Our hunter 40

Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
Smackdaddy,
Thanks for sharing. I have never read an honest report of yacht purchasing before. I am sure many will benefit. How did you arrive at the 4K figure for repairs after the survey? I think that your offer was fair for all. It is easy to forget that the prior owner has carrying costs for a depreciating and cost incurring asset he wants to be rid of. It sounds like the broker was playing actor very poorly. My surveyor believes that most YachtWorld sales occur at about 20 % of listed price. If so you and the seller both did well. When I did my shopping I always threw out the asking figure of the lowest (likely a wreak) and the highest (likely not really for sale) boats.
BTY I'm all on board with the "yacht thing"! I already have a blue jacket, nice yacht caps are on ebay. We just have to find where we can buy white flannel pants. Bring it on! :waycool:
Chucklehead Larry
 
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May 10, 2013
36
Hunter 40 Corpus Christi
Larry - I think you might be referring to the next installment in the series:

The Money Blizzard

The $4K came from the broker's and surveyor's estimates of what it would cost to repair the immediate deficiencies found in the survey. As you'll see in the upcoming installments - that was STUPID low. Double anything you hear at the survey.

Here's to the blue blazer!
 
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
Thanks for the money blizzard. Very cool stuff.
Getting my jacket pressed. Don't forget the white flannels!
 

HMT2

.
Mar 20, 2014
900
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
Smackdaddy, you are preaching to the choir! I know of the money blizzard as well.
 
May 10, 2013
36
Hunter 40 Corpus Christi
Smackdaddy, you are preaching to the choir! I know of the money blizzard as well.
It's kind of crazy isn't it? Luckily for us, is has slowed down now that we have the boat outfitted to our own specs. But THAT WAS INSANE!
 
Jan 24, 2009
450
1981 Cherubini Hunter 27 Shipwright Harbor Marina, MD
Yowza! There's 446 pages in the thread about "Production Boats and The Limits" :hijack: Definitely stirred up some smack there.

Thanks for posting this. :plus:
 
Jan 24, 2009
450
1981 Cherubini Hunter 27 Shipwright Harbor Marina, MD
What can I say? That's why I bought the Legend series. It just fits. Heh-heh.
(I just got "smacked", but in a good way - ooh, I think I like it! :biggrin:)

Thanks for writing it, I so often don't ask questions because I don't want to deal with "the nattering nabobs of negativity" and their snarky comments or the ones that start with "I don't own your specific model, so I can't specifically answer your question, but...", or the headscratchers with "well, in my years I've never understood why..." (I haven't been alive as long and certainly not sailing as long to help you there.)

:hijack:
This should all probably go in a different post, but I am grateful for all the knowledgeable folks who share on this forum and genuinely help out, I am learning a lot.
:worship:
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Hey Smackers! Hope life is treating you kindly.

Just got around to reading the first part on your new boat selection; great read and well reasoned decision-making process. Had to smile when I read about the granny underwear in the older Firsts.... for sure great boats but man they had no idea what the Texas heat was going to do to that foam!

Stay well brother
 
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May 10, 2013
36
Hunter 40 Corpus Christi
Hey Smackers! Hope life is treating you kindly.

Just got around to reading the first part on your new boat selection; great read and well reasoned decision-making process. Had to smile when I read about the granny underwear in the older Firsts.... for sure great boats but man they had no idea what the Texas heat was going to do to that foam!

Say well brother
Sup Jack!! Thanks for the comments and kind thoughts. Life is good. The boys and I are prepping for our continuing trip to Florida in June.
 
May 10, 2013
36
Hunter 40 Corpus Christi
Has anyone changed out the CNG with propane in their 40? If so, how did you handle the locker? I really don't want to go through this hassle and expense, but I'm looking at options here.
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
Sorry Smack but your post brought me to this old thread for the first time so of course I thought I would throw my 2 cents in.

First off, my 20 year old H376 has performed just fine for me. Many time I wished I had a heavier boat not for structural reasons but for the ride -- mostly in the Caribbean Sea where I was always reefed to at least half my sail rolled up so I would have been faster in a heavier boat. However, many times I have loved that I was in my Hunter sailing when others were motoring or staying in port complaining about no wind.

I would also like to add that I think I got a 'friday' boat. I should have known when I was the 5th owner in 9 years. The boat had a lot of manufacturing defects -- little things that made the boat noisy offshore down below like. This defects were mostly a lack of caulking where there should have been some between the deck liner and bulkheads. Another one was the L shaped galley cabinet was not bolted to the floor properly. Two others were a defect in the fiberglass of the deck liner causing it to rub on bulkheads.

As for structural, I am been very pleased with it. I have cruised on it from Texas to Fl to Bahamas to Colombia to Panama to Bahamas to Grenada to Panama and now Tonga. I will admit the worst I have sailed in is gusting to 37 knots apparent but am considering making the trip to NZ which almost guarantees 50-60 knots of wind for a day or more. There is already a sister boat down there now for sale so they can make it. My hesitancy isn't about the strength of the boat, but of the horror stories of those who have made the trip. A nice heavy blue water boat owner told me "Nothing to worry about. Just heave-to. The only problem is things tend to break in those conditions. We broke our chainplate" and I said "that is exactly why I don't want to make that trip" :) I don't like rough sailing and I hate breaking things on my boat but I am still considering it, just so I can shut these people up. I am re-bedding all my port lights just in case I do decide to go. Doing the trip on 20 year old caulking doesn't sound like a wise decision, especially now that the caulking is starting to crack.

I have thought about moving up to a bigger boat and maybe someday when I can afford it I will. I am one of the smaller sized cruising boats in most anchorages and I could use some more space for a water maker, another person, more dive gear and a better insulated diesel generator. Cat seem to be catching ground on monohulls in the cruising anchorages with about 40% being cats and mostly fairly new so they must be outselling monohulls these days. Not sure about a cat though due to cost and hull slap issues. Thought about a newer and bigger Hunter but the swept back spreaders do drive me nuts at times when sailing so I'm still looking. Also think Hunters are bad at providing storage space which is very important for a cruising boat. I have plans to rip out the solon area and nav station and re-do it to provide more storage space on my boat.

So are the mid to large Hunters a great cruising boat, no. Is she capable, yes.

https://www.tradeaboat.co.nz/detail/hunter-376-338467
 
May 10, 2013
36
Hunter 40 Corpus Christi
Thanks Frank.

I think that's a good .02. We just finished the TX to FL run, will get into the Carib next year. Our boat did very well in squalls up to 40+ knots and the steep Gulf seas you get out there. No real slamming (even though we were absolutely beating into it) and no real flexing/noise/concern below. She was solid. And I'm actually amazed at all the storage we have on our 40 - but we're not living on her full time either. So maybe that's part of it.

I wouldn't take our specific 40 to a place like NZ. But I have no plans to do that anyway.

I'm personally not a big fan of the new Marlow direction. And my next boat will likely be a cat, anyway. But, I honestly don't expect to not have leaks/gelcoat cracks/interior creaking/etc. over time in whatever boat I get. I think that's just how most boats roll.
 
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