Hunter 45DS

[rayjanine@aol.com]

Hi:

I am interested in buying a 2008 Hunter 45DS and would like to hear from those that bought one and how you like it. I would also like to know of any problems or disappointments that you had after you sailed it for a while. I realize the 45DS was just produced in the late summer of 07 but some folks should have sailed their boat for a season now and should have some feedback for me.

Thanks for any info you can provide. If you also heard of any problems with the first few boats produced, that would be of help as long as you can explain what the problems were.

Kind Regards,

Ray

 

[Steve Feinsilver]

Have a 2007 44DS, which I believe is the same hull and rig. Main difference I can see is the wraparound windshield in the front instead of opening hatch and ports. I think most of what I can say about our boat, which we have now sailed for two seasons, will be appropriate.

We have the "Mariner Package" which includes separate freezer, upgraded stereo, electric heads, etc. Roller furling main with vertical battens. Generator, bowthruster, air conditioner. Everything works well. Incredibly comfortable, relatively spacious. The generator is noisy, but it is under the nav table seat where we don't hear it in the aft cabin so much.

The boat is fast. Sails great with vertical battens, which I think are a big improvement for mainsail shape. Have standard 3 blade prop, which I think is fine. Motors at about 7.5 kts at 2600 rpm. Have asymmetric spinnaker which is fun, but rarely use it. Easy to singlehand. Caught in a thunderstorm in the middle of Long Island Sound last July with winds 45kt+ and handled OK.

I'm not sure but believe 45DS has 2 wheels. This might be a plus, as the visibility from centerline helm seat is difficult over the coachroof, but a Catalina 47 I sailed with two wheels I found difficult to steer, wheels seemed small. We have folding wheel, good solution for walking around in cockpit.

Various commissioning problems have probably been fixed now. We had a diesel leak for more than a season, seems to have been from generator, fixed (I think). Likewise a water tank leaked, not sure if this is completely fixed. Shower drain was plugged up with fiberglass dust. Bilge pump died first month.

Raymarine E80, etc electronics work fine (by the way, suggest don't buy second radar chartplotter for nav table- get a cheap laptop and RNS software from raymarine- works flawlessly).

We traded in our Hunter 410 for this boat, largely because we walked around it and kept saying things like "yeah, that's the way it should be on our boat". I think Hunter has been very clever about changing lots of little details to make their boats better. This is our third Hunter bought new every 7 years (from the same dealer). I guess we will have to get another one in 5 years.

S/V Breathless

 

[Rayjanine@aol.com]

45DS vs 44DS

Hi Steve:

I think I met you at LI Yacht Sales when I was buying my 2007 41DS (I had a navy blue hull). What hp engine do you have installed? Can you reach hull speed under power alone going thru fairly large waves? Would you recommend I get the 75hp engine?

Do you think putting some insulation around the generator under the nav seat would help cut down some of the noise? I had a gen in the aft port cockpit locker and it was fairly loud when trying to sleep in the aft bedroom. Having the gen in the salon should make sleeping quieter like you stated.

Thanks for the info.

Ray

 

[Steve Feinsilver]

Have the standard 55 hp engine, doubt I would want larger, reaches good cruising speed at reasonable rpms. Fuel consumption is good- best I can guess less than 1 gal/hr (hard to figure with generator).
I did put some extra insulation around generator- the noise is not a big deal, but I like the fact that it is not under or near our bed in the aft cabin. We rarely if ever have slept with generator on. We are usually moored or anchored, and find the ventilation adequate mostly, unless we are at a slip on shore power anyway.
We are indeed at LI Yacht- stored there now, although the boat lives on North Shore in Summer. Third boat I've bought from Glenn. Just curious- why are you trading up so soon? Does this mean I need to trade my 2007 for a new 49? I could be talked into it.

Steve

 

[Rayjanine@aol.com]

45DS

Steve:

Thanks for info. So the 54hp is ok going thru some large waves? I had a 54ph on my 41DS and it was fine. Didn't need to max the RPM out ever but that boat weighed 19k and was 13'3" wide. Also, does the 54HP bring you to hull speed ok even through inlets like the Fire Island Inlet when your bringing your boat home from Bayshore?

I traded my 2007 41DS for a 2007 36ft Silverton Convertible since my wife really likes powerboats over sailboats. I am getting the itch again to go back into sailing and the 45DS looks like the right boat to go back to. Just have to convince her of that. Wish me luck.

Kind Regards,

Ray

 

[roan]

I am thinking of moving up to a 45DS from a 2006 H 33. I want the live abord space. I am sold on the Hunter quality and interiors dollar for dollar. Hunter is giving away the Mariner package now so it is a no brainer. I believe that the new ones come with full vertical battans (true?) which should be a great addition. What I hear here is the boat is good ( with exception of factory sloppiness). How does it sail? Would people recommend the deep keel vs shoal draft. I like to sail aggressively. I can't see it being a problem in the inter coastal and in my home port on Lake Champlain depth is not an issue. What about a water maker? Seems to me the boat can carry a lot of water, for trips of up to a week? Any thoughts on the CC vs the DS? Thoughts in general?

 

[Steve Feinsilver]

We carry about 150 gallons of water, plenty for us, can't see the expense and power consumption of a watermaker. The vertical battens are big improvement over standard roller furling main (we had on our 2000 h410). Boat is quite fast, sails great, with standard 5 1/2 ft draft. CC vs DS is something we thought about. With the CC you get bigger aft cabin, less cockpit and (to us) not as nice a main saloon. We spend more time in the cockpit and saloon than the cabin, so we opted for DS. Maybe more windage with CC, but otherwise imagine performance the same.

S/V Breathless 2007 h44ds