Hunter 34 -Any Comments?

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Andrew Brayshaw

Value for money

I cannot think of a better buy for the money. The 34 may not be an ideal offshore cruiser but I sail mine offshore most of the time. Most of you know I sailed mine across the Atlantic last year and a 2500 mile trip around the Med this year - thats nearly 8000 miles in 18 months and the boat and me are doing fine. You might think I was lucky with the weather but during a spell of bad weather mid Atlantic just 100miles further north a 45ft Swan was rolled and dismasted and whilst here in the Med we have twice sailed in winds of 130kph (thats about 60knots in US money) and the only damage so far is a couple of broken blocks ad a flag that literally shredded. I am not saying everyone should head offshore but equipped and sailed right it is certainly possible. Happy sailing everyone Andrew
 
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Fred Ficarra

As far as those scuppers, to the Caribbean and

back to Florida and shipping home to the northwest, only ONE WAVE ever slapped the hull hard enough to enter the cockpit. The water was about 5 gallons. It drained rapidly. The problem with the drains is when stored ashore in the third world. No one checks them or cares. The tropical flora and fauna plugs them and the water goes below. A cut out or open transom is the way designers solve the problem. But, off shore, we never even had a 'eyebrow raiser'.
 
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Marcus

I bought my '84 34 last fall......

......and it is the largest boat I've owned to date. Soloing a 34 this summer has taught me much. My strategy will be to take three years to pay the mortgage off, then trade it in on my next, and maybe my last boat. I hope to catch someone nearing the end of their cruising years who would want to sell their fully equipped blue water boat. IMHO, the 34 is a no-brain, no-argue trade-her-up, trade-her-in boat, because of the marketability factor. There are lots of good reasons to purchase the 34. There are only a few reasons not to. I would not be comfortable making the 34 my final ocean-going home, but I'm not ready for that, either, so it works. BTW, one of the nicest things about this BB is the egalitarianism in evidence here. Everyone knows where the elitists hang out. It may take ten years to happen, but I am sure I will run into many of you eventually. Long live the Hunter 34-a boat for: "the mass of men" who lead: "lives of quiet desparation" (Thoreau).
 

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Eric Swift

Interesting Discusion

My first reaction is to rush to defend the H34 (mine of two years is a 1983 with the deep draft keel). But then I reflect that what I am sailing has been upgraded from the original over the years in the form of barrier coated keel, self tailing Lewmar winches, new plumbing fixtures and sea cocks, new electronics, reinforced bow (when raced off shore), hydraulic vang and back stay tensioners, new sails, etc etc and I realize that the original boat was not as well equiped and that there were some weaknesses with those boats (including rudders, compression posts, and cabin soles). But for a boat that has had reasonable care and upgrades and that is 20 years old she does well and is a known entitiy, especially with all of the on line help available. After sailing her about 600 miles to and from New England this summer (about half off shore) I find I am satisfied with the compromises that she represents and find little difficulty sailing within her limits. I wanted a boat that would do well in light air, could do some ocean sailing in reasonable weather and had pleanty of room below and that is what I got. When looking for a boat and comparing her to other boats in her price range, there was no comparison. When compared to boats that cost twice as much ... but why do that.
 
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DJ

IMHO

*box Everyone has one. Some people may have two! H34’s are a good boat for the value. You can get one for under $30K and spend $10-20K fixing it up to fit YOUR NEEDS and have a great boat for under $50K. My 1984’s compression post is original with no leaking there and no worries but I will replace the post one day. Rudder is the new one (larger than the original on some ‘83s, an improvement in a new model year!). Prop was easy, got one free from a friend who went to a 3 blade. Will upgrade mine once more when I find some bucks but it works for now. I replaced all the ports and only one leaks (my poor installation on that one). Will fix it one day when I find more time. Fixed windows are fine but will replace them one day also. Companion way was never a problem with seas getting into the boat. I don’t take her into a hurricane often. Bigger problem was getting over the hatch boards when going into and out of the cabin while living aboard (especially trying to keep the heat in during winter). Always hit my foot on the last board no matter how many I took out. Fixed that by making a set of doors out of Plexiglas. They won’t stop a boarding sea but I’ve never invited a sea to board my boat. Scuppers work fine for what I do and where I sail. In fact I added a foot to the Starboard scupper hose with a check valve to reduce the chimney effect with the exhaust that exits next to the starboard scupper. Slows the draining but it is not a problem FOR ME and how I sail. If I ever do make a trip to Bermuda, I intend to put two new 1.5 inch lines from each side of the back end of the cockpit to go straight out the side of the hull. Will do this only if I take her to Bermuda because that is what I WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE with. My keel is fine and what little rust there is I treat each year as I get to it. Some friends put in a wood ceiling into their 34’s interior which stops a lot of the oil canining. I never had time and never noticed any oil canning when I sail my boat. My floors are not rotten because I never leave water trapped between the pan and the hull. I have lewmar 46 winches on my boat that I put on when I bought her in ’84. Some of the ’83s came with lewmars. Will replace my Maxwells one day with Andersons. When I have time and the money. No rush as they still work fine for the sailing I do. Replaced a lot of the deck hardware (Harken main traveler system, put a cleat in the anchor well, new line stoppers in the cockpit). Got a new dodger after 15 years but liked the old one better. My fault for going with the wrong canvas maker. Motoring is fine for what I do but like I said, I can change the prop and will spend about $2k for a Max prop one day. No rush. Did not like the wide transom (some say it is ugly) but fixed that by adding a 18 inch extension which doubles as a swim platform. I now have a H34+ which is about 36 feet long. Really modernized the boat’s looks and makes swimming and boarding a dinghy easier. Yeah, my 34 has problems. It is not my last boat but it FITS MY NEEDS NOW and I am glad I bought her. Would I have bought a different boat 19 years ago? With hindsight, maybe. But I probably would have sold the other boat I might have bought long ago because it would not have fit my needs (or budget) as well as this 34 has in the 19 years I’ve owned her. You get a lot of boat for the money and the chance to learn on how to care for a boat without spending over $100K today. That is my humble opinion. *x
 
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charlie

i love my hunter

have had my 1983 h34 since 1987 when i found it in a potato field in fryeburg maine. It is a chevrolet not a BMW great for coastal cruising when the wind kicks up reef the main for the money it cant be beat
 
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Alan

Just for giggles..

What was a Hunter doing in a potatoe field? Ask a stupid question...
 
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Eric Swift

I'ld like to know to.

What was a four year old boat doing in a potato field?
 
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John C

Offshore OK

We just came back from a cruise to New Guinea from Australia in our 34. Across the Coral Sea and I was astounded at how well the boat took to blue water. Plenty (too much) wind most of the time, no problem. Get yourself a small jib, app 80% of J and your in business. Been living aboard for 4 years and have had some of ther problems mentioned by the basher but big deal. Which boat doesn't have any problems. Best value.
 
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