Hunter Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997
Contact us
Hunter OEM Parts
General Marine Parts
 
 

Review of the Hunter 35.5 by Neil Russell

Year built 1991  
Location of boat Portland, OR  
The boat is sailed on Rivers  
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 1998  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes, this boat has a very functional interior, is fast, attractive, easy to sail and affordable.  
Gear that's been added The boat is equipped with a full compliment of Autohelm Seatalk instruments including: AutoPilot,Wind,Speed,Depth,Ratheon GPS,Radar,Chartplotter. Also has diesel forced air furnace, full dodger and bimini,6-pack CD changer, electric toilet and additional battery bank isolated for starting. Also has cruising spinnaker.  
Structural or complex improvements I added an engine preheater custom-made for the Yanmar 3GM since it was hard to start when cold.  
The boat's best features Boat is a good value for the investment. While it may not qualify as a "blue water" boat, it is a comfortable family cruiser. It is faster than many other boats on the water (in it's size category), and conveys the appearance of a modern sailboat while maintaining some more traditional lines of production sailboats. (I prefer the looks of pre-1997 Hunter sailboats personally)  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. My biggest challenge has been the cold starting problem with the Yanmar engine. Once it's running, I've never had a problem with it. I had a problem with one secondary Barient winch, which I was able to fix. Since Barient is out of business, I worry if anything major were to happen to a winch. So far, with one exception, they've worked fine.  
Sailing characterisitcs This boat favors winds from 12 to 18. From 18 to 22, you think about reef number 1. Above that, reef 2 is called for. The boat is great running with wing on wing or spinnaker. Very fun to sail!  
Motoring characterisitcs I tend to motor at around 2700 RPMs which, depending on whether I'm pulling the dingy, gets me about 6.5 knots. Without a dingy I can expect close to 7 knots. The boat backs up better than any other motorized sailboat I've owned.  
Liveability Interior layout is still among the best I've seen in a 35 foot boat. The midships head is roomy and bright, although we've never actually used the shower (I use the one on the stern). Galley has plenty of storage and a large ice box, double sinks and full, gimbaled oven. I would prefer LPG to CNG (liquid propane gas vs. compressed natural gas), since CNG is more difficult to find. It is said to be safer, however. Both aft and forward cabins have hanging lockers, opening hatches for ventilation and stand up room for changing clothes. Neither sleeping area is cramped and allow plenty of elbow room for six footers. Very pleasant below decks.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I've called a few times to order things or find out who supplied something and they've been extremely pleasant. No complaints from me.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Puchased through a broker, who has subsequently become a Hunter dealer. Surprisingly, everything went well.  
Other comments In the three years of my ownership, I've grown increasingly fond of this boat and have no plans to replace it.  

Contact
About
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Limited Liability
Advertise Here
Copyright 1997-2024 SB Owners, LLC
All rights reserved.

Other Sailboat Owners web sites:
CatalinaOwners.com | HunterOwners.com | MacgregorOwners.com | OdayOwners.com | SailboatOwners.com | 10,000 Boat Names |