Sudden Attraction to Hunters

[Ken on Satori]

Originally Posted by nautical62

I never intended by buy my Hunter 30, but after looking at several other models for Bahamas cruising, it slowly kept rising on my list. I wanted shallow draft, but catamarans were out of my budget and I couldn't find a good bilge keeler. I found some of the older boats like the OI 30 and Endavours to be in bad shape and fairly cramped inside.

With a 4.3 foot draft and nice ergonomics, the Hunter wasn't perfect, but at $25K, it seemed a good compromise and capable of the job.

From Jacksonville to Georgetown, and back to the Abacos, it treated me well in what was a harder than average winter. The problems I had were almost all due to previous owner "upgrades" not the boat itself. Certainly there are a few places I think Hunter got a little too frugal on such as plywood backing plates, but many boat builders are guilty of the same.

It's not a boat I'd want to use for offshore, but a lot of cruisers never go offshore and for those who's interest lies in coastal & islands cruising, it's a boat worth considering.

To me, criticizing my Hunter 30 because it's not a passage maker is like criticizing my mountain bike because it doesn't win road races. It's simply not what it was built for. Most purchasers of bikes don't road race with them and most purchasers of sailboats will never sail them across an ocean.

My biggest complaint is that Hunter never made bilge keel versions, but that's my complaint of most monohulls.

This guy says exactly what I meant about Hunters. For it's proper use it is just fine. Just like I said, if I was just doing local beer can races and weekending I would not have a problem with a 80's 35. Offshore, no thanks (for long distance travel). Ken

[mintyspilot]

Real sailors don't sail Hunters.....Latitude 38 - 'Lectronic Latitude

He may have been beaten up, but he sails a Hunter...

[skinchini]

If it is your money, buy what you want. I am very new to sailing (I have only had my boat 2 months). I shopped for months looking for the boat that hit me with that "I want it feeling". I found it in a 1984 Laguna 26. I looked at Hunters, Com-Pacs etc etc etc. Everywhere I went someone had an opinion on one thing or the other. I have not sailed "happy Endings" yet but have enjoyed just sitting on it in the slip. I plan to start lessons in the next few weeks. Already I have learned that the sailing community is filled with those who hate this and those who hate that. All I have to say is enjoy the act of sailing as with anything you do. It is your money if you want to buy a Yugo and weld some 55 gal drums and a mast to it then do it.

[swagman]

Originally Posted by mintyspilot

Real sailors don't sail Hunters.....Latitude 38 - 'Lectronic Latitude

He may have been beaten up, but he sails a Hunter...

Minty,
Did he not move to another boat after his rudder fell off?
JOHN

[xxuxx]

Nope............he sails a Hunter 49......a well made boat comparable to any beneteau or catalina. A lot of information given here is about Hunters from the 80's. Man, they have changed significantly for the better ie lots of stiffness through ample use of Kevlar. Doncha know?!!

[Fullmoon]

OK, here it goes. I going to jump into the fray. I bought my 2004 Hunter 44DS March 1st of this year. So far we have sailed/motored from Tampa around thru the Keys and up to Brunswick, GA and from Brunswick to The British Virgin Islands, where we are sitting now. So I feel we have given her a pretty good test. The trips were "delivery" style, not laid back cruising. I have run her lightly and hard aground. In Fat Deer Key I learned the art of taking a 44 pound anchor in your dinghy out and dropping it overboard so that you can winch your 24,000 pound boat out of the mud. In Marco Island at night in high winds, my very experienced sailing buddy played pinball with my boat against daymarkers, sandbars, and slips. We sailed down wind in 30 plus kts. That trip lasted two weeks with a 4 day layover in W. Palm Beach because of high winds which my significant other (SO) refused to endure. The entire trip was "outside" except the last day from Kings Bay to Brunswick. We took the ICW because we anchored in the ICW on the South end of Cumberland Island and it made no sense to go back out to get home. We did two night passages during that trip. My friend and I left Brunswick on May 16th after I had some electronics (that have never worked right) installed plus solar panels (which do work). My SO stayed back for a week to finish up some business. She joined us in W. Palm. We motored down the ICW for a week. I have to say at this point that going up and down the ICW is literally a walk in the park. Very relaxing, not difficult. We picked up my SO and headed to Miami to cross the Gulf Stream. Got out of Miami around 5pm ahead of a thunderstorm. The crossing was like a dream. We were one day past the full moon and it came up to light a path for us to follow across the stream. The water was glass smooth. We cleared at Cat Cay the next morning and anchored to get a good nights sleep before heading East. The next morning we left around 5am and within minutes the winds were at 30+ kts, the rain was blinding, and I had 1.5 feet under the keel. We ran out of it in about 20 minutes. We did not have a sail up. We spent the next three weeks working our way down the islands to the BVI. A couple of over nighters, mostly motoring because we had headwinds all the way. I know, of course we did, we were going the wrong way for May/June. We have been island hopping for the last month. I am not fond of the furling mast, but it works as advertised. Yesterday we were hit with 41 kt winds while at anchor and were dragged towards a rock jetty. I ran the engine to keep it off and after it let up we moved. We were trying a new untested spot and a large hill that we got behind to make for a calm overnight also shielded our view of the coming storm. The boat rode out the storm very well and neither of us thought that she was not safe. We were in 15 feet with 125 feet of chain out and a 44lb delta. At this point let's not get sidetracked with and anchoring discussion. With over the 2000 plus miles logged on this boat in less than 5 months, in mostly open water, I can tell you that I would buy her again. I don't plan to race her, we plan to live on her. She is very livable and I will not hesitate to take her farther down the islands. I just had to take a break and close all the hatches. We are on a mooring ball in Soppers Hole, Tortola Island and a squall just blew through. 34+ kts and rain. I still am not use to all that in the dark. But, I don't fear that the boat will let me down. Wide and heavy wins the night. Have a two line harness on the ball. So anyhow, that's my two cents worth on Hunters. Put me in the favorable column. Time for a Kahlua and cream over ice before turning on the a/c and getting into my queen size berth with my SO. I WON"T be dreaming of racing.

