Hunter 54 - Thoughts?

[DDabs]

Typical thread, just looking for some quick info. I am looking at a few 1981-1983 Hunter 54's, seems like for a production Hunter it will do well crossing oceans. Any thoughts?

[capta]

Honestly, I would NOT consider a Hunter for coastal offshore, let alone crossing oceans.
On a South bound passage from Newport to Bermuda we hit (or it hit us?) a container in a gale at night. If we had been sailing a Hunter we would have sunk in only a few minutes; the container would have gone right through the boat. As it was, after the trip I found only a small bruise at the waterline forward of the shrouds.
There are reportedly about 1000 containers floating around the Atlantic.
If you are seriously searching for an offshore cruising boat, find a proven ocean cruiser, not a "deal" on a production punch-out or tired ex-bareboat.
Sorry.

[rebel heart]

Make sure you inspect the back stay. Shouldn't take long.

[CharlieCobra]

Originally Posted by capta

Honestly, I would NOT consider a Hunter for coastal offshore, let alone crossing oceans.
On a South bound passage from Newport to Bermuda we hit (or it hit us?) a container in a gale at night. If we had been sailing a Hunter we would have sunk in only a few minutes; the container would have gone right through the boat. As it was, after the trip I found only a small bruise at the waterline forward of the shrouds.
There are reportedly about 1000 containers floating around the Atlantic.
If you are seriously searching for an offshore cruising boat, find a proven ocean cruiser, not a "deal" on a production punch-out or tired ex-bareboat.
Sorry.

Containers are gonna ruin your whole day anyway, unless you're sailing a tank. Obviously you've not been aboard an H-54.....

[DeepFrz]

Make sure you inspect the back stay. Shouldn't take long.

Laughin...

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Laughin...

I'm hardly the authority on boats, especially hunters. The ones I see and have been on give me pause for crossing an ocean.

Who knows.

[skipmac]

Guess none of you guys have heard of Thursday's Child, a Hunter 54 that in 1989 was the first sailboat to break the record from NY to SF around the Horn set by the 260' clipper ship Flying Cloud in 1854.

Not bad for a boat that isn't supposed to be good enough to leave sight of land.

And if you run into a container full speed in pretty much any sailboat I can think of, unless you are lucky it the way you hit, the sailboat is going down

[CharlieCobra]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Laughin...

You are confusing the newer Hunters with the B&R rigs for these old ocean racers that happen to come with nice, full interiors and FULLY stayed rigs.

[GaryMayo]

How funny. I own two Clipper Marine 32's. Both of my babies have spent months at sea, and done time on the great lakes. I purchased them looking for a 32 footer capable of easy trailering.

On my dock there is a 90's Hunter 33 that makes my CM's that are made to be trailered look like toys. I imagine the Hunter 54's to be stouter than the 33.

Anybody that says a big Hunter is not going to fair well on the ocean is looking for what exactly?

While I do think my boats would not be a practical choice for blue water, ( i imported mine inland to nebraska) just how salty does one need to venture out of sight of land?

Seems to me no boat is a category 5 yacht anyway and any time you go sailing you need your head screwed on. Is a Hunter really less sea worthy than a Pacific Seacraft?

[DDabs]

Originally Posted by capta

Honestly, I would NOT consider a Hunter for coastal offshore, let alone crossing oceans.
On a South bound passage from Newport to Bermuda we hit (or it hit us?) a container in a gale at night. If we had been sailing a Hunter we would have sunk in only a few minutes; the container would have gone right through the boat. As it was, after the trip I found only a small bruise at the waterline forward of the shrouds.
There are reportedly about 1000 containers floating around the Atlantic.
If you are seriously searching for an offshore cruising boat, find a proven ocean cruiser, not a "deal" on a production punch-out or tired ex-bareboat.
Sorry.

Do you know anything about the Hunter 54? Because you sound like you don't. I have read that Hunter only produced 40 of that model, and they have one of the highest stability ratios for a monohull, which is why I'm asking.

[capta]

I sailed one of the first production Hunter 54's in the Caribbean in the early 80's. It had a dinghy space inside the stern under the cockpit and was very narrow for it's 54' length. It was a piece of garbage, but I do not in all honesty know if is the same boat.
I have never seen a Hunter that I would take offshore because of the manufacturing. They have very well thought out items aboard and seem quite livable, but I do not believe they are well built, nor do I think any offshore boat should be without a backstay.
One I sailed (around 46') was brand new, I repeat brand new from the factory, & on our first sail the engine electrics caught on fire. On the boat's first sail after it was delivered from the factory to SW Florida. Garbage!
I am sorry if I have offended those of you who own Hunters, but most modern production boats are built for the profit the company can make without any regard to the safety of those sailing their boats.
I've sailed 1970's/80's Morgans, Gulfstars, Irwins; I could go on for quite a while. They just were not very well built boats, I'm sorry to say.
On the other hand, I was sailing a 65 year old Wm. Hand gaff ketch in the SoPac and through bad luck, a nasty revolution & poor weather forecasting offshore in the 70's,
we were capsized 3 times in a hurricane & that boat got us through the storm, as I made a lot of mistakes in that one. There was a boat built to last!
As for any record set by a particular boat on any ocean voyage, I would imagine that the boat was not stock, off the showroom floor, so to speak. Correct me if I am once again wrong, please, but I could take any boat & prepare it for any voyage, but it might be cost prohibitive?????

