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Review of the Hunter 35.5 by Lyle Hanna

Year built 1995  
Location of boat Blaine, Washington  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Multi-week coastal cruising  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2003  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes, although I probably would have gone with the Hunter 37.5 if one had been available locally at the time. The 37.5 has just a little more space for extended cruising but of course that does come at a premium.  
Gear that's been added The boat came very well equipped with autohelm electronics. For extended cruising I added 4 golf cart batteries, a seperate 12V start battery, Balmar high output alternator and regulator, Zantrex Freedom 1000 inverter, Link 1000 battery monitor. I plan to add refrigeration and a windlass as well as a cockpit enclosure in the future.  
Structural or complex improvements Redesigned the salon table to get rid of the "knee knocker" storage boxes underneath. The table now is able to be raised right up the the cabin roof with full headroom clearance underneath. This opens up the salon when the table is not in use. The only thing that is lost is the storage boxes and the extended table leaf which I never used anyway. My next project is to replace the holding tank to get a little more capacity.  
The boat's best features Very roomy and liveable interior - even for extended periods with 3 of us onboard. Good value for the money - even compared to boats being built today. It is a great sailing boat and handles rough water better than I would have expected for a boat this size. And I like the looks of the Legend series - more than I can say for what Hunter replaced them with.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The Hood Furler is junk. I have the single line modification but is still does not work well when you really need it. I hollowed out the furling line which improved it somewhat but after having both Harken and Profurl systems on previous boats - it doesn't even compare. The holding tank is small (12 gals or so) Mine has not failed yet but I plan to replace it soon for more capacity. I would have prefered to see better designed opening hatches on the deck - especially the forward hatch. The anchor locker was not designed well to allow for the installation of a windlass  
Sailing characterisitcs Sails well on all points of sail except downwind -the fractional rig and aft-swept spreaders don't help there. The assymetric spinnaker does make a difference and I have been happy with that. Having said that I do like the fractional rig for ease of sailing on all other points of sail and I find the single line reefing system works well. With the shoal draft keel the boat is a little tender and likes to be reefed early but still points well and powers through the chop.  
Motoring characterisitcs I normally motor at 2700-2800 rpm which gives about 6.5 knots in flat water. (The previous owner installed a fixed 3 blade prop) The boat powers well through chop and has the feel of a bigger boat. It tracks well in reverse with minimal prop walk.  
Liveability Very liveable, roomy interior. I normally cruise with my wife and 3 year old daughter and have cruised on the boat for extended periods of up to 6 weeks at a time. We redesigned the salon table which opened up the salon area a great deal. The stern access is great for getting on and off the boat via dinghy or for swimming off the boat (something we don't do much of in the Pacific Northwest for obvious reasons.) The tankage is less than I would like - especially the fuel capacity and holding tank but is adequate if you plan ahead.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I have only dealt with them on 2 occasions but both times had a quick reply to my email with the information I needed.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Purchased from Signature Yachts in Seattle. Very smooth transaction.  
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