Custom Hunter 19???

[tampastockman]

I just bought a 1994 Hunter 19. At least I THINK I did. The registration says "custom" under builder and has FLZ as the manufacturer in the HIN. The full HIN is FLZW7219B894. It is titled as a 1994, but is more consistent with a 1988 according to my Google searches. It has a fixed keel and fake side windows. I am not too concerned with this but just curious. What I am concerned with is the mast. As you can see in the pics it is really bent back. I got this boat for $600 and it included a nice Mariner 8.0 kicker. All of the hardware/lines/rigging is in excellent shape and the rest of the boat looks very clean.Any suggestions as to what the "custom" means or what to do with the mast? Also for what its worth, the boat came with a Hunter Water Ballast Series Owners manual.

Thank you for your help!!!

 

[tampastockman]

OK, I must add that I am not sure if its a fixed keel or if there is a centerboard......Boy oh boy I am getting confused...LOL

 

[MrUnix]

Very strange.. the "FLZ" part of the HIN indicates a homemade boat that was assigned a HIN by the state. And AFAIK, a manufactured boat, no matter how much work you do to it, can be considered homemade.

Cheers,
Brad

 

[chuckwayne]

wow! It looks like a 19, but the mast should be straight! it looks like it's got a forestay that's way too long-maybe someone tried to adapt a jib from another boat?
you need to get the mast straight and properly set up. if it's a water ballast 19 it will have a centerboard, lowered and raised with a tackle. there should be a valve control for the water tank just inside the companionway.

 

[tampastockman]

wow! It looks like a 19, but the mast should be straight!

LOL, I was thinking a straight mast is probably a good thing. I will bring it home as soon as I get a trailer. It will be interesting to see what it takes to get the mast right.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

from the photo the boat is a water ballast Hunter 19 built in 1994 but the B8 in front of it does not correspond to the hull number. First, the Hull number would start out as HUN, not FL. Secondly the letter and numeral would indicate month the hull was laid and the year it was laid in. Therefore, the B8 does not even come close as it is indicating the hull was laid in either 1988 or 1998 which the boat would not have been built.

With the FL beginning at the hull number, I would investigate that first as I would tend this was a boat totaled in some storm and rebuilt for sale purposes.

crazy dave condon

 

[tampastockman]

Thank you Dave. Everything checks out 1994 as far as I can tell. What has me confused is the side windows are fake, just paint and the HIN as you stated. The FLZ is a florida custom built and the registration states Custom as maker. Florida has salvage titles for rebuilds to the best of my knowledge. I am not too concerned as the boat is very clean and everything is there. All Harken hardware, new lines and even a nice 1994 Mariner outboard.From all of my research Dave, you seem to be well versed in masts. Whats up with my banana looking mast? I spoke to a Hunter dealer and he said some came with wildly bent masts.....

 

[MrUnix]

With the FL beginning at the hull number, I would investigate that first as I would tend this was a boat totaled in some storm and rebuilt for sale purposes.

I thought the same thing at first; perhaps a salvage or other type of situation.. but after a little digging, that is not possible under Florida law.. here is the relevant text (pay attention to the last line of the paragraph):

Florida Statutes 327.02 - Definitions:

[...]
(12) “Homemade vessel” means any vessel built after October 31, 1972, for which a federal hull identification number is not required to be assigned by the manufacturer pursuant to federal law, or any vessel constructed or assembled prior to November 1, 1972, by other than a licensed manufacturer for his or her own use or the use of a specific person. A vessel assembled from a manufacturer's kit or constructed from an unfinished manufactured hull shall be considered to be a homemade vessel if such a vessel is not required to have a hull identification number assigned by the United States Coast Guard. A rebuilt or reconstructed vessel shall in no event be construed to be a homemade vessel.
[...]

In addition, to get the state issued HIN, any homemade vessel over 16 feet in length must be physically inspected by a Fish and Wildlife officer to verify it is indeed homemade, supply a "Builders Certificate" stating that it was homemade, and then receive a "Certificate of Inspection" (DEP Form 20-126-FMP) which is required when applying for a title/HIN (along with the Builders certificate).

So, it sure looks like it is a homemade boat.. and that whoever built it modeled it after the Hunter! Looks like they did a pretty good job of it too.. except maybe for that mast


Cheers,
Brad

 

[owner23.5]

is it just the pic or is that main on a furler?

 

[Benny17441]

It could have also been a boat acquired with no title and the buyer sought and was able to obtain a homemade title. Would not be the first time. As far as the mast, you just have an excessive amount of rake. Check the tension on the fore and backstays. Don't know about the windows, could have been a special order. Look for the HUN # stamped on the hull. They are usually stamped in the upper starboard transom. If it has been erased or altered you may have your answer.

 

[tampastockman]

is it just the pic or is that main on a furler?

I am new to sailing, but yes it appeared to be a furler on the main. Its a round tube about coffee can size diameter. Is that a good thing????

 

[tampastockman]

Brad, I am thinking something along the lines of a spare hull or maybe a factory reject??? It is from what I can tell 100% hunter right down to the smallest details except for the HIN and the lack of windows. I will get her home later this week and dig deeper into it. This will be interesting.

 

[owner23.5]

well that could be your "custom" boat , Ive never seen one that small with a main furler in it. if it works then yes thats a plus indeed. the fact that the jib is furled and the main means you'll have a care free sail in most any conditions. the main can be reefed with the furler in the event of high winds as well as the jib. nice looking boat ya got there.

 

[tampastockman]

Thanks guys, here is the answer from Hunter Marine: "Seems like a prototype hull and deck was sold to an old dealer. He would then finish them out as one offs. It was more of a side project for him. They were sold as is and with no id numbers. It's probably a pretty solid deck and hull."

That solves that question, now to get her home and get the mast tuned. I am rather excited. I just bought a Buccaneer 18 that I almost have completely refurbished and cant wait to get her in the water. I think this Hunter will be a heck of a lot easier to learn sailing on. Not as apt to put momma and me in the drink. I will keep you all updated and will surely wear you out with newbie questions.....

 

[tampastockman]

For what its worth, Hunter also emailed me a PDF manual for my boat. Its the 19-23.5-26 water ballast 86 page owners manual. If anybody needs a copy let me know and I will forward it to you.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Gentlemen;

There is no question tthat the boat is the Hunter 19. I should know due to my involvement plus the fact I outsold every other dealer and introduced the boat. In fact, the owner of Hunter at a dealer meeting asked if that model should be continued and I said no and no more were built as the cost of the 19 and 23.5 was not that much different plus sales were lacking.

Looking at the photo again, what you see is probably hull 000000 or prototype and that would answer the Hull ID. As for the mainsail, that gentlemen is an expensive what appears to be a boom furler and if that is the case, that is a very nice option as you can reef the mainsail to any degree.

gotta go as I am installing heat and air on a 2006 27 and I am not a small person which in this job I wish I was. Happy sailinjg

crazy dave condon