Hunter bashing

[Don Lucas]

How many here are members on other forums? Why do you think so many on them think it is some kind of sport to Hunter bash? I will admit at one time I went along with it (because I learned it on that forum) but took a real look at modern Hunters and decided it was mostly bull.

I'm kind of surprised that Hunter marketing doesn't make an effort to combat the forum bashers.

 

[Gene Neill]

First I've heard of it, if that makes you feel better.

I'm on a couple other forums, but this one is by far my favorite.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I've seen that too, particularly in one un-named rather infamous forum and concluded those who do that are mostly trying to somehow mend a self-esteem problem by acting superior or that they simply find it the easiest way to sound authoritative. Perhaps a combination.

A more concise explanation - It's the internet

 

[Bill19233]

Agree with Don. The bashers are also trying to convince themselves it was smart to pay five times as much for their boat than for the Hunter the same size.

 

[sailmaster39]

This bashing Hunter is old school. These bashers are still living in the past. I respect the experienced cruising world judges voting year after year of selecting Hunter boat of the year. I have owned several sailboats, big and small and my H356 is the best overall sailboat I ever bought. My next Hunter will be a H38 or H41.
I suggest these basher/complainers take a sail on a Hunter, especially the newer ones.

 

[nolasafari]

I don't hear it as mush as I did years ago. Lot of old salts didn't like any production boat. The Bashers should be glad people are sailing Hunters and not power boating.

 

[Kite Runner]

How many here are members on other forums? Why do you think so many on them think is some kind of sport to Hunter bash? I will admit at one time I went along with it (because I learned it on that forum) but took a real look and decided it was mostly bull. I'm kind of surprised that Hunter marketing doesn't make an effort to combat the forum bashers.

Don,

The best reaction, is no reaction! Just enjoy what this forum is about...sharing knowledge and experience to get you out on the water safely and to help enhance your sailing experience.

Just an observation, but, if you look at a Hunter basher their hands are baby smooth, they *ARE* great dressers with their ascots, white pants, navy blue blazer and captains hat, and no one has sailed more nautical miles or on as many boats than them. Hunter bashing is one "sport" where you are guaranteed not to get dirt or salt under your nails. Did I mention the nice manicured fingernails they possess?

They are what they are! They are rare! and definitely...Insecure!

Cheers!

 

[bigbrownpilot]

We were sitting at the dock in Brunswick with some serious cruisers and everyone was saying what a great boat we had and bashing Beneteaus ("bend and tows"). Just goes to show you, it's all what people want to believe. But they were pretty concerned about Beneteaus losing their keels in big seas!

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I'm a card carrying power boat basher.

 

[Shan]

I would have *Loved* to have found a Hunter here in the UK (not the UK made ones though because they try and pack as many berths in a boat as humanly possible). I think the American Hunters are leagues ahead in creating a practical yet very comfortable sailboat. Problem is, they are rarer than hens teeth here.

 

[Rick486]

I got over this the first year I owned my boat when we were powering through the Cape Cod Canal and we passed an Island packet 48 like he was anchored. Just sitting back on my perch seat, AP steering, taking in the scenery. Another time we sailed past a much larger Hinckley on a close reach out in RI Sound. Don't pay any more attention to bashers. Our boats are fast, comfortable, and well built.

 

[rufus1138]

alot of the bashing i have encountered seems to come from the late 80's mid 90s hunters, between the cherubini designs and the legend series, lots of ppl dislike those boats, not saying they're actually bad boats but thats usually the reason i get when i ask, "well i guess they're not toooo bad now-a-days, but back in the (late80's/90's, they're never sure) day hunters were just junk, paper thin hulls that would submarine, didnt have big enough rudders....blah blah blah"

 

[Scott B]

alot of the bashing i have encountered seems to come from the late 80's mid 90s hunters, between the cherubini designs and the legend series, lots of ppl dislike those boats, not saying they're actually bad boats but thats usually the reason i get when i ask, "well i guess they're not toooo bad now-a-days, but back in the (late80's/90's, they're never sure) day hunters were just junk, paper thin hulls that would submarine, didnt have big enough rudders....blah blah blah"

And mostly based on "dock talk" and no real knowledge or evidence, by so called experts that would never go more than 100 yards off-shore.

