33.5 Hunter layout question

[Tom M.]

Question: in what year did Hunter come out with a "U" shaped dinette, also what year was the first production boat produced, last: any bad/negative features I should ibvestigate, prior to purchase, thanks for the help.

 

[Steve O.]

h33.5

Hunter lists the years of manufacture for this boat as 1987-1995, although I've never run across anyone who had one older than 1988, which is what year mine is. By 1990, Hunter had made changes to the engine, dinette, aft cabin, deck, and vents/ports. I actually prefer the styling of the older models, and I paid about half of what the newer models are going for, but you'll have to make up your own mind. The model pictured in HOW/Boats page is a post-1990 model. Here's a rundown of the changes:1. Older models had yanmar 2GM20, newer models came with 3GM30-more power, more weight.2. Older had traditional 2-sided dinette, newer has 3-sided U-shaped dinette.3. older models have traditional aft cabin, newer has athwartships configuration.4. older models have sloped doghouse like Legend series, newer has traditional cabin top. (see photo in Boat Specs page)5. older models had 6 Lewmar opening ports in cabin, newer has fixed trapezoid windows.

 

[Merrill Mant]

1992 33.5

Our boat is a 1992 and has the U shaped dinette configuration. In my opinion, the newer (post 1989/90) versions are more practical. Aft cabin larger, dinette roomier, main cabin is brighter (more / larger ports), headroom in the V berth, larger engine, stern wet lockers, stern swim platform, cockpit lockers, cockpit seat shapes.Either way, you will be purchasing a great boat. Enjoy!!MM

 

[Doug B]

1988 here

As Steve O. says, much better bang for the buck in the 1988 or older. We have he 88 and I also like the lower weight (albeit less powered) 2gm motor....after all, if I wanted a hot rod I would have gotten a power boat. I would like the athwartship aft cabin as per the 89+ but really like all the storage space under starboard cockpit bench. It goes all the way down to the hull. The main thing for us was the deal we got. No blisters, no real damage but lots of refitting and clean up to do. Now we have a like new boat with all the goodies for what we would have paid for an 89 that needed much if not all of the same work.