Hunter Owner Reviews

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

Review of the Hunter 18.5 by Bob Zanowicz

Year built 1988  
Location of boat Lake Hopatcong, NJ  
The boat is sailed on Lakes  
How the boat is used Day sailing  
Normal wind strength less than 10 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2007  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes - The boat is right for the type of sailing I do and fits my lifestyle, especially in the time and money I can apply to sailing. It is a good compromise.  
Gear that's been added New compass, new motor in 2008 (4HP 4 stroke Mercury 20 inch shaft, new furling jib (125% genoa, running lights, new trailer lights New boot striping and decals. New sail cover (navy) with matching hatch cover. Boom vang. New trailer tires.  
Structural or complex improvements Had a trailer tongue extension fabricated that extends the extension provided on the Kenmetal factory trailer. Installed small deep cycle 12V battery with running lights. Mounted cheek block with fairleads so that I can have access to main halyard to raise the sail from the cockpit. Sealed the bulb/wing keel with POR-15 to stop rust and then applied primer, tie coat and bottom paint. I installed a solar powered vent in the foredeck hatch. This year I cut some holes to install louvered vents in the companionway hatchboards. Also installed small 3 inch circular vents to all the storage areas under the bunks and fore anchor compartment to increase ventilation and stop mildew.  
The boat's best features It is either a BIG little boat or a little BIG boat. By this I mean it has the fixed keel with 520# of ballast and overall 1600# displacement make it heavy like a big boat. It feels like a bigger boat, especially after owning its larger sistership, the H23. Yet it is small enough to trailer, tow, store and maintain. In addition, it sails well and has sleek contemporary styling.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Keep in mind this is a 24 year old boat...I have noticed that the inside cabin has some delamination with the outer hull. This is especially true around the windows that I believe need to be re-sealed. I suspect that they leak in that I have been getting some water in the cabin that accumulates under the cabin sole. As a result I have experienced some mold and mildew. The cabin sole will be replaced as a result along with repair of the delamination. I see spiderweb cracks on the deck and outside of the cabin due to flexing. These will be repaired next season. I find the thin line that runs through the boom to be used to reef the sail as not very useful. The other lines for reefing work well. The mainsheet control is located very low and it sometimes a pain to release quickly, especially in an unexpected gust. I was skeptical about the factory shaefer (sp?) furler but with the new sail complete with luff wire, it works fine.  
Sailing characterisitcs Fairly stable as it mimics a larger boat. It can be a little tender at first but with the keel it digs in and becomes more stable. The new sail (genoa) I purchased gives it a little more sail area so it helps in light air over the original stock (110%) jib. It is a bit weird not having the back stay as it seems more load has to be taken up by the shrouds and forestay. The topping lift constantly interferes with the roach of the mainsail. I recently sailed it in 15 knot winds and even with the main successfully reefed, we had an absolute blast sailing downwind, surfing the whitecaps.  
Motoring characterisitcs Motors well with the Mercury 4 Hp. I find in tight quarters I use both the motor and tiller to steer. The boat was designed with the original Tohatsu 3.5 motor which was very light and did not have a aux tank. With the 4 stroke merc with tank (in the locker) it adds some extra weight which makes the boat list slightly to starboard. On the other hand, I like the motor I have in that it has the F-N-R that the original 2 stoke Tohatsu did not.  
Liveability Not too much as I have not lived or even slept aboard. Used for daysailing only. You could camp out on it for an overnight in that it has a workable sink, porta potty and stove. I will add some interior lights and a set up for my Ipod or phone to play music.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) No dealings with Hunter  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any N/A  
Other comments To be fair, the boat is getting older and is showing signs of age. Still I have my list of work to complete to address these items. The trailer is still functional and works but has much rust and looks worse than it is. In summary I like the boat a lot. As mentioned earlier I owned the H23 and this has a lot of what that boat has but without the extra size and weight. Much easier to trailer, step and unstep the mast. This boat is ideal for many people who want maintain the boat in a slip yet trailer occasionally to other locations.  

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 |