I'm considering purchasing a Hunter Legend 40 1985/1986 I would like any information or hints concerning this boat. I'm planning on taking the boat to the BVI's and other Island (St Marteen)and further south. Any known major problem's with these boats. I keep hearing it's a Hunter the Keel will fall off, I don't beleive these stories ( I think the tellers are somewhat jaded in their opinions). Any information would be great. thanks Donn King ( no jokes I've heard them all) email: voilene@aol.com
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Hunte 40
We love our boat. We have a '86 and I would consider taking it to the islands. There are somethings to look at as we have found out. Along with a good survey I would look at these items. The aft holding tank is not a good set up. It is intergrated in the hull under the floor and had no access without taking a lot of things apart. They have been known to leak from the lid that is poorly installed. Aft cabin is roomy but can get hot. Not much ventilation and the factory installed refrigerator exhaust into the cabin. The nav station is facing backwards with no good seating. Manageable but might be difficult in rough seas. Not a lot of storage on the boat. Few lockers and the shelf around the cabin in just about useless. Mine sails at anchor a little more than I would like. Engine has good access on all four sides. A good sailing boat in light winds for the size. Need to reef around 15 to 17 knots. A decent boat for the price I believe. I would buy again. Check out the reviews on this site and see their comments. Good luck.
We love our boat. We have a '86 and I would consider taking it to the islands. There are somethings to look at as we have found out. Along with a good survey I would look at these items. The aft holding tank is not a good set up. It is intergrated in the hull under the floor and had no access without taking a lot of things apart. They have been known to leak from the lid that is poorly installed. Aft cabin is roomy but can get hot. Not much ventilation and the factory installed refrigerator exhaust into the cabin. The nav station is facing backwards with no good seating. Manageable but might be difficult in rough seas. Not a lot of storage on the boat. Few lockers and the shelf around the cabin in just about useless. Mine sails at anchor a little more than I would like. Engine has good access on all four sides. A good sailing boat in light winds for the size. Need to reef around 15 to 17 knots. A decent boat for the price I believe. I would buy again. Check out the reviews on this site and see their comments. Good luck.
Yeah...
and if you make a stupid face, it'll freeze that way!!! Where does this crap come from? I guess Hunters are one of the best selling lines of sailboats 'cause they are dropping keels all over the place... Anyway, check out the link below for some model specific information. Oh yeah, get some smarter friends.
and if you make a stupid face, it'll freeze that way!!! Where does this crap come from? I guess Hunters are one of the best selling lines of sailboats 'cause they are dropping keels all over the place... Anyway, check out the link below for some model specific information. Oh yeah, get some smarter friends.
hunter 40
We have an 1988. I think the 85, 86 is the same vintage. Our boat had had extensive rework and repair before we bought it. We find it a great boat. we race and cruise in it. I think we have lots of storage, but, compared to what? The aft cabin is nice but does get hot and a little claustrophobic. We open the ports just over the bed, tilt up the cockpit seats, much nicer. '' the ladder down the companionway is a little steep and seems long, getting in and out of the companionway with a dodger requires an artful crabwalk. we dont reef . havent yet. sailed in up to 35knots so far. the original sails were tired, we replaced them. The jiffy reefing system was great, the dutchman flaking system we got sick of, didnt work that well for us and made the main very hard to raise. we got rid of the dutchman, and learned to jump the main from the mast. ( pull up, not down). WE LOVE OUR BOAT. We did stop using the aft refrigerator, noisy and a power hog. the forward frig is great, large, quiet. engine very reliable. hull ( knock on plastic) holding up well! any other questions, write me at janetsilver@cox.net ps a local guy races an 85 hunter 40, and wins everything! THESE boats can move. Janet
We have an 1988. I think the 85, 86 is the same vintage. Our boat had had extensive rework and repair before we bought it. We find it a great boat. we race and cruise in it. I think we have lots of storage, but, compared to what? The aft cabin is nice but does get hot and a little claustrophobic. We open the ports just over the bed, tilt up the cockpit seats, much nicer. '' the ladder down the companionway is a little steep and seems long, getting in and out of the companionway with a dodger requires an artful crabwalk. we dont reef . havent yet. sailed in up to 35knots so far. the original sails were tired, we replaced them. The jiffy reefing system was great, the dutchman flaking system we got sick of, didnt work that well for us and made the main very hard to raise. we got rid of the dutchman, and learned to jump the main from the mast. ( pull up, not down). WE LOVE OUR BOAT. We did stop using the aft refrigerator, noisy and a power hog. the forward frig is great, large, quiet. engine very reliable. hull ( knock on plastic) holding up well! any other questions, write me at janetsilver@cox.net ps a local guy races an 85 hunter 40, and wins everything! THESE boats can move. Janet
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I know it sounded stupid, but was from a C&C owner in St Marteen, sory to insult your intelligence. I guess I could have stated it in a different way, such as has anybody had keel problems with these boats. thanks for your time. Donn King.