 

[Benny17441]

In order to rightfully bash Hunters you better own a Hylas.

 

[Doug4bass]

At the last boat show I was at....I was pleasingly surprised at Hunters improvement in quality. They seemed to have run right past the Bene's and the Jenneau s. Ick.

 

[Don Lucas]

Well I'm glad I got over my Hunter bashing thinking. When I first got interested in sailing/cruising and started looking on-line at boats the Hunters just jumped out to me as nice looking, comfortable, and affordable boats. But then I got into "forums" mode and got convinced that they were crap boats so didn't even look at them for years. Then one day I gave a 420 a good on-line looking at and just started questioning the whole thing and even started a thread on "other" forum as to WHY it wasn't a good boat. That led me to do a lot of research and find that for the most part stories of Hunter problems seemed to be an internet forum thing of "I heard from someone, who heard it it from someone, who heard it from someone that read it on-line". I even looked at the Hunter construction videos and couldn't see what all the bashing was about.

So it the end I got a 410 and we like it a lot and think it is a lot better built than the Cal-39 we had before that. I do wish I could find someone wanting to do aneven swap for a Hunter 44/45DS or a 460/466 Any takers??

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

"I heard from someone, who heard it it from someone, who heard it from someone that read it on-line".

Can't get any more reliable than that.

 

[kloudie1]

Kris Kristofferson said it all in the "Jesus Was A Capricorn" song: "..everybody's gotta have somebody to look down on".

 

[Sailgunner]

All boats are not the same and different boats meet different needs. I love my 410 and have cruised up and down the east coast with her. I have also sailed beside a friend on is IP 45. In rough seas I would have loved to trade boats with him. His IP weighs almost twice as much as my 410 and is much more comfortable in rougher seas. But in calmer seas I out perform him ever time. And, my boat cost about 1/2 as much as his. So price/value Hunter is great! If not for Hunter I would be out there in a much older boat.

 

[snows]

Hunter Bashing - A Cruiser's Perspective

We just returned from a 5-month trip from Charleston, SC to Guadeloupe back to Jacksonville, FL aboard our Hunter 410. This is our third Hunter and I may be overly simplifying things a bit, but I think both sides are correct. Before we left Charleston, I had only minor issues with Hunter, their design, and their production techniques. I've bored holes through the hulls and decks and I'm convinced that both are structurally sound. After pounding seas through the thorny path, I'm also convinced that the keel isn't going to fall off, the rudder is not going to just break without hitting something, and the rigging is going to hold up to virtually anything the hull will survive. With that said, the modern wide, flat beam doesn't provide the most comfortable ride in confused seas, and in following seas the boat requires a bit more tending. Below, things can move around a lot, including the crew when trying to work their way to the heads. And finally, all that beautiful joinery will begin to try to work its way against the hardware holding it all together as the hull gets racked by large waves. That's just the price you pay for having a voluminous interior.

All that may sound like Hunter bashing, but I'm just trying to point out that Hunters may not be built as rigidly as more expensive non-production boats. If you're not going to take the Hunter offshore for months in rough seas, then you'll probably never realize any of its shortcomings. And even if you do take it through the thorny path, it'll probably bring you back safely, just not as comfortably as some other boats. We love our Hunter for all its comfort in light seas, but we don't want to take it to the Caribbean again. That pretty well sums it all up. By the way, we saw two other 410's in St. Martin and Nevis, and only a handful of other Hunters in the Bahamas and Caribbean.

To get an idea of how my wife felt about the passages, you can read our blog at svctime.blogspot.com.

Daniel
s/v C-Time