I'm looking to buy a Hunter 30. I'm wondering if there is any major problems to look for? Specifically damage from wear and tear over the years. Also if the 1980 Hunter 30 had any of her own defects to be aware of? I have browsed this web site with a fine tooth comb and cannot find anything bad about this boat. In fact it sounds to me like the Hunter 30 is solid and is the boat to own. Thank you in advance!!!
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TOM MCNAMARA
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Ed Schenck
It's a Cherubini, . . . .
what else do you need to know? My own H37C is just a larger version of your boat. If you have followed the threads on the "Cherubini Forum" then you know how biased we all are. There are two other sites that are in support of the H30: http://people.ne.mediaone.net/tlyons/tdl/hunter/index.html and http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=204587#a=1888331 (BUT be sure to replace the '#' sign with an ampersand, a character that will not display here on HOW.)
what else do you need to know? My own H37C is just a larger version of your boat. If you have followed the threads on the "Cherubini Forum" then you know how biased we all are. There are two other sites that are in support of the H30: http://people.ne.mediaone.net/tlyons/tdl/hunter/index.html and http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=204587#a=1888331 (BUT be sure to replace the '#' sign with an ampersand, a character that will not display here on HOW.)
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SteveC
The Hunter 30' came with gate valves....
instead of true seacocks. I would replace them if the previous owner has not. Also, it had a single cyl. Yanmar that vibrated a lot. ensure that motor mounts are OK. Had to replace mine. That's about all I can remember about mine....
instead of true seacocks. I would replace them if the previous owner has not. Also, it had a single cyl. Yanmar that vibrated a lot. ensure that motor mounts are OK. Had to replace mine. That's about all I can remember about mine....
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Gary A
Owned Two ...
In years gone by, I owned a 1977 Hunter 30 for a few years (1988 - 89) and then a 1981 for a few years (1992 - 93). You should assume from the fact that I bought a second one that I loved the first one. It will be a memory stretch, but I'll try to outline a few of the details I recall. First, for the 1977 - one of the things I loved about this boat was the arrangement of the salon table. When not needed, it folded completely out of the way against the salon/head bulkhead. This gave the salon a very impressive amount of open space (something I miss in my Hunter 34!). You could drop the table down and seat two (or three) comfortably along the port seat, still leaving a clear path along the stbd side. When you needed seating for more, the second half of the table folded up and made a generous dining table. The 1977 Hunter 30 did not have a T shaped cockpit, which had made it cumbersome to get back to the helm, however it made really long, comfortable cockpit seats P/S where a normal sized adult could completely stretch out. Very comfy for sailing as well as napping. For the 1981 model, a T shaped cockpit gave the boat a more modern appearance and easier access to the helm, but meant scrunching up to get comfy on the P/S seats. The dining table arrangement in the 1981 model was less than ideal, since the table was pedestal mounted and ALWAYS seemed to be in the way. To make the port bunk in to a bed, you had to remove the table and find a place to hide it. One modification made here ... we cut a small corner out of the sliding bottom board to allow it to slide further out (all the way to the stbd edge of the mast compression post) adding about four to six inches to the width of the bunk. This made a big difference when trying to sleep two people in this bunk. I enlarged the back cushion when making new covers make up for the additional bunk width. Both of these boats were sailed in south Florida and provided many, many wonderful days for myself and friends. Both were shoal draft (4') which came in very handy in Biscayne Bay and the keys. The 1977 model had Harken roller furling and I loved it. The 1981 had some other brand (continuous line loop) and I HATED it. They both had Yanmar engines and worked well. There were the usual maintenace issues as well as a few repairs, but nothing major. BTW, both of these boats were inherited with that AWFUL brown/blue plaid herculon fabric on the cushions. I made new cushion covers for both boats and thought I had finally seen the last of it ... until I bought my 1983 Hunter 34 and it came with the same icky stuff. EWWWWWW. All gone now and I hope I NEVER see that material again.
