat is already filled:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ifbat.jpg ;-)

I was going to post on the Soling thing as well, can anyone throw any light on it?

 

[ValleyForge]

No, looks to a Soling purely co-incidental although common to a lot of Scandanavian day sailers. Compare the 2 side by side & the soling look like a FF15.
Hans Groop designed the H boat, Jan Linge the Soling. At the 1980 boat show there was a 32' version I think, that was a real beut.
Lovely yacht, always wanted one (along with a dragon, merc SL600, Jane Fonda etc. etc.)

 

[doug748]

Thanks for that ValleyForge. That 32 sounds a cracker.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Unfortunately this is also him

[/CENTER]

"STAR...........aaaaagh!" ouch!

 

[Lakesailor]

I can't remember the details but the white boat had just tacked ahead of the blue boat which couldn't either tack or bear away because of other boats.
However he lost the appeal.


Don't bother arguing with my version of events as that is all I can remember.

 

[davidaprice]

H-Boats are apparently the world's second most common keelboat. Finland being their home, they're extremely popular here (I had one myself for 4 years). Here's the list of them currently for sale here (30 of them!):
http://www.nettivene.com/h

Most are used for cruising, but nevertheless guardrails are rare. Only those used for racing have hiking toe-straps. Many have a single reef in the mainsail (mine did).

H-Boats are great for cruising in Finland's lakes and sheltered archipelago, but I wouldn't want to go offshore in one.

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

KOBSC

There is a small fleet at Kyles of Bute sailing club. They look beautiful and very stiff. Never seen them need to reef in the sheltered waters of the Kyles.

many have gone to Denmark to get theirs. You can get a quite new one with a road trailer for a better price over there I believe.