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Review of the Hunter 27_75-84 by Richard A. Marble

Year built 1981  
Location of boat South Harpswell, Maine  
The boat is sailed on Open ocean  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2000  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes so far, with the exception of the Renault engine, this boat has been a very good boat.  
Gear that's been added I have replaced the old single banger Renault with a new VETUS 16 horse power twin diesel and it made all the difference. Incidentally I would strongly recommend a Vetus 16 for this boat for several reasons. This boat needs about 15 HP to reach wake speed so anything over that horsepower is just costing you money with no benifit. The Vetus I bought was $4,600, a lot less than a Yanmar. I did not have to change the prop because the RPM’s were about right for what’s already on the boat, this saved me some money. I did have to set the stairs ahead about an inch and raise them about an inch using teak spacers. Anyway, I'm planning on getting a wheel auto pilot this spring thats about it.  
Structural or complex improvements  
The boat's best features Plenty of room, we call it our camp on the water. I have the tall rig model with the deep keel and it is very stable even when the wind is up. Another great feature in my opinion is all the teak inside.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Just tje old Renault single. Do yourself a favor and get a more powerful engine put in. It will change the whole atmosphere of the boat. Quieter, less time needed to get out there when you want to go sailing, less vibration believe me its worth it.  
Sailing characterisitcs Very stable even when the surf is up. I took my brother out, he had never gone sailing with me in any of my other boats. It was very windy that day and I had to reef the main and furl some of the jib in. It was quit rough. He felt comfortable at the wheel and this was the first time he’d ever been at the wheel of a sail boat! I try to keep her at less than 15 deg. role which is easy to do. She stiffens up well after this point anyway.  
Motoring characterisitcs With the new engine great she will do seven knots and handles very well.  
Liveability They don't call it a 30 foot wantabe for nothing. This boat has more room than many boat that are longer than 27 feet. I have read some other posts that say the births are too small. I'm 5'6" and my wife is 5'2" we sleep in the V birth and have plenty of room. The 1/4 births in the main cabin are norrow for an adult if the seatback cushons are not taken out. This boat was made for weekends and for two or three, or four people and thats what it should be used for.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I haven't  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Private sale  
Other comments Lots of room compared to other 27 foot sail boats. I have also read that because the boom was raised to make for more head room that this model was slow. Well let me say that in my experience a Hunter tall rig is very roomy and is not a slow boat compared to other 27’s. As far as stability goes even with the tall rig it stiffens up well at about 15 deg. And feels very comfortable in windy conditions. Its a great family boat for my wife and our two grand kids. Everyone feels safe even when the wind is up. With a 3000 lb keel and 4.6 feet of draft this is a very stable boat. I do admit that I learned my lesson long ago on other boats that its a good idea to reef sails when they need reefing. Do youself a Favor and reef early and often, don't scare the wife (voice of experiance) I have recaulked the hatches, and cleaned and varnished all the wood inside. There is a large amount of teak inside. When I first got the boat the teak looked dark and dirty from all the teak oil that had been applied. I clean this with teak cleaner and then put Minwax spar urethane on it. Everyone comments on how pretty the interior is now. So if your looking to get into a roomy sailboat that feels safe, that you can use as a weekend getaway, that won’t break the bank look at an older Hunter 27, but plan on upgrading the engine someday.  

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