Hunter Construction Videos

[sailorboy1]

I've come full circle in the years I've been on CF regarding Hunters. I started out liking them, then got convinced they were cr** based on various threads here, to taking another hard look at them and coming to the belief they are very well constructed.

Has anyone ever looked at the construction videos on the Hunter Marine site (click the Hunter TV link on it)? I looked at them a couple of times looking for a hidden "story". But I just don't see how people could still be saying these boats are poorly made. As an example I just don't believe a "skilled" craftsman with a saw can cut a panel better than a CNC machine.

So I started hunting down owner reviews and looked at the 40.5 and 410. This covered boats from 1990 to about 2003 and overall people love their boats. After around 50 reviews I think I only saw 1 where the owner wouldn't have bought it if they could go back in time. Most of the items complained about by non-owners on CF don't seem to an issue at all to the owners ( and many of the reviews have been in pretty rough weather on their boats).

So now I think I want one and this is a complete turn-around from 2 years ago.

[gettinthere]

you won't find many owners of any boat make bashing their own boat. it's rare for any number of reasons

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

you won't find many owners of any boat make bashing their own boat. it's rare for any number of reasons

Maybe. But should we discount owners praise while accepting non-owner bashes?

I've researched the E42 and lots of owners bashed them. even though except for the fuel tank I think they are nice boats.

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

you won't find many owners of any boat make bashing their own boat. it's rare for any number of reasons

For sure, especially if they're trying to sell it!

I've spoken to a few people (not on here) and most seem to be of the opion that Hunters were once a real budget brand, built to a price. However, in the last 15 years or so, they seemed to have turned that around and i've not read ONE poor review of a more recent Hunter. The only bone of contention is that the rigging setup makes them poor downwind as the lack of a backstay on most means the spreaders have to be angled more towards the rear.

As a newbie to 'proper' sailing, this is less of a consideration for me, rather spec and overall price is. As a cruiser, i'll not be to bothered about overall performance but do want a good comfortable package to sail and liveaboard.

In my research of what boat to buy in the new year for my specs and budget, I keep coming back to a Hunter. They just seem to have the right layout, interior and exterior design overall and be more affordable than other brands of the same age.

If I do finaly get one in 2011, you can be sure i'll be giving you a full review!

[duncan_ellison]

Don,

So long as you are talking about a recently constructed Hunter, don't let anyone put you off, they are well constructed, well priced boats.

The fundamental question to use an analogy is whether you would buy a Ferrari or a Ford. Many of us would like the kudos of owning the Ferrari hand built by a small team of itallian mechanics, but in the end most of us drive Fords (et al) precisely becuase they are mass produced, meaning that they they are reliable, dealer supported and sensibly priced.

Personally I'm glad that I have hull #133 of around 300 identical models rather than hull #2 that they still haven't ironed the bugs out of yet.

As I posted recently, the only issue I have with my Hunter is the cabin sole which is 1/2" 'Everwear" and really needs to be something more substantial with few (yes fewer, but larger) access panels and even then its a minor niggle. Looking at the larger Hunters at Annapolis, they seem to have done a good job of addressing this.

Duncan

[sailorboy1]

Bet few people are going to go watch the videos.

[S/V Illusion]

Anyone taking the time to write a review does so for only one reason - they want others to know their experience, good AND bad.

To the point, Hunters are as well built as any of their price competitors which should be obvious to anyobjective mind

[knotnow]

Having just completed the delivery of a 2008 Hunter 45CC from North Carolina to Puerto Rico some thoughts.

The boat was equipped with in mast furling which worked well but the swept back rigging was an issue as we were on a deep broad reach for a lot of the trip. One had to really watch as to not impale the main on the top spreader.

The hull itself seemed quite stiff and even though we took her thru some testy sea’s pounding was really not an issue. Actually I was quite impressed with the ride.

Later in the trip we had a chance to try her pointing ability and again were pleasantly surprised. The vertical battens seemed to hold sail shape quite well.

While comfortable coastal, offshore we had to get quite inventive to conjure some type of lee berth arrangement. Wedging one in between the solon table and the port lounge was the most comfortable setup we could come up with.

On this particular model you don’t even want to think about using the nice wood edging around the galley as a hand hold. You will have them in your hand when you pick yourself up from the solon sole.

It would be a nice touch if you could leave the “Y” valves open and macerate directly overboard once at sea. On this setup any following sea would promptly fill the holding tanks with sea water.

[Surrymark]

My only personal experience with a Hunter (don't know what vintage) was leaning on the hull when it was on stands in the yard. The hull flexed. Is that a design feature? Is it a common enough condition for modern boats?

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Surrymark

My only personal experience with a Hunter (don't know what vintage) was leaning on the hull when it was on stands in the yard. The hull flexed. Is that a design feature? Is it a common enough condition for modern boats?

let me get this straight: you are in a boat yard and you lean on a boat you don't own. you claim that it flexes.

How much do you weigh?

[Surrymark]

Originally Posted by Bash

let me get this straight: you are in a boat yard and you lean on a boat you don't own. you claim that it flexes.

How much do you weigh?

You got it.
Talking with one of the yard crew, put my hand on the bottom just to lean on it while chatting, felt flex. Yard crew guy said, "Yup, it's a Hunter."
This was some years ago. I'm 167 pounds now.

In this part of Maine, anyway, you wouldn't get on another boat, but people don't get so irritated if you lean on it, or tighten a tarp that's blown loose, etc.

A friend has a sloop (don't remember the brand; it's a fat 26', fin keel, cabin has a pop-top) his bottom also flexes when you push on it. He holed it hitting a rock last year.

[sailorboy1]

I leaned on the house the other day and it flexed. I was driving over a bridge the other day and it was bouncing up/down flexing with the traffic. As a mechanical engineer; everything flexes and is designed knowing this, or it breaks. Flexing is no measurement of strength!

Leaning on a boat in yard isn't experience of any kind. So it flexed; was it broke or did it break?

[duncan_ellison]

Surrymark,

FWIW, that's like saying I was thinking of buying a 2011 Ford F250 Super Duty, but I accidentally fell on a 1990 Ford Focus and dented it, so I will pass on the truck.

Hunter make a massive range of boats to suit just about every pocket and sailing ambition. I'm sure that some of them are not quite as study as others.

Knotnow - +1 on the rig. Not so great deep downwind. For long passages we fly our parasailor spi.

Interested in your comment about the handhold though, Haven't broken any of mine off yet and they seem pretty well fixed.

WRT the holding tanks, you need to locate the seacocks after the macerator pump(s) and close them at sea. Leaving them open WOULD cause a backflow through the pump and back into the fwd tank. This WAS one of the weak points and I've re-plumbed mine with stainless valves up the line to prevent backflow.

Duncan

[Surrymark]

Oops, I just thought I'd give an example, and ask a serious question about design, in this discussion on a boat's quality of build. (Hunter talk has been going on for years.) Excuse me folks. I'll step out of it.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Surrymark

You got it.
Talking with one of the yard crew, put my hand on the bottom just to lean on it while chatting, felt flex. Yard crew guy said, "Yup, it's a Hunter."
This was some years ago. I'm 167 pounds now.

Yup! It always feel better to lean on a 40 year old 2 inch thick glass hull. Now if you want it to move when the wind blows, ...

Talking to a yard monkey isn't the best source of anything.

All contemporary hulls flex; they are designed to do that. Hunters, Benetoys, HRs, Morris, all boats flex. Making some snap judgment based on this is indicative of only one thing....