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Review of the Hunter 340 by Dave Blackledge

Year built 2001  
Location of boat Fort Monroe, VA  
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 2001  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes, definitely. I love this boat!  
Gear that's been added Furling mainsail, autopilot, wind instrument, bimini & dodger, A/C, windlass, traveller, additional anchor.  
Structural or complex improvements No  
The boat's best features Solid feel, easy to sail (especially with traveler and furling main & jib). Autopilot has added a whole new level of freedom and makes single-handing a dream.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. No real problems so far. I owned a Hunter 270 before this boat. Although I enjoyed the 270, there were several factory-induced problems with it (that the dealer helped me fix). The quality of the 340 is at a whole different level and I've been very pleased.  
Sailing characterisitcs Sails great upwind. Downwind in light air can be frustrating with the limits imposed by the back-swept spreaders. I'm looking to add an asymmetrical spinnaker (and spinnaker winches) to improve downwind sailing.  
Motoring characterisitcs Motors very well and is fairly quiet. Backing is much easier than I expected (I actually find backing up easier with the 340 than with my 270).  
Liveability Very liveable. I typically have 2-4 aboard for any length of time, but spent a week cruising with 6 of us last summer and never felt crowded. The v-berth in the forward cabin is a little short (tight for my 6-foot height). My daughter and her husband fit fine, though (he's 5'10"). Headroom in cabin is great (6'2"). Love the layout of the salon table - quite comfortable seating for six. Main cabin berth is huge with okay headroom. Stand-up area in main cabin entry is nice (especially after having no stand-up room in the main cabin of my 270). Really like having two enclosing cabins which allows us to have 3 private areas for 3 couples at night. Airflow is pretty good. Added fans to each cabin and head to augment A/C and when on the hook. Purchased bug screen for passage-way which also helps airflow at night. The bright and open feeling down below is one of the things we love about Hunters - never feels cramped or claustrophobic. We really love the huge cockpit area which makes for great outside dining and entertaining as well as plenty of room for moving around while under sail. The stern rail seats are the favorite sitting spot and offer a great view! The swim platform/transom setup is great for boarding, swimming, and getting in & out of the dinghy.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Have found Hunter to be extremely helpful, responsive, and a delight to work with. Truly customer focused.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Our dealer, Norton Yachts in Deltaville, MD, is wonderful. They typically get voted as "Best of the Bay" and one of the top Hunter dealers in Hunter Owners Customer Satisfaction Surveys - kudos which are well-deserved. I've never experienced such a supportive dealer-customer relationship.  
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