Hunter 38 owner feedback

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Jan 15, 2009
3
2 27 Vancouver
Hello: I am currently looking at a new 38' Hunter. Asking for feedback about this boat please. Quality, sailing ability, pros cons etc. My partner wants a comfortable, easy to sail boat with a comfortable queen berth as he has worked in the tug boat industry for 50 years and wants 'to be comfortable'

Iam not familiar with the fractional foresail, lack of backstays etc. Dealers praise the boat, but I am looking for owner input.

Judy from Vancouver
 
Dec 27, 2005
500
Hunter 36 Chicago
Just from our experience with the queen berth on the 36 is that my wife and I get world class sleeps. Just get a slap silencer and add some padding to the berth.
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
Yes, I second what Ken says with my 376 (older version of the 38). Hunter puts in low quality foam...it's good enough for weekend visits but not for everyday use. On mine and I'm bet on the 38, it only comes with 4" of foam which really isn't enough...need at least 6" but I use 8. It's very comfortable with the new foam and added foam. Getting replacement foam isn't that expensive and will take a few hours to cut up and replace all the foam in the cushions.

Other than that, it's a wonderful boat. Points well for a cruiser because the jib track is only 28" inches from the center of the boat which helps sheeting it in. I would say the best point of sail for this boat is the close reach. Need an Asymethrical spinacker for broadreaching performance and reaching too. The problem with reaching and broadreaching on this boat is that the main can't be let out much before it gets on the spreaders so that's why it's almost a requirement for an asymetherical spinacker for this boat to get good performance on broadreaching in apparent winds less than 12 knots. At 13 knots it's time to take down the spin on this boat as it's too much power.

Hard to get it to go dead downwind good due to the main not going that far out, but it can be done with a wisker pole on the jib as I've done it a few times with good success...just got to have a good helmsman.

I would say my average speeds are 6-7 knots but with conditions perfect I've gotten her up to 8 knots on a broadreach with the spin out in 13 knots apparent in the gulf.

With large main it keeps the boat fairly stable but you will always have weather helm...usually not too much. The boat comes with a very large rudder that helps when you are overpowered but it's best to reduce sail ahead of time so that doesn't happen. I did broach once in my 5 years of sailing this boat (30 knots came out of nowhere when I had full sails up).

As for the inside...I like the layout a lot. Only boat that I liked the layout better on anything 40' and under was an IP 40' (it had a hugh V-birth that was more like a bedroom) but that's way out of my price range.
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
Oh yeah....do sweat the lack of a backstay, it's actually a good thing and makes the rig stronger. I wrote something up in a thread about it about two weeks ago. The B&R rig, which is what the 38 has, is one of the strongest rigs available.
 
Jan 15, 2009
3
2 27 Vancouver
hunter 38

Oh yeah....do sweat the lack of a backstay, it's actually a good thing and makes the rig stronger. I wrote something up in a thread about it about two weeks ago. The B&R rig, which is what the 38 has, is one of the strongest rigs available.

do you mean 'do not sweat'? I will look up the previous post 2 weeks ago. thanks so much, appreciate any feedback.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Judy, check out the Guest Expert Forum where Glenn Henderson answered a lot of good questions on these boats. Glenn was the designer of the newer Hunters.

They're easy to sail single-handed, with the in-mast and head sail sheets at the helm.

I have seen regular mattress on a 38, not sure if it was factory or special ordered aftermarket, but worth looking into with the dealer to start.
 

Les

.
May 8, 2004
375
Hunter 27 Bellingham, WA
I had a Hunter 380 (the forerunner for the 38) for nine years. About the only changes Hunter made were to straighten out the cockpit from round to more straight line. A beautiful boat to sail....and a great cruising boat.

Some things I would recommend for your boat--Roller furling main with an electric winch. That is pure heaven. My friend has that on his 380. Have the dealer put in a hatch in the head to access the water pump. You won't need it 99 percent of the time but it makes changing the impeller very easy. Put in four golf cart batteries for use as a house bank--that will give you 440 amps. And be sure that the refrigerator and freezer are well sealed (mine weren't and it took me two years to figure out the problem). We put some material that looked like big velcro under our queen mattress which gave us about two more inches plus it allowed air to circulate and kept the mattress from condensing with moisture. Always enjoyed our naps.

The boat sails phenomenally well but sail it mostly up right. It doesn't sail well healed over hard. And don't sail ANY B and R rig down wind. Your jib is not big enough to do that well and the main rubs on the spreaders. Bear off about 160 degrees down wind and jibe back and forth. You'll beat the boats going directly down wind all the time. And besides it is more fun to go fast(er).

