Hunter Owner Reviews

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Review of the Hunter 40 by Ted Clark

Year built 1985  
Location of boat New Bern, North Carolina  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Multi-week coastal cruising  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 1998  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes, best forty foot boat for the money around.  
Gear that's been added Solar panels, wind generator,anchor windlass,two anchor platforms, propane stove,refrigation,all new twelve volt lights, inlarged battery banks,special mattress for aft cabin,125amp alternator,new primary winchs. Replaced all canvas (dodger,bimini,full enclosure,windlass cover, winch covers,and sail cover) with sunbrella fabric.  
Structural or complex improvements Ripped out part of counter to inlarge ice chest prior to adding refrigation. Threw 24volt/110volt bar refrig in dumpster and made area into food pantry.  
The boat's best features Value for the dollar spent. We have been over twenty thousand miles in last six years and have never experienced any serious problems. Boat sails well, motors well, entertains well, sleeps well plus when kids visit us down island it can handle two more with great ease. In off shore sailing the cockpit is great due to the way the seats are made. The bunk on the starbord side of the table in the main salon makes an excellent sea birth. You can sit up when on a ten to fifteen degree heel and walk on deck that is horizontal. The decks are also nice and wide. If we had had to buy just about any other forty we would still be working to pay for it!  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Not enough hand holds below for a sea way. Had to remake anchoring system so we could run two large anchors when necessary. Hard to run new wires down below. Had to put in electrosan sewage treatment system as the holding tanks were to small for extended cruising. They worked fine but just to small.  
Sailing characterisitcs She is a little tender but as long as you reef early never a big problem.. We did add a third reef and a storm jib just in case but have never had to use them as we are never off shore for more than four days at a time and can pick our weather window. We are usually the fist in our club to get to the next anchorage. She sails extremly well on all points of sail.. Down wind we always pole out the jib and the boat balances well. To windward she goes like a freight train. We try to sail as much as possible but we do motor about fifty percent of the time on a long cruise. Down island we almost always sail. NC,SC,Md and Va is where we have to motor alot as many times there is little or no wind.  
Motoring characterisitcs Motors as good or better than any other sail boat I have owned or been on. Goes in reverse as well as it goes in forward. Have no problem doing seven knots. She gets about one gallon per hour at that speed.  
Liveability Aft cabin is extremly comfortable.. I get in bunk on the starbord side, my wife gets in on the port side and the cats get in the middle. We stored fifty five cases of can goods when we went down island the first time. The boat took every can and than some. It was all put in the boats regular storage places. We did not add any more space than Hunter provided! We very rarely stay at a dock. The first thirteen months of our cruise we spent a total of two weeks at a marine, and that was at Key West as our guests wanted to be close to the night life. We both shower every night and have never had a problem with the amount of water we carry. (110 Gal in tank and thirty on deck) We find all areas down below extremly comfortable.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Very good. Even though the boat is a 1985 they have always been there to answer our questions. There help in the rendezvous that we have attended have been great.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any We bought our boat from a dealor who was so bad I dont want to get into it. I can say that my complaints to Hunter were heard as this dealor lost his franchise two months later. All of the other dealors that I have visited have been excellent.  
Other comments If we decide to get a smaller sail boat in the future there is no doubt that it will be a Hunter. You can't get a better bang for your buck with any other boat. They are tops in my book!  

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