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Review of the Hunter 43 by John McKown

Year built 1992  
Location of boat Oak Harbor Marina, WA  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Multi-week coastal cruising  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? Yes  
Owner bought the boat in 1997  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? In a heartbeat!  
Gear that's been added Telephone line, TV cable, TV, microwave, Heart inverter/charger, Autohelm 7000 autopilot, Autohelm radar(backstay mounted), Ocean PC laptop computer with Navtec Navigation Suite, pedestal console, new genoa sheets, inflatable bottom RIB, Nissan 5hp outboard, 4" honeycomb foam mattress in aft cabin, barometer, clock, new starter battery, genoa sheets, 2 inflatable life jackets with harness, lifesling, new propane tanks & box, windlass reversing solenoid switch, fresh water tank accumulator pump, summer/winter sleep sacks, 2 dehumidifiers, portable 110v cabin heater + portable oil filled 110V radiator (in addition to existing forced air hot water heating system + diesel forced air heat system).  
Structural or complex improvements None  
The boat's best features Liveaboard comfort, ease of handling solo or with crew of 2, well-balanced sail plan, great light & ventilation, excellent galley with no thru traffic, ease of engine access, well thought out lighting (especially the strip lighting for company, candlelight dinners, etc. and the "porch light" we can leave on when going ashore at night to give us a lighted cockpit for locating our boat & boarding). The ergonomic planning which provides comfort in the cockpit both at the dock and in stiff breezes. The same kind of thought means when I look in the mirror in either head, I see my head not my navel, and that my face is over the sink when I shave! (Amazing that some yacht designers STILL haven't figured that one out). It's almost like real sailors actually sail these boats before they're produced. What a concept!  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Drive shaft tried to back itself out of the boat but was stopped by a couple of hose clamps I had afixed to the shaft for that purpose. Other than that - I'm stumped. Is this a trick question?  
Sailing characterisitcs Easy to balance the helm under all points of sail. The boat feels agile and relatively fast for a comfy cruising configuration. Very forgiving and predictable. Sails just as sweet wing & wing under control of the autopilot while we have lunch, as it would if I were at the helm trying to juggle the wheel, a sandwich, chips and a glass of milk (probably better). Would like to have genoa traveller adjustment under load from the cockpit.  
Motoring characterisitcs I have a 3 blade Maxprop which provides good speed in forward (cruises at 7+ knots) with excellent steering control in reverse (backs straight with normal power). Nice boat to handle in relatively tight quarters. Predictable.  
Liveability We bought the boat to live aboard for 6 months while we drew plans for our next home. My wife has had a thriving interior design business for over 20 years and is capable of drawing complete working drawings ready for an architect to sign off. We moved from 2600 square feet to the boat the first week in April. We had unusually beautiful weather for the Pacific Northwest that Spring, Summer and Fall. We were having so much fun sailing the waters of Puget Sound and British Columbia, it wasn't until November we realized we hadn't done anything about drawing plans, let alone starting construction (the original plan called for being in our new home by Christmas). Long story short - 6 months turned into 2 years and we discovered that sometimes less is more. The minimum 2400 square foot house we planned to build on our lot in Semiahmoo by the Canadian border, became a 1500 square foot house we bought in Palm Desert. But that's a story for another time. The bottom line is that our time aboard "Houdini" taught us that a 43' x 12' home plus all that space outdoors is more than most people probably really need. So we have kept "Houdini" for the time being as our summer home and full time mental escape (hence the name, of course - Harry Houdini was the all time greatest escape artist - specializing in water escapes).  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Haven't had the need yet.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Bought the boat directly from a gentleman who had just sold his Hunter dealership and charter business and had kept two boats out of the sale. He planned to keep the Legend 43 for his own use. We convinced him to keep the newer 37.5 which was undergoing final repairs from a major grounding accident while in charter. Although he was no longer the Hunter dealer, we felt he gave us a very fair deal. Having sold Hunter and Catalina yachts for a Hunter/Catalina dealer for a couple of years I felt we had bought a good boat for our planned use at a fair price.  
Other comments Love it!! My wife, 2 daughters, son-in-law, grandson, wife's sister & brother-in-law and numerous friends also love it.  

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