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Review of the Hunter 27_75-84 by Tom Manalili

Year built 1982  
Location of boat St. Pete Fla.  
The boat is sailed on Open ocean  
How the boat is used Blue water, extended passages  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew solo  
Liveaboard? Yes  
Owner bought the boat in 1987  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes, the boat has a lot of potential, excellent builtin features, that most production boats don't have as an option, though for the past five years, i have made her more capable to handle blue water,mini settee ribs, mini qtr berth and lazerette ribs,water tight v berth, and settees, water tight companionway door, and lazerwettes, a bridge deck,with sill, 3 added port holes, partial hard dodger, solar panel rack, wind generator,wind vane steering,cqr  
Gear that's been added what i listed above plus partitians and a completed nav. sta., inverter, 3 batteries,lee cloths,shower,refrigeration, salt water foot pump,dbl back stay,  
Structural or complex improvements 4 mini ribs, water tight v berth door, brudge deck and sill, the dbltube solar panel rack 1" S/S tubing ties in the pedestal, with two vert. tubes which my wind gen. rests on, and the stern pulpit, 6 bolt down pads, through deck and cockpit floor,I added grab rails down below, and 3 man. pumps, did away with the jiffy reef, and replaced it with a modified single 27' line reef for all 4 reefs, have a total of 12 3/16" 1-19 wire standing rigging.  
The boat's best features trhe entire John Cherubini design, He was exceptional, and hunter did a good job of putting it together, it looks a lot like a Tartan 28, but has less freeboard, a much smaller stern,a beter cockpit design, though they weigh the same, even though the Tartan28 is longer fatter, with a 2 cyl. yanmar, and costs about 250% more.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. every pc. of wood i removed down below had bronze screws, i've never seen any staples, the boat has weather helm, but i corrected that with a 4 to 1 boom vang, and the gate valves are bad, but I've had her for 14 years and she can go anywhere  
Sailing characterisitcs it takes me an hour to get to the gulf, because I live on her I don't use her for day sailing, too much time for prep. and to reset afterwards, I go long distance, 24 hour runs at a time, in these waters i can get to south america using 24 hour runs and see land fall spend a day or two for rest and do it again.  
Motoring characterisitcs every boat has their own charactic's, in the reverse mode, having a one lunger yanmar, doesn't help, but i have sailed southern cal. waters in a 20 foot newport with just a single oar, and about 6 to 8 trips to catalina a year, so i don't depent too much on the engine.  
Liveability it's perfect, when my 2 daughters come to visit, i give up the v berth, and hit the qtr berth,their two dogs sleep with them and my cat sleeps with me, i make the breakfast, and suppers, and they don't complain, they enjoy it too.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) no contact at all.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any the dealer took my boat in on a trade, the guy wanted a bigger boat and bought a 30 ft. catalina, i saw the boat before they did there was 4 " of melted snow in the main cabin, the never checked it out, and being it was feb. i was able to low ball the price, and I got it, i could have bought a catalina and been screwed.  
Other comments John Cherubini, designed some good boats, for hunter up to 1984, then hunter went european and from that point on, I didn't and don't like their designs, they're out to please the ladies and the dealers, who cares what they think, do you really need a f;loating condo with a mast, what happened to tradition, style, grace, is it really necessary to have enough room down below to throw a party  

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