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 Published:  BEYC Welcomes Hunter 216s to the BVI  Just wanted to update you on how our launch of the Hunter 216s is proceeding. I stopped by the factory in early October and saw the first of our boats come out of the mold--very exciting. I made a few last minute improvements to the finished product: improved hand holds and better tiller arrangement, some of which will be included in subsequent Hunter models. Cheers! John When Bitter End reopens this October, there will be a noticeable difference afloat. A shiny new fleet of Hunter 216s will be in the mooring field. Bitter End was the first to have Lasers, the first to have J-24s, the first to have Vanguard 15s, the first to have Hobie Waves, the first to have Freedom 30s, and now the first to have Hunter 216s. It’s hard to find a boat that appeals to the vastly different types of sailors that come to Bitter End. Gordo feels “that the 216 is a very well-rounded boat, and it has just as much appeal to a family of four, out for an afternoon’s sail, as it does to the Sunday Regatta Racer, keen on bashing around the buoys,” and it will make a nice addition to the Bitter End Beer Can Racing Series. The 216 will also fill a niche in our world renowned Sailing School. With its large cockpit, forgiving rig (roller-furling jib, etc.) and simple controls, novices will learn the joys of sailing even more quickly and easily than they did aboard our Rhodes 19s. Four people and an instructor will not be a crowd! But never fear: the 216s provide thrills commensurate with their sportboat heritage. Racers of all skill levels will appreciate the smooth hull form and high performance VARA rudder. This keelboat can really move. And they are very forgiving, much like the Rhodes 19s before them. So what changes have we asked Hunter to make to the production boats? We believe that you can’t have enough hand holds and foot braces so we’ve asked them to add a couple of each. We’ve also asked them to go up a spec on the size of the booms and the boom fittings. Further modifications include additional thru-bolting in place of riveting — our boats get used a lifetime in the course of a season! The only other addition is a second set of racing sails, for use during special racing events. The standard sets will be much like those aboard the Rhodes 19s (leech-cut, battenless mainsails for easy furling). For fans of the Rhodes 19s, we will be keeping a number of them in our fleet. But give the 216s a try. You won’t be disappointed! The 216 fleet will be formally christened on November 1st during Women’s Sailing Week, and we are fielding suggestions for naming them. We’d like to keep the names in the “hunting” arena (“Trophy Hunter”). Please send your Not only will Sailing School students and Sunday Regatta racers enjoy the 216s; they are ideal for yacht clubs or groups looking to come for a little midwinter action. A number of clubs have signed up for two separate team race invitational events—read about them here—and we’ve scheduled a Nations’ Cup Regatta for Wednesday, March 31st, 2004 (layday during BVI Spring Regatta). Join us! Since no Hunter 216s currently exist in the Caribbean, Gordo and John braved the chilly and rainy Northeast to demo-sail one of the first editions. Ah, the lengths to which we go to find the right equipment for our guests. |
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