Hunter Owner Reviews

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Review of the Hunter 386 by Mike and Carolyn Sale

Year built 2004  
Location of boat Sausalito, CA  
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 2004  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Not a question about it.  
Gear that's been added Radar/Chart plotter. Bimini top.  
Structural or complex improvements no  
The boat's best features The roller furling main and jib are a dream. It's great to be able to handle a 38 foot boat all alone and not break a sweat or have to leave the cockpit. The interior is very well appointed and the actual floor plan seems to be perfect. There are plenty of cabinets and drawers. The NAV station is well located and easy to understand. There is virtually no "prop walk" at even very slow speeds and it practically puts itself into the slop.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. There is a persistent humming from the Dock Power isolation switch that gets to be annoying. The engine compartment fire extinguishing system failed and now has to be bypassed to start the engine. Some of the portholes are crazed and need replacing. All the above are warranty items and the dealer is standing completely behind all of them so no problem really.  
Sailing characterisitcs The roller furling main provides infinite reef points. This we have found to be invaluable in the rather gusty San Francisco bay. Most of the power seems to come from the main and the boats acceleration is remarkable even at 16,000 lbs. We haven't had too much experience in light winds as of yet but in the limited amounts we have had, it seems a very easy task to make the most of it.  
Motoring characterisitcs The engine seems a bit noisy and vibrates a bit but not excessively. This is especially true above 3000 rpm. At slightly below that setting the boat moves right along at 5 kts and steers easily.  
Liveability We are on the boat from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. It's our home away from home and we couldn't ask for much more in terms of comfort and amenities. The boat came with a very nice stereo system and flat screen television. The refrigeration/freezer system works great. Corian counters, microwave, great separate shower, etc..  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) This is our second Hunter and had it not been for the fantastic experience we had with our first boat (2000 290) we may have had more temptation to look elsewhere. The people at Hunter really go a long way in making their owners happy... even if the boat is on it's second set of owners.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any The boat was purchased through Cruising Specialists in Alameda, Ca. They seem to want to do everything they can to make the purchase no less than a positive and special experience. Even though the boat is paid for and delivered, they never have acted as though we were "problem children" even though we have contacted individuals on what should normally be their days off.  
Other comments Our boat came ready to use.. they even threw in a set of custom sheets, a bed spread, a complete set of dishes, and numerous other things that enabled us to simply walk aboard and make ourselves at home. We are very happy to this point.  

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