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by DDabs

Do you know anything about the Hunter 54? Because you sound like you don't. I have read that Hunter only produced 40 of that model, and they have one of the highest stability ratios for a monohull, which is why I'm asking.

It is not my knowledge of any one model of sailboat that made me respond to this thread. What caught my eye was someone saying apples of one variety only make juice, in order to bake pies you need another kind of apple. Any apple will make a great pie in the hands of a great cook. One cook may prefer one apple, another may use what is available.

When an auto repair shop works on your car, does it matter what brand of tool box the tools are kept in?

I personally think when a Volvo goes down the road and a BMW driver sees it and says something bad about Volvo's, it does not show which car is better, it shows the mindset of the driver more than anything.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by capta

I sailed one of the first production Hunter 54's in the Caribbean in the early 80's. It had a dinghy space inside the stern under the cockpit and was very narrow for it's 54' length. It was a piece of garbage, but I do not in all honesty know if is the same boat.
I have never seen a Hunter that I would take offshore because of the manufacturing. They have very well thought out items aboard and seem quite livable, but I do not believe they are well built, nor do I think any offshore boat should be without a backstay.
One I sailed (around 46') was brand new, I repeat brand new from the factory, & on our first sail the engine electrics caught on fire. On the boat's first sail after it was delivered from the factory to SW Florida. Garbage!
I am sorry if I have offended those of you who own Hunters, but most modern production boats are built for the profit the company can make without any regard to the safety of those sailing their boats.
I've sailed 1970's/80's Morgans, Gulfstars, Irwins; I could go on for quite a while. They just were not very well built boats, I'm sorry to say.
On the other hand, I was sailing a 65 year old Wm. Hand gaff ketch in the SoPac and through bad luck, a nasty revolution & poor weather forecasting offshore in the 70's,
we were capsized 3 times in a hurricane & that boat got us through the storm, as I made a lot of mistakes in that one. There was a boat built to last!
As for any record set by a particular boat on any ocean voyage, I would imagine that the boat was not stock, off the showroom floor, so to speak. Correct me if I am once again wrong, please, but I could take any boat & prepare it for any voyage, but it might be cost prohibitive?????

Hunter is working their way out of bankruptcy. With the power of google, buyers for years and years will stumble upon your post, and one, maybe two or more buyers will not purchase a Hunter because of your post. American jobs lost because someone with a computer and fifteen posts on a public forum dislikes one model of sailboat from decades ago.

I think it would be fair to say you liked other boats over the Hunter. I do not think it is fair or kind to describe them as you have done. It is your opinion, and you are entitled to it. If my lake allowed 54 foot boats, I would dearly love to have a Hunter 54 to sail my days away.

[capta]

Gary Mayo
Yes, of course it is my opinion. But therefor, it is the opinion of someone who has been a professional mariner for over 50 years, including a circumnavigation under sail & numerous trans-Atlantic/ Pacific crossings. I couldn't give a rat's a** whether Hunter is trying to come out of bankruptcy or how many "American jobs" are lost, if just one person doesn't buy a Hunter and loses their life at sea because of poor manufacturing.
As a lake boat go for it. As a day sailor or weekender close to shore & help; buy a Hunter.
Offshore boats do not equate in any way to apples! A misinformed buyer who buys a boat not capable of the use the buyer intends (now please, tell me you think most yacht brokers are more honest than the stereotypical used car salesman), no matter how it's treated or best intentions, still has the wrong boat.
I hate to tell you this, buddy, but my opinion of Hunters is shared by EVERYONE I've met cruising here in the Caribbean, but of course we're ALL wrong because of some apple theory you have.
I am a capable captain with lots of experience & I believe I could take any Hunter just about anywhere in the world safely, with some luck, but I know when to reef, how hard to push a piece of junk like a Morgan OI-41 (600 mile delivery directly to weather from Great Inagua to St. Thomas) or a Hunter, or Irwin, etc.
I do not sell boats, I do not derive pleasure from putting down manufacturers, but there are many folks out there who need information from experienced sailors like myself to make informed decisions on their dream boat purchase.
Please, next winter come on down here to the Windward Islands & rent a Hunter bareboat during the Christmas winds. I'll sail my Pearson with you & if you keep up with me I bet you'll break a lot of stuff aboard & I'll not break a thing. If I'm wrong, then I'll buy you & your whole crew dinner at Tommy's in Bequia, deal?

[FloridaWriter]

Originally Posted by DDabs

Typical thread, just looking for some quick info. I am looking at a few 1981-1983 Hunter 54's, seems like for a production Hunter it will do well crossing oceans. Any thoughts?

Oceans have been crossed in almost everything--you could probably sail a bathtub and might succeed. The Hunter 54 is not something I would want to sail offshore unless it was beefed up. Even then it is extremely narrow, and will pound like an SOB in any sort of seas. The rudder is very vulnerable, the sails are massive, and the interior is not what I would call a sea boat's interior. There are so many better choices.