Hunter Owner Reviews

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

Review of the Hunter 43 by Brad Newell

Year built 1992  
Location of boat Port Ludlow, Wa  
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 solo  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 1992  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Absolutely! In fact I have not seen anything built since that compares with it.  
Gear that's been added If you mean above the "standard" equipment, the list is substantial: radar, forced air heater, GPS, dodger, solar panels over dodger, wind generator, tow generator, "smart" charger with amp-hour counter, book cases, TV/VCR, lots of batteries, manual fresh water pump in galley, through hulls for both heads, Martec folding prop, computer, windvane steerer, wind gauges (can't remember if those were standard).  
Structural or complex improvements No, unless some of the stuff in the above list qualifies as complex improvement.  
The boat's best features Ease of handling when sailing short-handed. It is fast and comfortable. Very roomy.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. There was a leak in the anchor locker. The module had either been cracked at the factory or was structurally inadequate to hold the weight of the anchor/chain. Serious leak. Repair in Mexico was inexpensive. The wire for the deck solar panel was not sealed where it entered the boat, under the shield. That resulted in a several years search before we found the water source. It allowed water into the inner deck that got into the office and electronics. To remedy the situation, it was necessary to remove the shield, which required the removal of the main traveler; very expensive. The aluminum holing tank was also a loser. It had a label on it that said "not for human waste". Needless to say, it rotted out. Fortunately we discovered that before we got a bilge full of sewage. (The pipes pulled out of the thing while we were changing hoses.) Very expensive, but we replaced it with a plastic tank.  
Sailing characterisitcs The boat does not appear to have a "hull speed". It pulls almost no visible quarter-wave and just goes faster as the wind builds. Looking at the sea around us, the biggest difference between 4 knots and ten knots is the amount of white water around us. And, yes, the knotmeter is accurate. The shallow draft results in very low aspect-ratio fin and rudder. At low speeds, it is possible to stall either surface with sudden applications of full rudder (which is only 30 degrees). That trait can actually be used to advantage when docking in tight quarters. You can get the boat to turn, yet continue sideways for a ways.  
Motoring characterisitcs When the bottom is clean, it does about 7.2 knots at 2300 rpm, burning about 3/4 of a gallon an hour. At 1300 rpm it does about 3.5 knots on about a quart an hour. Our Martec prop produces almost as much torque as thrust at low speeds in reverse and backing to starboard can be impossible with significant wind from the port. A Maxiprop would probably work better but is more vulverable to "foreign object" damage.  
Liveability Excellent. We have an office, instead of a bunk room on the starboard side, and the boat is a great liveaboard. We lived on it for five years.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Great! Hunter's response was always immediate and cheerful - well beyond what was required by any warranty.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any We bought from a dealer who just sold boats; they provided almost no service. That outfit is no longer in business. Upon delivery of the vessel, we were given several pages that included the names of the manufacturers of all the equipment, and their phone numbers. That was so the dealer would not have to waste any time/money on a product that was already out the door. I think they may have started life as used car dealers.  
Other comments In spite of a couple of problems, nothing is perfect, I am totally satisfied with the boat. We ordered it to make a multi-year trip in the South Pacific. It was a great boat for the trip. Big enough to do it in speed in comfort and small enough that we did not have to sell it when we returned.  

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 |