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Review of the Hunter 356 by John H. Burns

Year built 2002  
Location of boat Pawcatuk CT  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength 16-22 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2002  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? I most certainly would buy the boat again. The boat has plenty of room, sails great and is backed by a manufacturer who has proven to me he is dedicated to customer support.  
Gear that's been added I purchased the boat with roller furling on head sail and main, anchor windlass, electronics package (wind indicator, depth, speed and auto-pilot, full canvas (dodger, bimimi, connector and side curtains), and refrigeration. I only added 150 feet of chain and a Standard Horizon color chart plotter. Considering radar, but not convinced I would utilize it often enough to justify the cost.  
Structural or complex improvements No.  
The boat's best features The boat sails extremely well. Great boat for four people for a week or six for an overnighter. The in mast roller furling is one of the greatest features of the boat. I also like the arch which gets the traveller out of the way, and the lack of a back stay The boat handles very well and backs up like a Volkswagen. I continually amaze my dock neighbors who can't backup twin engine power boats half as well as I move the 356 around.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The general quality of the boat as received was not to my liking, but Hunter stepped up to the plate and fixed everyone of my problems. The stainless steel requires more maintenance then I am used to. My last boat, a comparable brand to Hunter only required the stainless to be cleaned about once a year, sometimes even less. This stainless steel requires monthly maintenance.  
Sailing characterisitcs I have sailed the New England waters CT to Nantucket, Cape Cod and Long Island Sound. As a weekend sailor, I have put 1,500+ miles on the boat in two short New England Summers. The boat sails great. Easy to keep on course, tacks well and heel can be controlled very easily. Although the Ray Marine autopilot is hard to initially adjust, once all the settings have been correctly entered it steers the boat very well in all but a quartering sea. Speed without pushing the boat is 6.5 - 7.0 knots  
Motoring characterisitcs Boat steers very easily when under power. Wheel can be controlled with one hand with little effort. However, when not using the autopilot must keep hold of wheel or boat will turn quickly. With engine at 3,000 rpm, fully loaded boat can make 5.8 - 6.0 knots burning a little less that a gallon an hour. Best part, the boat backs up like a car. My dock neighbors watch in awe as I back the boat into the slip, even in cross winds.  
Liveability Good liveability. Two things I would change. The dinette cushions (back rests) are so thick, they don't give a lot of room around table. You are jammed between the table and the cushion. I would make the table a little shorter width wise (stern to bow), and take just a little out of the cushions. Also, I would like a front loading refrigerator. (I think Hunter may have put front loading refrig's in the new models).  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) My experience with Hunter Customer Service has been superb. I was not happy with the as received condition of my boat. Hunter stepped up to every problem I had and fixed them to my complete satisfaction. As I used the boat and other problems developed, Hunter addressed them as quickly as the as delivered issues and then went the extra mile to ensure I was satisified. I have spoken to people who have bought other manufacturer's boats and they have not had the same experience with their manufacturer's.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any You need to select your dealer carefully, as you would your manufacturer. My dealer Sailing Specialties in CT, like Hunter worked with me to get me into my boat and then when problems developed teamed with Hunter to resolve them  
Other comments Great company, good products, backed by a superb customer service organization. Hunter boats have a lot of innovations, that help make sailing a pleasure.  

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