[xxuxx]

Terrific Post. I hope it shuts up all those old farts who have kept their out dated ideas about Hunters alive for so long. They are every bit as good as a Beneteau. Catalina or most other production boat.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by xxuxx

Terrific Post. I hope it shuts up all those old farts who have kept their out dated ideas about Hunters alive for so long. They are every bit as good as a Beneteau. Catalina or most other production boat.

I think we can all make a list of them.

[Ocean Girl]

I am a recent convert after a magical sail on a late 90's 39 (ish) Hunter. I took the helm almost from the start and refused to give up the helm until it was time to dock some 3 hours later (yes "helm hog" but the owner didn't mind ). She was lively and fun, and very little work was required to sail her. The owner sails her two to three times a week without fail, he single hands her most times.

The only other hunter I have sailed was one of the "bad batch" from their troubled days. The deck to hull joint flexed and opened when sailing her (light and water came through- so definitely one of the bad batch). The joint was held together with a screw (not bolt) about every foot or so with zero caulk. There were longer spans of no screws near the beam, hence the water and light intrusion. Anyways, It took 15 years to get me on another one, but with one short beautiful sail they have converted me...and they will get you too (whaa ah ah ah).

Hunters rock, there I said it !

Cheers,
Erika


PS
I think we can safely say the bad batch boats have either sunk or been repaired by now so the bad rap can be put to bed (or bunk).

[Rou-Coo]

I chartered a Hunter 310 recently. I didn't really like the rig - no backstay, that goofy looking 'spoiler'/traveler, winches on the cabintop so it couldn't be single-handed. But I have to say, that puppy could sail! I probably wouldn't choose one myself but I didn't think it was a bad boat for the vast majority of the people who sail.

[bgallinger]

I have a friend and marina owner who calls Hunters the "Winnebego of sailboats". Meanwhile I'm on my second Hunter now and love it. I've seen my Hunter 34 do 7 knots with only the jib up. Can ya'll go that fast on sail alone?

[capt.bobfm]

Sure Hunters are generally fast, it is because they are light. The B.R.rig was designed as a racing rig, that is why down wind proformance was sacraficed. The underwater profile on most Hunters is strictly a racing configuration. I have taught a lot of people how to sail on many Hunters ranging from 26ft. to 49ft. They are (almost all)a blast to sail but I wouldnt want to cross an ocean on one. Do you really want to go cruising in a boat that is designed to race? There is no skeg, you really should have a spinaker for downwind work,the metecentric hight is high(making the ride snappy and uncomfortable on long passages),most models have fue if any convient hand holds below.Sure sail your Hunter for weekend excursions or even a week or two near shore, but youre a tougher sailor than me if you can feel happy and safe cruising in the real ocean for an extended period of time.

[xxuxx]

but youre a tougher sailor than me if you can feel happy and safe cruising in the real ocean for an extended period of time.

A tougher sailor than you......pansy boy! (euww....euwww...no hand holds for me......I can't stand up below decks)

[capt.bobfm]

Tell that to me after you nock your teeth out when a wave hits you broadside or drops out from under you.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by capt.bobfm

Sure Hunters are generally fast, it is because they are light. .................................Sure sail your Hunter for weekend excursions or even a week or two near shore, but youre a tougher sailor than me if you can feel happy and safe cruising in the real ocean for an extended period of time.

Light compared to what? The 42' Passage that I looked at when I started this is 24,000 lbs displacement. That isn't all that light for it's size unless you are comparing it to something like a 70's tank boat. Heck my current attraction is to a 44' boat that's only 23,500 lbs displacement.

And how come we always go back to the "crossing oceans" or major strom on any boat discussion? Why is is acceptable to pick a boat based on the less than 1% use time sail and suffer the other 99% of the time; instead of picking a boat good for the 99% of use time that may be uncomfortable that other 1% (and what boat really is comfortable for that 1%)?

Handholds seem to always come up; well install some! Isn't that part of boat fit out for cruising anyway, to fit out your boat for it's planned use?