Hunter Owner Reviews

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Review of the Hunter 380 by Richard Bock

Year built 2001  
Location of boat Northern Chesepeake Bay  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Day sailing  
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? Absolutely! We bought the boat with the hopes that we would be able to use it as a "Summer Cottage" and would not feel we needed to "move up" again. The 380 will do that for us.  
Gear that's been added So far just the standard additions A/C electronics, canvas windlass, etc. We ordered the main furling system whihc we really appreciate....the main ofter needs furling to get maximum performance and compfort. WE will be adding a gennaker at some point to improve down wind sailing.  
Structural or complex improvements None needed!  
The boat's best features The boat sails well (once you learn to manage sail area) but the cabin and cockpit layout make this boat great for weekending. Lots of nice features and, after reading reviews on older 380's Hunter apparently has been listening and make improvements each year.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. I have some concerns about hwo the wiring has been run through the boat. Too many harnesses are secured improperly. The refrigerator could cool a little better. When the boat was rigged the dealer ignored the main furling and introduced too much rake in the mast whihc made the main a little hard to roll. Took quite a while to figure out but the manual from Selden had it clearly stated as the cause in the trouble shooting guide. All and all however the boat has been trouble free.  
Sailing characterisitcs Very comfortable and reasonable speed.  
Motoring characterisitcs With a 40HP Yanmar, we've got plenty of power. I hate the stress docking can produce on a family weekend so I ordered the 3 blade prop which make all close quarter maneuvers (especially backing) a very controlled and calm experience.  
Liveability Excellent. Far and away the best feature. I would have preferred the aft cabin layout in the Catalina 38 (access to both sides of the berth) but other than that small issue the cabin is well laid out. The galley in particular is very functional  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I emailed them with a simple question and got a quick response. My dealer's service mgr. blames them for problems that I think are really on his end.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any I've had a very mixed experience. The boat was delivered in very poor condition and I've had some trouble with responsiveness to my concerns ("they all do that"). However the salesman (2nd boat from him) has intervened and really helped me out of some jams.  
Other comments Great value for the money and a boat you can live with for a long time.  

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