Morgan 323 vs Hunter Cherubini 37

[odonnellryan]

Hey all,

Interesting situation after looking at a few boats.

Girlfriend and I are looking for a boat to cruise the east coast area of the US for a few years. We are fortunate enough to be able to swing a 1-2 month cruise to Bermuda in the next year or so, for example.

There are two boats that we like a lot (no surveys done yet!), both asking prices around $30k.

1) Morgan 323, just did a trip to Bermuda, owner is actively sailing. Has full setup, solar, windvane, electric autohelm. Pretty much everything on the boat is at least 2014 or newer, including electronics and so on. Has the 1-408 perkins, so probably overpowered for this boat if anything (some of them had less hp engines I believe). Skeg rudder, encapsulated keel.

2) Hunter Cherubini 37 cutter. Owner seems to love the boat. Does not have all the gear the Morgan has, and has ~10y/o rigging. Owner seems extremely knowledgeable of the boat and is torn on selling it. New mainsail b/c of the old one being torn in rough weather. Sails rated in good-ok condition otherwise. Has heater, AC (if I care about it) hot water, etc.. and most importantly, much more living space than the Morgan. Spade rudder (brand new b/c the owner wanted a solid rudder, he felt the other was getting water into the core), bolt-on keel.

Looked in the bilges etc.. of both boats. Hunter I was able to walk around as it is on the hard. Either way I will get a survey, and it is very likely what I can negotiate (if much) on price for either will be the decider.


I looked both boats over and neither seems to have major detractors from what I can tell, other than the Morgan has a lot of teak. Isn't varnished but doesn't seem to be in bad condition. Morgan has less space than the Hunter, but it is a smaller boat: something I'm more comfortable with, though guests would be hard or impossible!


Of course these do not have to be the finalists. Just the two we like so far!

[s/v Moondancer]

Enjoy, we are going back to land after 11 years and 45,000nm...we live in Miami, you can visit on the way to the Bahamas.

Buy the boat in better ready to go condition, setting up is very expensive. However, a 37 might be a better sea boat.

[SaltyTails]

Last year my wife and I were on the same search, looking for a boat to cruise Florida/Bahamas/ Caribbean for at least a few years. I was trying to find something in the low 30 foot range as I figured it would be easier to manage (this is our first sail boat after being on power boats all our lives). One of many boats we looked at was a Morgan 321 but it just seemed to tight. We ended up finding a great deal on a cruise ready Cherubini 37 and have zero regrets. It doesn't take long to get used to the size and you'll be happy with the extra living space and tankage. Last season we had ours through the Bahamas down as far as George Town and she's a sturdy boat and took care of us well. If the Cherubini's in good shape it's a lot of boat for the money. If there's any questions I can answer about the boat let me know!

Troy

[odonnellryan]

SaltyTails, thank you!

Have you run into any problems with your C37? What deserves an extra look when I check it out for the second time?

Moondancer, I appreciate the kind note. Morgan is the more ready boat for sure, but I don't think the C37 is too far behind.

[Peregrine1983]

My two cents is go for the larger boat. You guys will likely be much more comfortable on a 37 than a 32.

However, I’m personally more of a Morgan person than a Hunter person and with a 30k budget you might be able to get your hands on a Morgan 382 if the seller is motivated... I’d take a look. The Morgan 38x’s are sweet. The owners forum is https://www.morgan38.org/morgan38/index.php

Good luck.

[odonnellryan]

Thanks!

The Cherubini Hunters do seem to have a fair reputation, different beasts in my understanding than the Hunters of the 90s on.

One of the major selling points was the aft stateroom on the Hunter. I have been open to smaller, newer, Catalinas, such as the 320, which have the added benefit of a sugar scoop.

I'll do some more looking into Morgans, but I feel I've almost exhausted my search for my area (NYC) until some new listings come around!

It is an interesting search. At the end of the day there are a lot of really nice boats constantly coming off and on the market, I'm sure we'll be happy with what we end up with if we have some patience.

[jewt]

My '83 model Hunter-37 has a hell of a weather helm in wind over 15 kts. They really should have installed the C/B.

jewt

S/V Bifrost

'89 Morgan 44 CC

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by jewt

My '83 model Hunter-37 has a hell of a weather helm in wind over 15 kts. They really should have installed the C/B.

jewt

S/V Bifrost

'89 Morgan 44 CC

Is that a 37 cutter? Shoal draft or full?

I had an 84 Hunter 37 Cutter, full draft, awesome sailing boat...very well behaved in heavy weather...really rocked over 15 knots...highest I sailed it in was 65 gusting 85...handled it well. Never unbalanced, I could put a slight friction on the wheel brake and walk away from the helm...tracked almost like it was on autopilot...for a while anyway.

I have heard of the shoal drafts not sailing as well, but have never sailed one.

Loved that boat, was depressed after selling it, wife teased me about losing my mistress. [emoji45]

[odonnellryan]

jewt, interesting. Owner just installed an upgraded spade rudder designed (reinforced) for offshore, and it is more of a balanced rudder from what I can tell and what he's told me. I wonder if that would help.

It is a good point because autohelm will have a rough time with the weather helm. However, from experience with my C25 I've been able to reduce weather helm to almost nothing with some rigging experimentation.

Good comment, I will keep this in mind as I move forward.

[gulfcoastsailor]

Did you mention draft? Over five will make you sweat in the Bahamas. Hopefully you can locate a great surveyor and use the same guy on both for continuity.

[odonnellryan]

Draft of the Hunter is 5'2 and draft of the Morgan is just at 4'.

Think that would make very much of a difference?

[SaltyTails]

No big problems, just look for most the same things you'd look for in any old sailboat and get a good survey. Our "big project" was replacing a part of a bulkhead that had some water damage from an old chainplate leak. Most old boats are going to have at least a few projects but that's part of the fun! We only had time to do the essential things before we left for rhe Bahamas last season but this summer we're hiding out in a marina in Florida for hurricane season and we've been doing a lot of cosmetic things (new sole, re vanishing wood ect.) And it's been fun making the boat ours.

[belizesailor]

Re problems w the C37, never had any inherient issues w mine. Just maintence and upgrades. It was in somewhat neglected condition when I bought it, did a ton of work on it, but nothing that was a fault in the boat.


Oops: I take some of that back. Remembered two items: plastic portholes and original holding tank was aluminium. Both bad ideas. The plastic port holes crack and leak, but metal replacments are (were) available (spendy though). Welds failed in the aluminum holding tank...yuk...and it was a bitch to get out due to being in an odd shaped area fully glassed in under the shower seat. Had to partially cut the glass away then cut the tank up in place and pull it out piece by piece...lovely job.

[Peregrine1983]

This is what I'm talking about. Though something tells me you're not near Halifax.
1980 Morgan 382 - $21,422


https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/198...g#.W2SPpIJG018

[SaltyTails]

Also we've been out in some pretty nasty stuff and never had an issue with bad weather helm. As for draft we have the shoal draft 4' and love the flexibility to get way up into anchorages but we met and cruised with many people in the Bahamas that had 5ish foot drafts and it didn't really limit them at all just gives you a little smaller margin for error. I'd still say it's well worth the trade off of space and tankage over the Morgan IMO.