Hunter Hoizon 23 self-tacking jib/outboard arrangement

[Witchwood]

Hi, I'm considering buying a Hunter Horizon 23 and wondered if anyone could give any thoughts on a couple of potential weak spots.

1) the efficiency of the self-tacking jib arrangement. I have heard from owners of the larger 272 that it doesn't do much for the boat's speed to windward and would like to know if this is also the case with the smaller 23. Would I really need a genoa? This would involve the addition of all the necessary equipment such as cockpit winches, sheet travellers/cars and obviously a new genoa, so some extra expense to factor in.

2) the efficiency of the outboard arrangement. Being in a cockpit well on the port side, will this be an issue for manoeuvrability at low speed and will I lose drive on port tack if motor-sailing in strongish winds?

Are there any other aspects of the design I should look into?

Cheers.

 

[DownWest]

Since nobody has chipped in... Sail it for a bit, then evaluate it. Over laps on the rig tend to generate better flow and lift, ergo better windward performance. So how important is that to you compared to the cost of a Genoa + the kit? That is, if you like the boat enough.
O/Bs in well have compromises, the only time I remember it being a bit tricky, was off the Alderney race when the tide turned and we had to tack back and forth for most of the night with the engine running to maintain position. It was off centre and thrashed a bit . It was also around F7, so perhaps an extreme case. If you can move the O/B , then a little 'vector' power can help with close quarters at low speed. I do this on my clinker ply double ender, but only for the iffy bits.

 

[tross]

I will help out here. I've had one for 10 years now ( kids at Uni ) and the jib does make a big difference but struggles a bit in light airs and down wind. The true secret to the 23 is the mainsail. Trimming this is what will bring benefits. Off wind use the cruising cut. Ah the out board. This can work for you or against you. Once you are moving, even at slow speeds you do not notice it. But from a stand still it is like having massive prop walk - which can be very useful in certain circumstances. As long as you know it is there then you plan around it . For me it help getting off the mooring when we are all in line with the tide.
Another bonus is you can raise it out of the water when not is use - you do need a plug other wise the water does shoot around a bit. For maintenance you can take it home in the winter and service it!

This is a great little boat that is safe all the way up to a F7 and beyond with a 3rd reef in the mail. Get the rig and sail tuned correctly then it goes very well ( 8th in Round the Island).

 

[William_H]

The self tacking jib will be perhaps of value to you however a large genoa will give much better performance on the wind in lighter conditions.
The motor in a well is a good thing dpending on your use. If you like cruising use the motor a fair bit and don't mind motor drag then it will be good.
I have a friend witha 24 (Triton or Trident) with O/B in a well on port side. He ended up fitting a bracket to the transom to make it easier to lift motor out of the water and also easier to fit the motor. He keeps the motor inside normally. Yes he leaves the hull plug in permanently. But then he likes to race and winds tend to be fairly reliable so he like me can go for many outings without using motor. Much might depend on how hard it is to lift and remove motor. So hopefully some of these factors might help you decide. good luck olewill

 

[John 32i]

We had the HH 21 for two years but didn't really get on with the self tacking jib, as it just wouldn't go out far enough to catch the wind most of the time....we traded up and don't regret it!
Hunters are good but we wouldn't have another self tacker !

 

[Witchwood]

Thanks for the opinions - a bit of research on other sites suggests opinion is split on the merits of a self-tacking jib, which I suppose is understandable. I think mastering the cruising chute would be a big plus in terms of performance, and the HH23 I'm considering does have one.

 

[Slocumotion]

re: outboard wells in general - I've given up on them and gone back to a transom bracket.
The Pandora has a central well so you can't hoist the outboard up when sailing unless you fashion some kind of wrap-around tiller. There is no room to swing an ob without reverse gear. When it's running the ob is bellowing right in your ear. Water swirls noisily (and "draggily") around in the well unless you haul out the ob and stow it somewhere (presumably in the huge space that the plug would have been occupying if you carry it around with you)
Unfortunately the well is no use as a gas bottle store since it doesn't drain.
On that last point , perhaps I'm being over cautious. Gas would have to fill the well, overflow into the cockpit (from which it would also not drain) - fill that too, before it would find it's way below where it could be ignited.