Hunter Owner Reviews

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

Review of the Hunter 290 by Marian Shope

Year built 2000  
Location of boat Orange Park, Fl  
The boat is sailed on Rivers  
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? Absolutely! Although we find her a little crowded with friends aboard for the weekend - just the two of us sail her most of the time. Quiet Flight is extremely well laid out - lots of storage and plenty of walk around room.  
Gear that's been added We bought her with the in-mast furling system (leary at first but then experienced the ease of putting her to bed), bimini (requirement in FL!), hot/cold cockpit shower, depth gauge and knotmeter & log, battery charger, second battery, almuminum boom vang,VHF radio, traveller on arch.  
Structural or complex improvements None - although the accumulator for the head shower may be coming up shortly!  
The boat's best features It is really hard to pin down the best features - we love the way she handles and the layout of the cabin is one that you find only in big boats. We narrowed our search to Catalinas and Beneteaus and they did not compare to the 290. Hunter has taken all of the work out of sailing with the furling sails. She can easily be sailed single-handed if there is a problem. I am small (5', 100lbs)and everthing is easy to reach!  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The head shower is a pain but the accumulator will fix that! The cabinet knobs get stuck every once in a while (we have had problems with one). The dealer says that if it happens again - they will replace it. The engine rpms are stuck at 350 even with the engine off - dealer is fixing that.  
Sailing characterisitcs Points well, easy to tack and jib. We were warned that she would be tender - after sailing Hobie 18s - she did not feel tender to us! All points of sail are comfortable - it is nice not being able to run - broad reaches are much more comfortable and seem just as fast (slow??)!  
Motoring characterisitcs Spins on a dime. A little vibration in lower rpms but when we get up to about 2200 - it stops. Normal for a diesel - my husband says!  
Liveability Awesome - we had friends stay for the Labor Day weekend and with the enclosed staterooms - we were fine! Lots of room down in the main salon and the cockpit. The only tight place is eating at the dinette - four is crowded. As I am the small one - my place was at the end of the table -my knee was right against the compression post. Not possible for a larger person. One person has to sit on the opposite side by themselves. Can't have everything on a 29' boat! The storage is unbelievable - able to stow things away with no problem so cabin doesn't look "junked up". I use the straight settee storage for my pantry - works well with plastic containers organizing things. The well in our table holds our placemats, napkins, and is a perfect place for our 4 cup coffee maker while underway!  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) We had some questions concerning mast height and the B & R rigging before we bought the 290. Hunter responded immediately to our emails. It was our first clue that they stand behind their product. Catalina took weeks...  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Our dealer, Whitney's Marine in Orange Park, FL is awesome. We had planned to sail Quiet Flight down to Satellite Beach to be closer to our home and the marina there is so great that we are staying. The service is fabulous - and the people are great - always lending a hand if you need it! Can't say enough - will definately purchase our next boat through them!  
Other comments Can't wait for our cruise to the Abacos next year!  

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 |