Hunter Owner Reviews

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

Review of the Hunter 30_74-83 by Debo Cox

Year built 1979  
Location of boat Manteo, NC  
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 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2001  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes. It's been an excellent midsize coastal cruiser, which is what I was looking for. Since it's a little older, there is a lot of value for the money. Generally I've found that if you're willing to go with an older model, you can get a very nice boat for a modest investment.  
Gear that's been added Some extra ground tackle. Mostly just updated the instruments (depth, VHF, GPS). I have a philosophy of keeping the extra stuff at a minimum - leaves less to go wrong and repair, and I feel like it makes me a better sailor too. If you don't have the latest WAAS-enabled chart plotting blah, blah, blah - you become pretty good at reading charts - know what I mean?  
Structural or complex improvements The previous owner had the compression post replaced with an aluminum beam, and encased in teak. A really nice improvement. Also re-arranged the door the the V-berth so that instead of closing the v-berth off, it closes the head off. Another big improvement. I removed the chart table (took up too much space) and built some more cabinets where it was. I'm gearing up for a pretty substantial refit in the coming year.  
The boat's best features Interior space for a 30-footer. Solid construction - lots of fiberglass used in layup in 1979! An excellent value for the money.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. I think shes pretty well underpowered with the 12 horsepower Yanmar YSM12. If I had the money, I'd repower with between 20 and 25 horsepower. I've been caught in a couple of pretty strong blows where it was impossible to make any headway. The engine was rebuilt just before I got the boat, so it's in very good shape, just a little wimpy. Everything else seems pretty solid. I'm a believer in "they don't build 'em like they used to."  
Sailing characterisitcs I think she sail well. Points reasonably high and seems to be fairly well powered in terms of sail area. Probably not the fastest boat in the yard, but great for cruising.  
Motoring characterisitcs Slow due to the underpower issue. Prop walks the stern to starboard in reverse. I've actually been able to use this to my advantage seceral times.  
Liveability My wife and I lived aboard for a year. It was tight, but totally do-able. We turned the pilot berth into storage and things were fine.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I've never had any experience with Hunter.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any I bought the boat from Whitaker Creek Marina in Oriental, NC. Nice folks, and they were honest with me about the boat and its "warts".  
Other comments I'm happy with my classic Cherubini-designed Hunter. I could have spent a whole lot more money, but there's a point of diminishing return. The sunset looks exactly the same from my 1979 Hunter 30 as it does from a boat costing many thousands more.  

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 |