In years gone by, I owned a 1977 Hunter 30 for a few years (1988 - 89) and then a 1981 for a few years (1992 - 93). You should assume from the fact that I bought a second one that I loved the first one. It will be a memory stretch, but I'll try to outline a few of the details I recall. First, for the 1977 - one of the things I loved about this boat was the arrangement of the salon table. When not needed, it folded completely out of the way against the salon/head bulkhead. This gave the salon a very impressive amount of open space (something I miss in my Hunter 34!). You could drop the table down and seat two (or three) comfortably along the port seat, still leaving a clear path along the stbd side. When you needed seating for more, the second half of the table folded up and made a generous dining table. The 1977 Hunter 30 did not have a T shaped cockpit, which had made it cumbersome to get back to the helm, however it made really long, comfortable cockpit seats P/S where a normal sized adult could completely stretch out. Very comfy for sailing as well as napping. For the 1981 model, a T shaped cockpit gave the boat a more modern appearance and easier access to the helm, but meant scrunching up to get comfy on the P/S seats. The dining table arrangement in the 1981 model was less than ideal, since the table was pedestal mounted and ALWAYS seemed to be in the way. To make the port bunk in to a bed, you had to remove the table and find a place to hide it. One modification made here ... we cut a small corner out of the sliding bottom board to allow it to slide further out (all the way to the stbd edge of the mast compression post) adding about four to six inches to the width of the bunk. This made a big difference when trying to sleep two people in this bunk. I enlarged the back cushion when making new covers make up for the additional bunk width. Both of these boats were sailed in south Florida and provided many, many wonderful days for myself and friends. Both were shoal draft (4') which came in very handy in Biscayne Bay and the keys. The 1977 model had Harken roller furling and I loved it. The 1981 had some other brand (continuous line loop) and I HATED it. They both had Yanmar engines and worked well. There were the usual maintenace issues as well as a few repairs, but nothing major. BTW, both of these boats were inherited with that AWFUL brown/blue plaid herculon fabric on the cushions. I made new cushion covers for both boats and thought I had finally seen the last of it ... until I bought my 1983 Hunter 34 and it came with the same icky stuff. EWWWWWW. All gone now and I hope I NEVER see that material again.
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Tim
Loved mine.
I've had a 1981 H30 for almost 12 years. Great boat. Somewhere along the line ('80? '81?)they made the mast 2 feet taller and increased the sail area. I would look for one of these. I'd also get one with a Yanmar 2GM motor rather than the older Q series. Generally, its a strong, reasonably fast, comfortable boat. Check the mast step in the bilge; change the gate valves; look for recent sails and a low hours motor. Unfortunately, I bought a new boat and mine goes for sale in the spring.
I've had a 1981 H30 for almost 12 years. Great boat. Somewhere along the line ('80? '81?)they made the mast 2 feet taller and increased the sail area. I would look for one of these. I'd also get one with a Yanmar 2GM motor rather than the older Q series. Generally, its a strong, reasonably fast, comfortable boat. Check the mast step in the bilge; change the gate valves; look for recent sails and a low hours motor. Unfortunately, I bought a new boat and mine goes for sale in the spring.
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Jim
Move up to a 31
Move up 3 or 4 years to the 31 and you will get a much quieter engine, more deck room, better pointing, better cockpit, roomier interior. Drawbacks of the 31, smaller V berth, and transom water slap, and if you are going to do a lot of motoring the early 31's are a little slower than the 30 with only a 13 HP continuous rated engine. . I had a 1980 30 and there is no comparison. It was a good boat but look for water leak around the compression post that may have rotted the post and also the metal post step under the cabin sole may have rusted out. The 2 cylinder 2QM15 is a great engine although quite noisy.
Move up 3 or 4 years to the 31 and you will get a much quieter engine, more deck room, better pointing, better cockpit, roomier interior. Drawbacks of the 31, smaller V berth, and transom water slap, and if you are going to do a lot of motoring the early 31's are a little slower than the 30 with only a 13 HP continuous rated engine. . I had a 1980 30 and there is no comparison. It was a good boat but look for water leak around the compression post that may have rotted the post and also the metal post step under the cabin sole may have rusted out. The 2 cylinder 2QM15 is a great engine although quite noisy.
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Nicholas Julga
rewiew 1978 h30
I own a 1978 h30 and just purchased it last year. I have sailed it one season. My pre-purchase search revealed these issues. Check mast compression post, it's a big job to refurbish it if it is rotting. Engin causes siginificant vibration even the 2 cylinder. Backs up poorly under power. My experience confirms the vibration however the 2 cylinder is much better than the single (I have a 2 my friend has a single). My compression post was ok (checked by surveyor). It also backs up poorly but I have nothing to compair it to and the more I read the more I learn that all sail boats back up poorly. That is all the bad I'm aware of everything else about the boat is wonderful. The interior is very nice. I recently copmaired it to a new hunter of comp. size at the strictly sail show and aside from a few new space savers/storage tricks and being wider it was virtually the same. I love mine.
I own a 1978 h30 and just purchased it last year. I have sailed it one season. My pre-purchase search revealed these issues. Check mast compression post, it's a big job to refurbish it if it is rotting. Engin causes siginificant vibration even the 2 cylinder. Backs up poorly under power. My experience confirms the vibration however the 2 cylinder is much better than the single (I have a 2 my friend has a single). My compression post was ok (checked by surveyor). It also backs up poorly but I have nothing to compair it to and the more I read the more I learn that all sail boats back up poorly. That is all the bad I'm aware of everything else about the boat is wonderful. The interior is very nice. I recently copmaired it to a new hunter of comp. size at the strictly sail show and aside from a few new space savers/storage tricks and being wider it was virtually the same. I love mine.
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