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Review of the Hunter 42 by Rich Wallace

Year built 1994  
Location of boat Sandusky, Ohio  
The boat is sailed on The Great Lakes  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2002  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes. It has proven itself in many different ways. It is a strong boat with little flex. We have been in 12 footers, faced winds in excess of 65 mph several times, and the boat has never given a moments concern. The accommodations are typical Hunter. Lots of living space, lots of storage. The only two downsides. There is not a good place to store extra sails. We use the v-berth like a garage when we are traveling. The second is that the holding tank is around 35 gallons and that gives about a week. I would prefer a bigger tank. It is an excellent traveling craft whether sailing or under power. Our range under power is at least 300 miles with a 50 mile cushion to empty.  
Gear that's been added We added dingy davits and a below deck autopilot in 2003. In 2008 we replaced the freezer and the refrigerator in 2010. We added a wind generator (Windmax - I have seen 30 amps in a 30 knot wind), solar panels (2 85 watt with an MPPT controller), and added additional batteries. We purchased a Spade anchor at the Annapolis boat show and 90 feet of 5/16 HT for next year. Also had the sails overhauled this fall as well.  
Structural or complex improvements No, see above for the major improvements.  
The boat's best features HEAVY, strong, spacious and well laid out below. It is a center cockpit which gives that great aft cabin.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Nothing but normal wear.  
Sailing characterisitcs It needs some wind and sails well with 10 knots or more. It does not point quite as high as I would like but that may well be the sailor's fault.  
Motoring characterisitcs It has a fixed 3 blade prop, 18 x 14. We get around 7.4 at 2600 and over 8 knots at 2900. I never run it for extended periods over 2700 and prefer 2600 to 2650. We ran it at 2650 for 46 hours non-stop a couple of years ago on a trip north when there was NO wind.  
Liveability With the center cockpit, it is fabulous. The aft cabin is a suit with a head and tub/shower. The main salon is very comfortable. When we first saw the P42 at Annapolis is the late nineties, we were impressed. It took until 2002 to find an affordable one.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) The only direct contact has been to purchase the stripes on two different occassions. They were helpful and the price was reasonable.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Bought it from Lighthouse in Grand River Ky. They were brokering it and treated us well.  
Other comments I do not intend to replace it. It would be difficult to get a better, more comfortable boat in the 42 foot range unless you go to a very high end craft.  

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