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Review of the Hunter 34 by Capt Robbie

Year built 1983  
Location of boat Barnegat bay  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
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 1983  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Absolutely and twice on Sunday. This was the year that Hunter did everything right!!! This boat is perfect size for a weekend or long distance cruiser. Best layout on boat of its size. Everything was well laided out for practical storage and space. Fast in boat in light and heavy air. Extreamly well balanced boat for just about all types of sailors. I think this model has withstood the test of time, no other brand or Hunter model has ever surpass this boat. Hunter should consider bringing back a retro model with todays modern materials and it would be a home run.  
Gear that's been added Air conditioning/ heat, second 30 amp ac panel, larger battery bank/ Charger, security alarm sys, led track lighting in cabin and cockpit, refrigeration  
Structural or complex improvements Complete restoration from keel up to original factory condition.  
The boat's best features Open cabin feeling , very well lit and airy. The boat sails very well in light air, can be a little tender in heavier wind. Toe rail acts a as a splash gaurd when cutting thu large waves. All lines led to the cockpit making the boat very easy to sail single handed. Boat is very solidly constructed and feel like a much bigger boat then it actually is.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Deck molded gel coat texture is slick when wet. Easy fix is to paint with a medium texture deck paint. Original aluminum plexiglass Windows leaked until I replaces them with mark plastic replacements.  
Sailing characterisitcs Great when pointing upwind. Fast boat in light air. Boat can be a little tender in heavy air 20 plus need to reef due to tall rig and the boat will ride great, Boat cuts thru waves like a knife. Due to the design of the toe rail overlap it cups the wave spay that normally would wash over the deck and directs it downward and down the side of the hull keeping the deck fairly dry.  
Motoring characterisitcs Yanmar 3gmf engine is very efficient and reaches hull speed at approximately 2200 rpm. Fairly easy to preform normal maintenance  
Liveability Cruised from barnegat bay Nj to Nantucket for years with 4 people with plenty of room. Boat sleeps total of 7 2 v-berth 1 couch 2 table converts 2 aft berth Seven adults in the cabin is tight, we have done it for a weekend.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Excellent for a 30 plus year old boat.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Bought boat from Hunter dealer and continued to do business until dealership closed.  
Other comments The Hunter 34 model is a great production boat built in the 1980s. The 34 is a great family cruiser or weekender boat. A lot of boat for the money. I am the sole owner of this boat and in my opinion no other boat compares to the 34. I have sailed lots of boats over that past 40 plus years and I feel that the newer boats lack the style and innovation that the older Hunters have. All boats have positive and negatives however my Hunter 34 I feel was designed well before its time and you will be hard pressed to find a better boat for the value. I can honestly say that my boat has been well maintained over the years with averge coast of normal maintenance. Great boat!  

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