We did many long cruises on our boat and enjoyed it immensely. The only reason we sold it is that we're in our seventies and won't be doing long cruises anymore. So we traded down to a Hunter 27 for day sailing and over nighters.

Wish you well with your new boat.....
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Judy:

I would suggest that you try out the mattress for a while and see how it works out. If it is uncomfortable, then there are several options. We changed our out with a Latex mattress (same thickness). One problem with adding several inches of thickness is the clearance between the underside of the deck and the top of the mattress.
 

deacm

.
May 27, 2004
111
Hunter 36 Erie, PA
You might also want to check out the upcoming Hunter 39 which will replace the Hunter 38 this fall.
 
G

gs

Hunter 38 Mattress

The Hunter 38 has an inner-spring mattress in the aft cabin on boats that I have seen. I think it is part of the Mariner Package. I think it is an option even on the Hunter 36. I think on both the 36 and 38 you can even special order from Hunter an inner-spring mattress for the forward cabin.
gs
 
May 7, 2004
252
Hunter 38 Little River, SC
This response is from a 2005 38 owner,
This is my second Hunter, the first being a 260. As Franklin has indicated the B&R rig is very strong; it's the same engineering principle that holds up 1000 ft antennae masts with a system of guy wires laid out in a triangular pattern.
We have a queen size innerspring mattress with a water proof bottom fabric and regular mattress fabric on top. The mattress is about 4 inches thick and is custom cut to blend with the rise of the sugar scoop on the aft starboard corner. This came with the boat.
We have added a dodger from the same canvas people thet make the OEM bimini.
I have single handed the boat many times but prefer assistance from my wife. She handles the helm as well as I do and when docking she drives and I handle the lines.
We have the roller furling, non battened main, and, if you follow the instructions from Seldon, it will not jam.
We have added a 35 lb delta anchor and 150 ft chain. The boat came with a 25 lb delta and a combination 20 ft chain/180 ft 9/16 " rode.
Have added the Hunter stainless davits and hang a Walker Bay 10 from them.
Have replaced the OEM 4D house battery with two 6 volt GC batteries and gained about 35 AH in the process.
Have added two 85 watt solar panels and an Air X wind gen. We have cruised for six months at a time and when doing so only come in to a marina for fuel and water.
Even now at our home marina we only plug in to run the heat pump/air conditioning.
As in any boat there are compromises. We would like more storage capacity, more fuel and water tankage. We use the seperate freezer as a dry locker. The fridge is small but adequate for cooling about a weeks worth of perishables (for two).
Bottom line; a great coastal cruiser comfortable for a compatible couple, capable of offshore passages of short duration,ie, island hopping.

Steve Kamp
Hunter 38 "Carolina"
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
As in any boat there are compromises. We would like more storage capacity, more fuel and water tankage. We use the seperate freezer as a dry locker. The fridge is small but adequate for cooling about a weeks worth of perishables (for two).
Bottom line; a great coastal cruiser comfortable for a compatible couple, capable of offshore passages of short duration,ie, island hopping.

Steve Kamp
Hunter 38 "Carolina"


That's exactly why we want to move up to the 38 from our 33. :D
 
Oct 10, 2008
277
Catalina 445 Yorktown
Judy, I agree with those comments already stated. I have a 2004 H386. My only comment would be to look at the mechanically systems a liittle harder than the creature comfort items stated above. If you'll be doing all your recurring maintenance check to see how you'd accomplish it. Look under the cablin sole and check how the plumbing, fuel and water fittings are installed - are they easy to access, maintain, etc. Check inside of lazzerettes and any access doors to see how the boat was built at the factory. Are all joints and fitttings properly joined, caulked and tight? What about it's electroniics? Do all the features work as advertised? Check all mechanical equipment - let the refrigeration cool down and see if it holds temp, run the A/C if it's installed - does it cool the boat quickly, or if its a reverse cycle - check if it produces heat (your from Canada I see). Make sure you do a thorough sea trial and don't let anyone cut the time short. How does it handle at the wheel, while under power alone - forward and reverse? How do the sails handle? Check all external fittings and lines. On a new boat everything, I mean everything should be properly adjusted - shrouds, furlers, and blocks. Check the anchor and rode as Hunter tends to undersize these components. Depending on where you sail and the bottom, get the dealer to install the best set-up for you. Otherwise, you'll be disappointed the first time you anchor and start to drag. The Hunter is a great boat for the money. But like everthing in life, there are compromises and trade-offs. Make sure the entire boat suits you and your sailing style. Good luck and happy sailing.
 

tomc

.
Sep 25, 2008
37
Hunter 38 Glen Cove
Judymolly

We own a 2007 H-38. We love the boat. It is just right for a couples boat although we have overnighted with the young adult kids on board. We just did a 10 day trim just the 2 of us and the boat was great.

