Help with Hunter Purchase

[Wally Boggus]

I am procrastinating the puchase of a new loaded 320. I am also considering a new catalina 310. I currently own a 1996 beneteau 281. The unconventional Hunter rig is both compelling and troublesome in my mind. I am literally own the fence on this purchase. I really like the boat/features/price but would like some reassurance from others that have previously owned conventional rigs that Hunter is the best choice. I am not a racer, but a cruiser/overnighter/singlehanded sailor that values ease and stability of sail over performace. Any thoughts would be appreciated as my dealer is becoming impatient

 

[Warren Feldstein]

gross profit

Your dealer stands to make a substantial sum of money from your purchase. He must show respect for any indecision that you may have. If you are not 100% committed to a particular course of action, dont commit yourself.Keep sitting on the fence. The purchase of a boat is different from the a meal. A bad meal may be an experiement. See if the dealer can get you sailing for a sufficiently long period of time and in the write conditions to help make up your mind.

 

[Phil Herring]

Don't worry about the dealer

He's paid to be patient. The B and R rig is used by many of the owners on this site - I've used it too, in several forms, the most recent with no backstay. I believe it makes for an easy boat to singlehand, as the oversized main and smaller headsail are easier to handle alone than the conventional rigs, in my opinion. It is true that you won't be able to ease the main out as far as a conventionmal rig, but you'll point better and tacking will be easier.Downwind issues have been the most significant (and to my recollection, the only) issue regarding rhe B and R. I have never, in theree years of this site, heard of any rig going down due to the lack of a backstay. While the 320 is still new to the market, there are a handful of new owners on the site, and many others who sail similar boats. Hoepfully, you an get some valuable input here. And meanwhile, your dealer can wait for you to get the data you need. If you miss this 320 there's always another one coming down the line.ph.

 

[Jeff and Marguerite]

B&R Rig questions

We recently attended a rigging seminar by Master Rigger Brion Toss for a Hunter Owners group in which he talked about and explained how a B&R rig works. His web site is www.briontoss.com. The man certainly understands how it works and could probably answer questions better than any dealer. We have a 320 on order so can't give experience answers or opinions yet.

 

[Bob Knott]

My 2 Cents

I think you answered your own question when you said you weren't a racer but a weekend cruiser and family guy. Me too, and I bought a 96 Hunter 280 and then a 99 380 since then kids kept growing. The B&R rig is easy to sail except downwind, where you "tack downwind" jibing instead of wing on wing sailing dead downwind as you would with a catalina with the jib poled out. Hunter also has a great customer service department for waranty related issues, and this is the icing on the cake that swings the final vote in their favor. That, plus the 320 has lots of room for a growing family, and I've always found Hunters to have less plastic interiors than the catalina's.Good luck with your decision making.Just my 2 centsBob KnottH380

 

[Miles Potter]

BandR

I had the same concerns before getting my 98 340 but now I really like the rig. It really is very easy to single/short hand with a small jib/big main. The boat is at it's best (IMHO) in 8-14 knots of wind, you will find yourself reefing the main a bit earlier than normal, probably around 16-18. No backstay looks a little scary at first but it allows a larger roachier main and a much better cockpit. Running dead downwind is pretty slow, you're better off gybing back and forth but the sails are reinforced with patches where the spreaders make contact when running and I haven't dis-masted her yet! For shorthanded sailing in light to moderate weather it's a great rig.

 

[Steve Dion]

Don't want to cloud the issue but.

Wally:Have you looked at the Catalina 32'. This boat was at the Pacific Sail Expo and seemed to me to be a lot better deal for $2k more than the Cat 31'. As far as the interiors are concerned I think that Hunter has done some nice stuff. The seat backs on the settees are inclined at good angles on the Hunters which makes sitting more comfortable. The headliner in the H320 gives you access to electrical. Also the arch give you better control and should make single handing easier too. I would make a check list of the thing you like and dislike about each boat and weigh you decision on these point.

 

[R. Palaia]

Test sail both

Ask the dealer that you want to test sail both models. They should know previous purchasers of H320's and C310/C320's. Then make your decision.Roc

 

[Marc Honey]

Take the plunge?

Don,t know if its yours, but Greg Allison of Ship and Sail told me they were "splashing" a 320 here in Austin in the next few days!!! Seems like a great boat for Travis. I single-hand my 28.5 ALOT and find the B&R rig easy to deal with. I actually do run wing on wing frequently with out problems. I only wish I'd bought the 31 ft. Hunter I was looking at when I bought the 28.5. For the money, Hunters are a great value. Hope to see you out there.Marc Honeys/v $AIL$ CALL II

 

[Wally Boggus]

Thanks Marc....

Yep...that's mine i think. They just splashed it in kemah yesterday and we are headed down next weekend to sail with Greg and break anything we can in galveston bay before they pack it up for delivery to yacht harbor. I went down last wednesday to give it a look in the yard. I hope to get it on Travis around the first week of june.

 

[Floyd]

Look at the Catalina 32

We have a hunter 310 and it is a wonderful boat. However it has a lot of freeboard and more tender than the Catalina. The Hunter is better equiped and overall a very comfortable boat. Lots of room on deck and below.The Hunter 310 and 320 are the same boat in my mind.

 

[Been there]

Have you considered a J/32?

It doesn't have as much interior as the other boats mentioned, but it has several advantages you might want to think on. (a) More stability and less freeboard means better and EASIER sailing in all conditions. (b) Like the Hunter, the J has a big main and moderate foretriangle, well laid out for one-man sailing. (c) The J has a higher SA/D, which you'll appreciate in the light summer airs. (d) When you round a bend where the air picks up, on a J boat you just tighten the backstay. This has an effect similar to putting in a first reef. (e) With non-swept back spreaders, you can sail much deeper to the wind. It's understandable that sailboats lose 90* of the compass upwind. It's pretty bad if they lose another 90* of the compass downwind! (f) You'll smoke larger Hunters and Catalinas. Yeah, I know, you're not a racer. Still ..http://www.jboats.com/j32/Yeah, you lose the aft cabin. But unless you plan on A/C, that aft cabin will be an oven most of the time. You'll just use it for storage, and lazarettes do a better job of that.The big drawback to the J boat is figuring out how to put a bimini on it. Maybe you should ask them if they'll put the traveller up on an arch!