Hunter Sailboats

[Grandwagoneer0]

We own an 05 hunter 44ds. As far as picking ac or ds for the looks is definitely a valid personal preference. We picked ours over some others because of looks so I get that. As far as the “I heard a hunter is...”, is just someone bench sailing on here that has no personal experience with the boats. My .02c.

[sail sfbay]

Originally Posted by Bluesmoods

............The only thing I can gather just in conversation is that the boat seems to have quite a bit of weather helm and you have to watch the main on the swept-back spreaders and it is slow in picking up speed on the tack...............

I sail my Hunter 46 in the San Francisco Bay year round....no weather helm, swept back spreaders not an issue, picks of speed quickly after a tack or jib and will do hull speed all day long. I would expect the Hunter 49 to sail similarly. Like my 46 the 49 has a lot of water line and displacement which offers smooth, comfortable and fast sailing.

[sailingabe41ds]

Hi..

I had a 2004 H36 for 13 years. Loved the volume inside the boat, the contemporary design, and felt protected in the cockpit with the s/s arch. It had a bit of weather helm and difficult to balance ...that main is huge! I now have a 2015 Jeanneau 41DS and sails better and IMHO better balanced. This may just be as a result of newer design and a bigger boat. My only other complaint about the Hunter is that the skylights leaked. But it is not a Hunter unless it leaked somewhere....hopefully above the water line.
The H36 went to a good home and the new owner sails her 2-3 x a week and loves the boat.

Abe

[bensolomon]

I have a legend 37.5. Different boat, but the swept back spreaders are not an issue. Go wing and wing frequently. I'm careful to not lay the main on the shroud, that's all. Also, have an asym and fly that when going downwind.

[sailorboy1]

I wonder about this fear on putting the sail on the spreaders. Have put my B&R rigged Hunter sail on the spreaders all the time if that's the point of sail we are on. Been doing it for 10+ year without a problem.

[bensolomon]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I wonder about this fear on putting the sail on the spreaders. Have put my B&R rigged Hunter sail on the spreaders all the time if that's the point of sail we are on. Been doing it for 10+ year without a problem.

I do, too, actually. But I just bought a new main and going to try to change my habits a bit.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

I do, too, actually. But I just bought a new main and going to try to change my habits a bit.

why? My OEM sail lasted 19 years and never had any tears etc. at the spreaders. I never had to replace the wear patches on it.

[Capt D Scott]

I bought a 96 legend 40 for the purpose of circumnavigating lasting about 20 20 years. I leave for 1.5 years in med to get my sailing/cruising skills improves and then thro the canal and westward! Love the boat. Very quick and responsive and very live-aboardable (not sure that is a word). Best of luck!!!! fair winds

[Rohan]

Wow, thread that has survived since 2010?




Hunter has a bad rep in some quarters because there were a few off years where quality suffered. When I bought my 2006 H36 I also looked at another that was the same model but different year and it did feel like the 2006 was noticeably superior quality. But a boat survey should identify anything you might be concerned about.



In general, I love my Hunter. I hate the awkward curtains, and how everything is so beige inside. But storage and living space are fantastic. The head is the best I've ever seen in a boat this size. It has a dish drying cabinet, which I haven't seen on any other brand boat. And after two years owning it I am still finding new clever features that I didn't realize before. It doesn't sail to windward as well as I would like, but I do have a shoal keel. The B&R rig makes it a little less effective on a broad reach, but on a beam reach, this boat sails like a dream.

[Sandy Frank]

Originally Posted by Capt D Scott

I bought a 96 legend 40 for the purpose of circumnavigating lasting about 20 20 years. I leave for 1.5 years in med to get my sailing/cruising skills improves and then thro the canal and westward! Love the boat. Very quick and responsive and very live-aboardable (not sure that is a word). Best of luck!!!! fair winds

1 year older than you and my only complaints about the boat going back to the design are the aluminum holding tank that I replaced and the traveler bolts being Phillips head.

The actual factory components are top notch (previous owners not so much). The sailing, the aluminum toe rail on the deck/hull connection, the solid hull, the stringers that are glassed in place ...

[Sirzones]

Check out Jibsea sailing on YouTube, I believe they are sailing a mid 90’s 42 passage maker