Take a look at the "Boat Info" on this site, it will show you our dodger and other helpful info.

My biggest complaint is the location of the scuppers. They do not drain the rail and we always have a bit of water (and in turn dirt) along the midpoint of the toerail.

This is out third hunter ( H-34, and H-356).

If I can be of specific help just drop a note.

Tom Chastain thchastain@gmail.com
 
Jun 3, 2004
5
Hunter 38 Houston Texas
I have owned my 38 since 2004(November) (It's the new model 38 has the tan canvas and red boot stripe which is now blue) and have had nothing but great things to say about the boat. Lived on it for the first ten months here in Texas before moving family over into a house.

I have sailed this boat extensively and all is well. Takes some getting use to with the furling main. Make sure you make the dealer get you the full batten furled main. Adds much more sail and gives more power. Only drawback is that when the wind gets over 15 knots you need to reef it a bit.

I added a power winch on the starboard side to handle the furling (had to switch out the rigged lines to make it work) cranking that sucker in got old. Pushing the button is great.

You can sail the boat single handed which is what I like about it.

As for performance, I sailed the boat )(April 2, 2009)from Galveston Texas straight across the Gulf of Mexico to Isla Majures Mexico (Island near Cancun). Took 5 days 18 hours to go over and 5 days and 4 hours to come back(May 3,2009). We had gale force winds for 24 hours and seas to 20' going over and it handled it well. Had a Jordan Drouge but never got it out as the 38 behaved well.

I would make the purchase again. Added the Hunter Dingy Davit system to the boat which is a bolt on and it fits the 38 and the 41 and the 44 so if you get "two foot itis" you can unbolt it an move to the next boat up the line in Hunter.

Factory support when needed has been excellent. They are the best. Good luck with your decision, you won't be unhappy with the 38.
 
T

Texas johnny v

H38

We have a 2008 H38. Good boat. Could use some more storage space, especially because the aft starboard locker is filled with two galvanic isolators and the port aft locker filled with the holding tank.

Get the bigger diesel. I have in-mast furling with vertical battens. Rig by Selden. Strong but the in-mast furling took some getting used to.

I have an autopilot. Get that. Interior is great. Sails well. There is the problem with the scuppers mentioned above, but just annoying. Look out for fit-and-finish problems. I had a bunch of places where water got in. You just have to hunt the leaks down. Systems high quality. Get the electric winch. More for getting the sail out than getting it in, in my case.

Overall, a great boat for the price. I would buy it again. But, don't plan on taking it on a long cruise within a few weeks after purchase. Sail for 6 months to a year to take care of all the little problems. My list of small problems that need to be fixed (mostly by me -- I won't let the dealer touch the boat) was long -- some the fault of the factory and some the the result of sloppy dealer prep.

Factory support is excellent.
 
Jan 25, 2006
26
Hunter 386 Vancouver Canada
Judy, I've got a 2003 386 moored in False Creek, Vancouver. If you haven't purchased the boat yet and you are still interested I would be happy to take you guys out for a sail in English Bay. I agree strongly with the need for water pump access from the head side. Our main problems have all been electrical and I have lots I could comment on in this regard. Steve
 
Jun 3, 2004
241
Hunter 41 DS Punta Gorda, Fl
Ken where did you get the 8" foam I have a 1998 376 and the foam I have is really bad. My wife is not happy sleeping on the boat because of that which is a real change because she liked the bed on our last boat which was a 37.5. I need to up grade the back bed.
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
Ken where did you get the 8" foam I have a 1998 376 and the foam I have is really bad. My wife is not happy sleeping on the boat because of that which is a real change because she liked the bed on our last boat which was a 37.5. I need to up grade the back bed.
I just ordered a 4" king size (because of the curves you need a king) memory foam pad. It's actually 2.5" of medium foam with 1.5 of memory foam. I just cut it up and put it over the top and put a sheet over it. If you sleep in it while offshore, then you'll need to cut it into the two pieces and have it re-lined, otherwise, it will slip off the birth while the boat is flopping around and you are sleeping on it. Very comfortable though.
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
There is also an online foam store you can order from to get a full 8" foam to replace what is there...still same problem though...you have to have it lined so you can velcro it in place.
 
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