Hunter Owner Reviews

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

Review of the Hunter 290 by Stephen Schwartz

Year built 2000  
Location of boat Lake Texoma, Sherman, Texas  
The boat is sailed on Lakes  
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 2000  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes! We just finished 7 days vacating aboard our new Hunter 290 and are thrilled with our purchase! The Hunter 290 exceed all our expectations in terms of comfort, performance and safety.  
Gear that's been added After a few days of use, the water pump began cycling on and off when using the head shower. Regardless of the flow setting or pump adjustment, it was difficult to use the shower because the cycling caused the shower to "dis-engage". You have to pull up on the hose to engage it and when the pump cycles, the "engaging rod" drops down. We were forced to use the cockpit shower for a few days. I express ordered and installed a small accumulator which fixed the problem. Now, the pump only comes on after several seconds of running the water, and more importantly, the shower stays "engaged" and allows us to take showers without having to constantly hold the "shower engaging rod" up. I really recommend Hunter add this simple device as standard equipment since it also help you save water and extend the life of you pump.  
Structural or complex improvements  
The boat's best features The cockpit and swim platform are spacious. The space encourages such activities as grilling, consuming beverages, and swimming just to name a few. The salon, galley and head provide enough space for several adults to comfortably visit below deck on a rainy day without feeling cramped. We had 15-20 mph winds several days this week and we were impressed how the 290 handled. We were able to try all points of sail and combinations of main and head sail configurations. We reached 5.2 knots with ease on several beam reaches. She points really well too! The conservative sail plan and overhead traveler makes her a really stable and safe boat.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. 1. See our comment on the water pressure system and the need for a small accumulator. 2. Hunter uses a plywood door with a white laminate on the inside of the head and teak veneer on the outside and along the cut edges to give you the impression the door is solid teak with a plastic laminate on one side. After two evening showers, the teak veneer running along the cut edges of the plywood started coming off at the bottom and middle section where the door is hinged to the door frame. I had some glue on board to prevent the veneer from being broken off. After inspection, I can assure you this type of laminate door will not last one season. Although it would add expense, Hunter really should have used a solid wooden door with plastic laminate on one side (similar to the salon table). We only used the shower a few times before noticing this problem.  
Sailing characterisitcs We had 15-20 mph winds several days this week and we were really impressed how the 290 handled. We were able to try all points of sail and combinations of main and head sail configurations. We reached 5.2 knots with ease on beam reaches. She points really well too! Lets face it, the Hunter 290 is not a racing machine, but she is an excellent family crusier with good performance! The conservative sail plan and overhead traveler makes her a really stable and safe boat.  
Motoring characterisitcs  
Liveability See our previous comments. She has much more space and many more comforts than boats in her price or size range!  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Great! La Vita Starships in Lewisville, Texas is an excellent dealer.  
Other comments For weekending or short costal passages, the Hunter 290 is an excellent entry boat! Again, we are really thrilled with the boat and so happy we made the decision to purchase her when we did! Now, we look forward to each weekend and are dreaming of retirement as live aboards on the Florida Coast!  

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 |