290
We like our 290, took delivery in April. Still learning about it, as it is a bit smaller than we used to charter. Need to reef early (about 15 knots or less). Sails ok for speed, we see 6-7 knots (sometimes a little more) and that is with a corrected knot meter. We have a lot of options on the boat and we added more electronics because...well because we could. We have an electric windlass, refrigeration, spinnaker package, boom vang, traveller, two chartplotters, color radar, and an autopilot. We took the ST30's the boat came with and put them in a box and added ST60's including the wind instrument. That is nice for helping the autopilot do the wind angle thing. The transducers Hunter installed were already the right ones for ST60's. We also installed a Heart Link 20 and tossed the supplied lead acid battery for three AGM's. One as starter, and the other two as house. We have been on the boat for as long as a week unplugged and can survive with about 1.5 hours a day of motoring (that includes running the refrigerator). In our opinion, Hunter delivers a pretty good boat that can be made much better with some minor changes. I get to spend some blue water time on boats over 40 feet, and there is no way to compare the two. But then there is a bit of contrast in the prices also. The boat stays inside the Golden Gate mostly, but we have strayed out when it is fairly flat out there (not often). I don't consider it a blue water boat for this area of the world, but suspect it would do fine in many other places. I would sail it south if the opportunity arouse, but would be careful with forecasts in any event...particularly wave heights as the boat is light and fairly flat on the bottom. I'm not sure I'd want to sail it back north. Good luck with it. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
