Hunter Owner Reviews

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Review of the Hunter 310 by Ron

Year built 1997  
Location of boat Chesapeake Bay  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Day sailing  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard?  
Owner bought the boat in 1997  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? After seeing the 310 for the first time, it took me about a minute before I decided I wanted one - buying it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The boat is just fantastic!  
Gear that's been added Magellan Nav 6500 GPS/Chartplotter  
Structural or complex improvements No  
The boat's best features Sailing is a breeze (so to speak!). It is a great handling, easy to control, high performance boat. It does great in light winds because it is so light and the sails so large.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Honestly, I don't think I could improve the boat much if I wanted to - Hunter made this boat just about perfect right out of the box. The only omission is line guides in the stern of the boat. Because the cleat hitches are so far to the side, it makes it impossible to cross your docking lines in the stern without chafing the gel coat. It's not too big a deal but everyone's going to have the same problem.  
Sailing characterisitcs It's just a very easy boat to sail in all conditions. So far (I've only had it a few weeks) it's experienced both light and medium winds and did fine in both. Reefing comes early but is a cinch. Slightly rough weather didn't seem to affect it any. I'm still interested in how it will do in heavier winds and rougher water. I don't expect too much trouble but it is a very light boat which may cause some problems. I'll post an update when I find out.  
Motoring characterisitcs The engine is the perfect size for this boat and gives decent performance. The most amazing thing is the engine sips fuel like a fine wine - at this rate my tank could last a good portion of the summer!  
Liveability Great cabin size for a 31 footer!  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any I purchased the boat from American Marine  
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