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Review of the Hunter 34 by DJ Dreyer

Year built 1984  
Location of boat Solomons MD, Chesapeak 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 solo  
Liveaboard?  
Owner bought the boat in 1984  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes and No. But hindsight is 20-20. The 34's have a great interior layout but the construction had a lot of corners cut to keep price down. You get a lot of boat for your money, but it is not a safe ocean boat. And the Chesapeake Bay does have 60 kt winds during thunderstorms. It is too easy to think that shelter is always close by. Coastal cruising is what the 34 is good for. Should have bought the Sabre 34 I looked at back in 1984. Will keep the boat until I can save enough money to get a boat for long term cruising. I keep going to the boat shows and looking at better boats. Then look at my wallet...  
Gear that's been added Loran (have to fix the antenna wire but why bother); GPS; Stereo-CD; Lewmar 46's; Eng water temp gauge; Auto pilot; TV/VCR; microwave; A/C and more.Replaced in the last 13 years: water tank, holding tank (3rd one scheduled to be put in this winter), 12v refrig, VHF's  
Structural or complex improvements Many, most obvious is an 18 inch transom extension. It is molded fiberglass that follows the contours of the transom and adds a little more water line when sailing and a great swim platform when at anchor. Modernizes the look of the boat and narrows the look of that broad #$% transom!After boat survived Hurricane Erin in Pensacola FL in 1995, mast and rigging was all redone, Flurex Roller Furling added, opening ports replaced (don't tighten down hard the screws holding Beckson ports to boat, warps frame and causes leaks all the time!) New rope clutches (should have got the Lewmar superlocks)Still need to replace traveler and dodger, add bimini.  
The boat's best features Price and interior layout. Ease of Solo sailing her.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Wiring job is poor and a potential fire hazard. Watch out especially for the wire going directly from battery switch to electric panel. It is always live and does not have any protection as it goes into the liner in the engine compartment. Good chafe point there, engine providing a little oil and diesel... I put a fuse in the wire just in case.Worked very hard to stop all the plumbing leaks. You have to keep water from being trapped between liner and hull or watch out for the odor. Replace all the gate valves with seacocks (I used the Marelon plastic ones). They will sink you sooner than later if you have not yet.  
Sailing characterisitcs Tall mast gives good light air performance. Reef early or the weather helm is bad. Tuning the mast is a pain but if done right gives the boat good sailing characteristics.  
Motoring characterisitcs Wish I had a 3 bladed feathering prop! Several H34's came from factory with different prop sizes (15X13, 15X15). 15X15 works best with my load. 2 blade props just don't have the thrust to power into wind and waves (3 kts, 2 kts, 1 knts, ugh).Boat does handle well under power. Watch out for alignment of engine from side to side. It can cause rudder to pull to one side while motoring. Motor took me from Boston to FL on Intracoastal with only one clogged filter from bad fuel. Watch out for exhast mixing elbow clogging up with rust and carbon.  
Liveability Lived on the boat for 2 years with a wife, a 6 year old, and a cat. Only the cat did not like it. Wife did not like me so I have plenty of room to live on her now!Lived on the boat in Solomons MD, Boston (summer only) and Pensacola. Great liveaboard boat. Just don't bring too much on or she sails like a dog! Boat is not designed to carry a lot of stuff!  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Why bother with them. I have never received good help from them. Customer service? What is that?  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Can you say lawsuit! First dealer sold me a "new" boat at the NYC boat show and then tried to deliver me the boat that was at the show (and all trampled on. Do you know what high heels do to teak?) without telling me what he was doing. Hunter arranged for their "best" dealer to provide a new boat that was ready 3 months later. Wanted Lewmar 48's, got Lewmar 46's. Wanted an Icom M-80, got a Uniden. When asked about the price difference, was told there was none. Right. I should have walked away from Hunter then. Lots of other dealer installed items done poorly.Hunter dealers are a good reason not to buy Hunter boats (in my opinion). A used boat is a better deal. The money you save will allow you to fix the things wrong with the boat (whether caused by Hunter in the manufacturing or by the dealer). Get a good survey!  
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