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Review of the Hunter 23.5 by Ken Bowen

Year built 1993  
Location of boat Lake Norman, NC  
The boat is sailed on Lakes  
How the boat is used Day sailing  
Normal wind strength less than 10 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard?  
Owner bought the boat in 1997  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Not sure. Probably not. This is my first sailboat. The jib is impossible to adjust without letting go of the tiller. I have tried running my jib sheets to the cleats at the absolute rear of the boat, but it is still difficult to adjust the jib with this method. The boat has been exactly what we were looking for at the time. We wanted something with a good size cockpit that we could bring along some friends, but small enough to sail short handed. The jib is a pain to raise by yourself. The fact that this boat has a trailer and can be taken to the coast is a definate plus. The boat is not fast, but lots of fun.My vote on a scale of 10 is probably a 7.Ken Bowen  
Gear that's been added None Yet. I want to add a stereo, a compass, maybe a traveler and some cam cleats for the jib sheets.  
Structural or complex improvements None yet.  
The boat's best features The size is great for day-sailing. The cockpit is great. The trailer is a great feature.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The ladder is too short when trying to climb out of the water. The jib is almost impossible to adjust without letting go of the tiller.  
Sailing characterisitcs The boat is slow, mainly due to the sail selection. The boat will heel way over ( to about 50 degrees on my incinometer - the windows in the water ). At this point, I have to fight the boat to keep it from turning up into the wind and usually I cannot.  
Motoring characterisitcs My 23.5 has a 8 Hp Tohatsu. It is loud and slow. It has a 3.3 gallon tank and will burn about one gallon per two hours. The railing will shake even with a rubber spacer between the motor and the transom.  
Liveability The boat is small enough to trailer, yet big enough to sleep on. Two will be tight, four impossible. The forward berth is too short for me at 6 feet tall. The rear berth is a coffin with about 15 inches of clearance. The port-a-potty is my wife's favorite feature. The stove is useless. The cooler is difficult to lift into place when full, because the handles must be put down.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I called to get information about a new manual and information on a Bimini top. I never did get the manual. I got a voice mail with the prices. No pictures, no color options, etc.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any The dealer was very knowledgeable and helpful.Strictly NauticalCornelius, NC  
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