Do Hunters Make Good Bluewater / Liveaboard Boats ?

[neilsailingrn]

Love a good pissing contest. Who's winning? I forgot to keep score :-))

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by neilsailingrn

Love a good pissing contest. Who's winning? I forgot to keep score :-))

the same one that always wins .................. no one

[Ex-Calif]

My data conclusively shows

- 40% of the data shows it is not suitable
- 40% of the data shows it is suitable
- 20% of the data is inconclusive
- 100% of the data show it is more suitable than a Geo Metro

Your data may vary...

New data set -

- 80% of cf members will think the Metro is not suitable
- 10% will vigorously defend the Metro
- 10% will reserve judgement until it is clear which side is winning and then pile on

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

gee I'm hostile -..................................... I edited everything else out

Wimp. It's not like you own a catamaran - now there's real insecurity...

Mark

[Weyalan]

I think Estar's point, and it is a valid one, that outside of the USA, Hunters are very rare indeed. That the marque is vertually unknown outside of the USA doesn't make them bad Water boats">blue water boats nor bad liveaboards, but it does mean that statements as to their "worldwide" popularity must be taken with a pinch of salt.

[Doodles]

I just spent a week on a 2011 Hunter 50 and I couldn't believe the things that were already broken ... floor boards, door latches, generator, hatch window, cockpit stereo, tank level indicator, several electrical panel lights, ceiling liner, ... hope you get the idea. It may be seaworthy but from what I saw it was a POS!

Oh, and the water pump impeller was impossible to get at. You couldn't even see it and changing it took special tools ... per the Hunter tech.

Make you own judgement about the lack of a backstay.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I think Estar's point, and it is a valid one, that outside of the USA, Hunters are very rare indeed. That the marque is vertually unknown outside of the USA doesn't make them bad blue water boats nor bad liveaboards, but it does mean that statements as to their "worldwide" popularity must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Maybe Europe, I have no idea, but with about 20 active boats at our club 2 are Hunters here in Asia.

Unheard of? I don't think so. Not well thought of? Depends on the model and the purpose.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Doodles

I just spent a week on a 2011 Hunter 50 and I couldn't believe the things that were already broken ... floor boards, door latches, generator, hatch window, cockpit stereo, tank level indicator, several electrical panel lights, ceiling liner, ... hope you get the idea. It may be seaworthy but from what I saw it was a POS!

Oh, and the water pump impeller was impossible to get at. You couldn't even see it and changing it took special tools ... per the Hunter tech.

Make you own judgement about the lack of a backstay.

The ones I highlighted are usually OEM equipment issues independent of what boat they happen to be on.

Were you on a charter boat? I have seen so many of them beat up badly - even new ones. I wouldn't color any boat if it was a charter.

And most catamarans don't have backstays. Make your own judgement about that, of course.

Mark

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by colemj

The ones I highlighted are usually OEM equipment issues independent of what boat they happen to be on.

Were you on a charter boat? I have seen so many of them beat up badly - even new ones. I wouldn't color any boat if it was a charter.

And most catamarans don't have backstays. Make your own judgement about that, of course.

Mark

Nope not a charter boat.

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Maybe Europe, I have no idea, but with about 20 active boats at our club 2 are Hunters here in Asia.

Unheard of? I don't think so. Not well thought of? Depends on the model and the purpose.

I recently moved from a club with about 200 berths, none of which, are occupied by Hunters. The club I moved to has around 200 berths too. Again, I'm pretty sure that there aren't any Hunters. Production boat-wise, there are heaps of Jeannaus & Beneteaus and a sprinkling of Bavarias, Hanses, etc. But not Hunters. Obviously, they are not "unheard" of, but it has been my experience here in Tasmania, you hardly see any, and my impression is the same in Australia in general. Certainly they are not a particularly popular marque in Europe (I spent time around marinas in the UK, Greece and Croatia this year and hardly saw a one).

Like I say, I'm not passing any sort of judgement about Hunters blue water capability or liveaboardability, merely about their popularity outside of the USA. Frankly, you hardly ever see a Chevvy or a Dodge on the roads here, but it doesn't make 'em bad cars, either.

[ozskipper]

Having done some miles on a couple of different Hunters, I think they have their own pluses and minuses, Just like any boat. The Hunter Legend 335 was great from a performance perspective. Though its high freeboard meant it suffered a bit more windage in and around marinas. But of course this mean a mass of internal volume for the people below.

I had the "pleasure" of being in 45-50 knots in bass strait in a 31 for about 36 hours. It performed niceley with a third reef in the main and the wind on our quarter. All systems on board ran smoothly, aside from the yanmar which got air in the lines.

Both these boats were 90's boats. Not the 80s boats that are usually the cause of the Hunter debate.

So? would I do blue water again in a hunter? Yep!

[Vasco]

Is that a Hunter? No Backstay. The water is definitely blue.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Both these boats were 90's boats. Not the 80s boats that are usually the cause of the Hunter debate.

I have been curious for some time about how Hunter got a bad rep? Which models (all)? What years (all)? We've owned a 1982 Hunter 36 (Cherubini) for three years. She'll be 30 years old next year. Still floats, and the rig is still standing. The Yanmar is getting tired, but still gets us out of the slip.

I'm not saying she has crossed any oceans, mind you, nor have I. The Bahamas will do just fine.

[tropicalescape]

I have a friend that has a Hunter 33(?) never seen blue water and is sailed hard on Lake Norman when the winds co-operate ..it has a twisted mast step support and the deck is cracked all over and it still is a lot of fun to sail..would i sail it to Hawaii? No..Bahamas ?maybe..and they all seem to have some kind of issue or the other..what the hell do I know...

[zeta]

---yes!