Seajet
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Well at least I'm not a saddo waiting to pounce. Git. 
Hunter boats? any views
- Thread starter saltlife
- Start date
JimC
Well-known member
I have a good opinion of British Hunters having owned two and being on close terms with several others. I'm not going to get into "how good my boat is", but presumably it must say something that, unlike the vast majority of the British yachts whose merits are discussed on the forum, Hunters are still in production, albeit in lower volumes than at one time. http://www.britishhunter.co.uk
richardbayle
Member
You guys crack me up. Clearly you have never sailed one. I have a US Hunter 41 DS and have been in some pretty rough stuff, including a 9 gusting 11 between Barcelona and Majorca. The boat was well mannered, dry and got me and a scared SWMBO home safe with her saying "I could do that again, without the abject terror."
No one was seasick, the mast didn't fall down and the rudder didn't come off; all things I have read on this forum that will happen to you if you own a US Hunter/Legend. No they're not slow either, spirited sail down the Med form Port Camargue to Agde, recorded 13 kns. From the GPS not the log before you all start telling me to get the log checked
Some of us do not want a 30 year old long Keeler, some of us like to "...go anywhere and be comfortable when we get there".
wotayottie
New member
And so you should. The Hunter is a twin keel with a PY of 1118 whilst the Kestrel is a drop keel with a PY of 1037. The Kestrel is a half way house between a racing dinghy and a small cruiser - the equivalent Hunter is the Sonata which as it happens has the same sort of performance as the Kestrel.
Hunters are sound British built boats. Should be regarded as a sort of British Beneteau rather than a sort of Westerly. They are solidly built but light - for example the decks arent balsa cored and neither are the hulls, both of which are a big plus.
alant
Active member
They were designed by David Thomas as training boats for 'young' sailors - University clubs etc.
alant
Active member
They built US Hunters at Portland UK, after the RN left.
Lasted a few years then folded IIRC.
TimBennet
New member
What Sonatas? The Sonata was the production development of a successful Thomas mini-tonner. It was designed to be a one design club racer that was also competitive under handicap.
Later, the same hull was used to produce a cruising version with a centreboard and some of these were used at Plas Menai for young peoples courses. The same hull was again used with bilge keels to be the Duette.
But the Sonata 7 was, and still is, a successful club one design racing boat.
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Seajet
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alant,
I think the Sonata was designed with a bit broader customer base than that in mind.
Are you sure you're not thinking of the Duette version, they were used in deliberately engineless form by some sort of RYA youth training scheme, I think before being fully marketed in the normal way, though I may be wrong it's a while ago now.
If I am wrong I'm sure Angus can point that out while making no useful contribution...
Behome
Member
alant,
If I am wrong I'm sure Angus can point that out while making no useful contribution...
Grow up! On second thoughts Shut up!
Seajet
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My point remains valid, and I have contributed to this thread; you don't seem to count on either so I suggest it is you that shuts up !
AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
If I am wrong I'm sure Angus can point that out while making no useful contribution...
I used to sail a company sailing club's 701 years ago on the Mersey. Went very well. Solidly built. Used to see off all the local Rival 32's upwind. Lovely side decks. As seaworthy as a Contessa 32. Nothing was outside its envelope. Best 7m sailing boat ever built.
zzyyxx
New member
Interesting thread. I quite the look of the smaller Hunters ('80s, 27 foot-ish, bilge keels) what similar boats would the forum suggest are less "cheap" and/or faster?
Seajet
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The Seawolf 26 and 30 ( the latter has a big rig to manage ) might be worth considering, there are both in my club.
The 26 can have a shaft or saildrive if one is looking at that aspect, and build quality varies.
The 26 can have a shaft or saildrive if one is looking at that aspect, and build quality varies.
Teetime
New member
Hunter Legends
I really second this posting. I bought a Hunter Legend Passage 42 in 1996 having been very impressed by a visit to the factory in Florida. I seem to remember that it was supposed to be the largest yacht production facility in the world at the time. Watching the yachts being so carefully produced gave one every confidence in the product. This is exactly as it turned out. We had less trouble with the boat then any other of the nine new boats we have had. It sailed really well and had great accomodation. A quiet 42hp yanmar and loads of equipment which would be extras on most boats.The price of the boat was an incredible bargain. The only reason I parted with the boat was that old age was creeping up and the sail area did take some handling. In particular the large heavy mainsail simply refused to flake on top of the boom. It had a mind of it's own. I was told it would develop a memory and flake better after a time but it never did. I have now taken the easy way out with a self tacking jib and in mast reefing.It is a real shame that the Hunter Legends seem to have have undeserved critics.
I really second this posting. I bought a Hunter Legend Passage 42 in 1996 having been very impressed by a visit to the factory in Florida. I seem to remember that it was supposed to be the largest yacht production facility in the world at the time. Watching the yachts being so carefully produced gave one every confidence in the product. This is exactly as it turned out. We had less trouble with the boat then any other of the nine new boats we have had. It sailed really well and had great accomodation. A quiet 42hp yanmar and loads of equipment which would be extras on most boats.The price of the boat was an incredible bargain. The only reason I parted with the boat was that old age was creeping up and the sail area did take some handling. In particular the large heavy mainsail simply refused to flake on top of the boom. It had a mind of it's own. I was told it would develop a memory and flake better after a time but it never did. I have now taken the easy way out with a self tacking jib and in mast reefing.It is a real shame that the Hunter Legends seem to have have undeserved critics.
Zagato
Well-known member
Not sure how much or fast the Moody 27 & 29 are.
zzyyxx
New member
Bit pricey, but quite nice. To be honest I thought they only did fins...
JimC
Well-known member
If you'd like to see one of the current production Hunters here's a video of a Channel 245 being put through her paces for a forthcoming PBO new boat test.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx_NMORp96s&list=FLpQnDYkgL8Yrif81U8X9edA
Seajet
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The Moody 27 was not the fastest boat on the planet, a bit short on the waterline; the people at my club who had them now have 31's, which seem a sound cruiser, though personally I reckon a Sadler 29 would run rings round them in a decent wind and is more of a sailors' boat.
Moody 27 & 31, presumably 29 too, are / were available in twin or fin keel.
alant
Active member
http://www.sonata.org.uk/about/history.php
I may have had the Youth Training Scheme in the back of my mind.
Seajet
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alant,
so did I, knew the Duette figured somewhere in the proceedings but thought it a bit odd they'd used twin keelers, now I remember the lift jobs, if any survived they'd be quite sought after !
