Hunter Owner Reviews

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Review of the Hunter 27_75-84 by John Lynch

Year built 1981  
Location of boat Minnesott Beach Yacht Basin, NC  
The boat is sailed on Open ocean  
How the boat is used Multi-week coastal cruising  
Normal wind strength 16-22 knots  
Average size of crew 6  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2001  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes! Easy question since we took possession 4 May of this year. She handles well in 15 knots and her roominess and chart table with all the great mahogony wood are seen no where else. The icebox line flows back up to a hand pump mounted beside the pressure water faucet which is good to go and with 36 gallons of H2O, the shower in the head is perfect for rinsing off on deck: no need to stay below in the stand up head, I am 5'10", and deal with a shower curtain. Headroom is great throughout the cabin into the head as well.  
Gear that's been added Raytheon 425 Chartplotter, Ray 53 VHF, new toilet and water lines. I will add boom vang early Fall. That's it.  
Structural or complex improvements Plan to build new sliding hatch and cover to the companionway out of mahagony, as well as new companionway slats out of the same wood. Purely aesthetic, since the hatch and hatch cover are in great shape; just depends on how motivated I am to play in the wood shop this winter. New hatches as well down the road, just to spend money!  
The boat's best features Classic looks and design. 2 hatches and 8 port openings, chart table, anodized aluminum toe rail, storage everywhere!!!, transom ladder, Teak and holly cabin sole, flat cabin sole ,split backstay and mainsail operation is NOT cockpit mounted behind the helm or in front of the companionway! BIG plus that excluded Pearson 30 and other comparable designs who seem to think that an in cockpit traveller would be smiled upon,"Glad you're there, blocking my way!"  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Nuthin'!  
Sailing characterisitcs 15-20 knots produced a sweet 7 1/2 knots of speed! Main has easy slabs for efficient reefing, but some times I refuse to reef so as to dip the rail; helm is weather but would you not want a weather helm? If I wanted to go flat, I would have gotten a Boston Whaler. Boom Vang addition will pull down the boom and make it easy to spill the main if need be. Also, first sail in 10-15 knots, wife at the wheel: what's that bloody sound? Put the transmission in reverse, voila! Only lapping waves against the hull. Sounded like the Russian sub in "Red October" before that.  
Motoring characterisitcs 15 HP 2 Gm Yanmar is perfectly sized. Motoring experience is good in and out of the slip and sufficient for an opposing ebb tide.  
Liveability DINKS like us, it's perfect. Could see 2 more onboard for long week-end, but not every week-end, nothing to do with the boat! Our Lab, Mulan, has not gotten salty with us yet, but the companionway is perfect for a dog to move above and below deck.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) N/A  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Recommend it. We dealt with Matthews Point Marina and they were nothing short of perfect. Survey paid for itself too.  
Other comments Wish I was on her now, instead of writing this!