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Review of the Hunter 37.5 by Don Hallden

Year built 1992  
Location of boat Clear Lake (Galveston Bay) Texas  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength 16-22 knots  
Average size of crew solo  
Liveaboard?  
Owner bought the boat in 1996  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes. The Hunter 37.5 is the best compromise between performance and cruising comfort that one person can reasonably handle by themselves.  
Gear that's been added The addition of GPS is almost necessary for navigating in Galveston Bay because of the danger of the dredging spoils around the Houston Ship Channel. I have also added a three bladed Maxprop. Although it is expensive, it helps the sailing performance considerably. I estimate an additional 1/2 knot under most sailing conditions. Maneuvering under power is as responsive as the 17" three bladed fixed prop (which I used for 3 months before I replaced it with the Maxprop). A bimini top was also added and the previous owner had installed a 16,000 BTU reverse cycle air conditioner. Both are necessary to beat the Texas heat.  
Structural or complex improvements No complex or structural improvements have been made, but I am considering open shelving above the ice box to provide a sort of "divider" between the salon and galley areas.  
The boat's best features The best features of the 37.5 are the open living quarters below decks, the swim platform for swimming and boarding the inflateable dinghy, and the fractional rig so that single handing with just the Genoa is easy when solo sailing. The Dutchman flaking system with full battens for the mainsail is required when solo sailing. The mainsail would be unmanageable without it.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The Yanmar 30 hp diesel vibrates from resonant frequencies in the 1100 to 1200 rpm region. The engine mounts could be more robust. The below deck roller furling for the Genoa makes it difficult to inspect the headstay fittings. The HOOD LD (continuous line drive) roller furling does not work well in winds over 25 knots. As you roller furl the Genoa, the line slips in the roller furling mechanism and for evey two feet you roll in, one foot rolls out.  
Sailing characterisitcs For a cruising boat, the 37.5 is quick. In winds up to 20 knots, I can keep pace with C  
Motoring characterisitcs The motor is somewhat noisey and has excessive vibration for a boat this size. The prop shaft and motor have been professionally aligned twice with no improvement. I seems to be a characteristic of the Yanmar diesel and the flexible motor mounts that Hunter provides. When approaching a dock at low speeds with a crosswind, the Hunter 37.5 can slip sideways more than I would consider controllable. Although I prefer to approach the dock at less than 2 knots, I find that to retain the directional control from the reduced lateral surface area of the winged keel, I must approach the dock at 3 knots and use a large amount of reverse at the last minute.  
Liveability The boat is very liveable. The three cabin arrangement scarifices outside storage space for sails, inflatable dinghies, etc., but living accomodations are maximized for a boat this size. The single head is also a good compromise. Double heads are for charter boats or boats over 40 feet.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I have dealt directly with Hunter on two occasions. Both times, they tried to help, but in the case of the lifeline gate replacement, they were not even able to identify the supplier of the lifelines. The lifelines on my boat have a left-hand threaded connection that Hunter says they never supplied. Only right hand threaded connections are available for lifelines. The original owner says the lifelines are original Hunter equipment. They look like original equipment. I think Hunter doesn't keep such good records of what they built. The other instance was for a fluorescent light fixture. They steered me to a firm that would sell me one for $50.00. I was able to locate one locally for $28.00.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any This boat was bought through a private sale three months after its brokerage listing had expired. The price I paid was $14,000 less than the brokerage listing price (which I could not afford).  
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