Good deal or not for Hunter 212

Scott T-Bird · Aug 14, 2015

You should read reviews from sailors before purchasing and ask for an honest opinion from the seller (why is he selling?) I was curious about these boats because there are several of them all around Lake Hopatcong (a local dealer sells them). I see them on the trailer sitting in yards all over. I've never seen anybody actually sailing one on the lake. The reviews seem to indicate that they are a sailing performance dog (not to disparage the canine species, of course) and not very well outfitted. It is also curious to note that there doesn't seem to be any forum contributors in here that sail this boat, despite the hundreds of Hunter owners who contribute regularly. I'd beware. I think I read that the composite material has had some issues, as well. It's a day-sailer for sure, and you will learn to sail if that is your goal. But don't over pay. There is probably a reason why resale prices are low. If they are comparatively slow and don't point, you'll be dissatisfied relatively quickly.

DHaranSailor · Aug 14, 2015

I am not familiar with the boat, but from what I know from buying my boats that price seems a little steep. The only other listing for a 212 I saw on sailboatlistings.com was 5K though so maybe I am just not calibrated right on Hunter pricing.

Does it include the motor?

Benny17441 · Aug 14, 2015

$3,000 are not what they used to be but a training boat receives a lot of use and wear and perhaps abuse from people that do not know what they are doing. Don't know the condition of the sails, the riggin and hull. Cannot tell if the price is fair for a 2001 but do know that you should be able to find a 22' perhaps older but in good shape with trailer and engine for less than that. Look in other areas.

Parsons · Aug 14, 2015

I've got the (slightly) bigger brother (H 216) and we really love the boat, for what we use it for. Mine is definitely a little day sailor with minimum storage room. I assume you've already read the owner reviews on this site, particularly Rick who owns a 2001? There's nothing obviously wrong with the (low-resolution) picture, other than the boot-stripe is torn-up on the starboard side, indicating some rough docking/beaching. The plastic hull is tough (tougher than fiberglass/gelcoat) which is a plus, and there may be no structural problem from a few hard knocks. I was worried about the cracking issue when I first bought mine, particularly since it appears to be caused by extreme cold (Michigan). I have had no issues. Crazy Dave (an expert on this site) has noted that there was a change by Hunter in plastics supplier with one of the suppliers producing inferior quality material. I don't know if this was proven, or just speculation. In either case, by 14 years on, whatever cracks are going to happen will have started. That would be one of the questions I asked the seller on eBay, to get it documented that you asked and they said "no cracks".

My concern with buying anything used on eBay (which I do as well), is that you can get mislead with a description and a couple of grainy photos. I'd be concerned about buying any boat that I can't touch first -- there is no such thing as a free boat. The purchase price of $3,000 is reasonable for a small 14-year day sailor that had a few years of hard-knocks in the community sailing program. The question is, can you afford to repair it, or laugh at losing $3,000, if it's not perfect? I guess for that price, you're not going to get a $1,000 outboard, but you'll need something to get out of the slip. The H216 is a little too big to paddle. You'll also not get any safety or convenience gear, so consider another $500-1,000 for PFDs, flares, a cheap VHF handheld, dock lines, fenders, etc. That stuff can also be eBayed with less risk. As far as repair cost, I'd check out this site's Store which has fairly good prices and is the only place to buy certain Hunter-only parts. Sails will cost a few hundred each, so be prepared to replace at least one after 14-years of students flogging them.

Crazy Dave Condon · Aug 14, 2015

Many good suggestions. I would ask the seller to document if any cracking and where. Provide some photos. Also, the photo shows a much different aft mast carrier than the original. Is a motor included. What is the sail inventory. Being a former town owned training boat, I would definitely look at the boat myself and post some photos or you can send them to me via forum email

As for performance, it was not a bad sailing boat as I was able to get it perform well but the key was to sail flatter than most boats due to the hull design being flatter. I introduced the boat for Hunter as a former but now retired dealer. Look at the boat and again get some photos of the deck, hull and bottom with attention to the centerboard as well and send them to me. We can go from there.

Parsons · Aug 15, 2015

Bmartin, this site has good resources for evaluating boats in its resources section. The linkup the 212 page is

Parsons · Aug 15, 2015

Barton, this site has good resources for evaluating boats in its resources section. The linkup the H 212 page is http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/in...e&Itemid=248&task=3&kb=1&model=9&brand=Hunter

I recommend the owner reviews, specifications, and modifications.

Sorry for the double post.

31seahorse · Aug 15, 2015

Hello Bmartin220, We regularly see a Hunter like this one on the Bohemia River, Upper Chesapeake Bay. Originally the owners had a 5 Hp Honda 4 stroke on the motor mount. I do not know what they use now. The boat is kept on a mooring and seems to be used regularly. One of my concerns is the shape of the cockpit. If you plan to take younger sailors along I think plenty of time and effort would be spent keeping them safely in the cockpit. On other boats with open areas in the aft part of the cockpit I have seen items go sliding out into the water. I'm not a fan of that design. Finally, going forward to dock, pick up a mooring, or hank on/lower a sail would require a trip over the top of the cabin since there is no side deck. Just thinking.

Parsons · Aug 15, 2015

I think an 8hp is way too much weight on the back that boat, particularly if it's a 4 stroke. My 216 came with a 4-stroke 4hp Nissan, and it's more than enough.

JerryA · Aug 15, 2015

How did the motor mount and rudder pintle look. I had a 170 and I recall these were both potential issues. I looked a 212 years ago and it had similar sized and designed pintle and mount as my 170. The 212 had a bracket to help support the motor mount. Back then these were areas of concern. The line for lifting the center board is very long and travels through a few blocks to give you the ability to lift it. I've heard horror stories when time to replace. I would think a 4hp would be more than enough, and a 2stroke would be kinder to the mount.

JerryA

Parsons · Aug 17, 2015

That's quite a long pair of cracks (a couple feet in total). This should not dissuade you from purchasing, but should influence the price down by a few hundred. This site sells the patch cement (which is not the same as repairing gelcoat or fiberglass repair). See Store link at: http://shop.hunterowners.com/hp/part.php?m=216&c=13&p=54329 which also includes a link to the very well written repair document. I believe that the cement can be bought a little cheaper elsewhere, perhaps saving a dollar per set. The down-side of that is you're not paying back for the free repair information. I assume that this is just the normal surface cracking of the ACP, not through the entire hull to the interior?

This is certainly winter work as it takes a few days to scrape out, and build up layers of cement to cover. The work is light do-it-yourself and doesn't require special tools or skills, other than general care and reading instructions. Don't try to build up too large a layer of cement at one time because it's exothermal when curing and you don't want bubbles. You'll need to paint the final product white, if you want it not to look like Frankenstein sewed together.

txjim · Aug 17, 2015

I was one of the H170 ( similar plastics) defenders in the day sailor boards but would pass on this. Too much off season work repairing cracks, moto mounts (the 170 motor mount is badly under designed) and reinforcing sagging decks. Love the boat but hate the repair work.

Jackdaw · Aug 17, 2015

Bmartin220 said:
I went to check the boat today. It has the famous crack over the starboard window. No other cracks. And the rest of the boat just had normal we stand tear for a 14year old boat. No battery and no engine. 3 sails that look fine. And needs a good scrubbing

walk away.

Joe · Aug 17, 2015

Jackdaw said:
walk away.

ditto

Chris Patterson · Aug 20, 2015

Joe said:
ditto

Yep..

Good deal or not for Hunter 212

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