I know it sounded stupid, but was from a C&C owner in St Marteen, sory to insult your intelligence. I guess I could have stated it in a different way, such as has anybody had keel problems with these boats. thanks for your time. Donn King.
I owned a 1985 40
I loved my forty the only compliant I ever had was the fact the waste holding tanks were not not tanks but integral parts of the hull. The rear one was the worst, it was a fiberglass lid covering a void between two stringers under the floor by the nav station. In heavy seas the boat would flex and the tabbing holding the lid on would break lose. Next thing you know you have a bildge full of sewage. The smell never help in rough seas. As for the keel "IT NEVER FELL OFF". It was iron instead of lead so it took a little extra work to grind off a little rust and fair before painting the bottom during haul outs but it always stayed on. I sail the great lakes primarily Lake Erie. The lakes get rough in big weather just like the ocean. I sailed the boat in 45+ knot winds on several occasions and always felt in control and comfortable. I was generally pleased with how well the boat pointed. As for speed I'm a cruiser but the guy I sold the boat to put on new mylar sails and is winning everything he enters. Net mesasage I would of sailed mine to the islands. My e-mail is in the Hunter 44 owners section if you have any questions.
I loved my forty the only compliant I ever had was the fact the waste holding tanks were not not tanks but integral parts of the hull. The rear one was the worst, it was a fiberglass lid covering a void between two stringers under the floor by the nav station. In heavy seas the boat would flex and the tabbing holding the lid on would break lose. Next thing you know you have a bildge full of sewage. The smell never help in rough seas. As for the keel "IT NEVER FELL OFF". It was iron instead of lead so it took a little extra work to grind off a little rust and fair before painting the bottom during haul outs but it always stayed on. I sail the great lakes primarily Lake Erie. The lakes get rough in big weather just like the ocean. I sailed the boat in 45+ knot winds on several occasions and always felt in control and comfortable. I was generally pleased with how well the boat pointed. As for speed I'm a cruiser but the guy I sold the boat to put on new mylar sails and is winning everything he enters. Net mesasage I would of sailed mine to the islands. My e-mail is in the Hunter 44 owners section if you have any questions.
My 2 cents
I'll agree with the other posters so this'll be mostly repetitive. These are comments a made to some others who had asked about the good/bad/ugly of the 40 and whether it would be a good blue water boat. Cons: Tankage. Not capacity, but rather having ALL fuel in one tank and ALL water in one tank. Aluminum for the fresh water tank is a questionable choice of material. There are no access ports. Aft holding tank built into hull grid is poorly executed, small and prone to leaks. The steel anchors molded into the grid for the chainplate tie-rod system are mild steel and subject to deterioration with any water intrusion. The joinery is pedestrian at best. Lightweight Beckson plastic ports ('84-'86.) Most of the cabinet doors aren't positively latched. The cockpit lazarettes aren't gasketed and locking. The steep and tall companionway can be treacherous in a wild seaway although I've only managed to fall down ours while anchored in calm waters. Go figure. Only one anchor roller. Stock 40's are equipped with CNG for the stove. You won't find it outside the US. You'll need to convert to LPG. Stock 40's have a woefully inadequate house DC bank and charging/monitoring system. DC wiring is untinned. Two heads on a 40' cruising boat is ridiculous. The H40's forward head is poorly plumbed and so small as to be nearly unuseable. The aft stateroom has lousy ventilation. Most 40's are relatively inexpensive (that's why we own one.) However, that also means that most on the market have been bought and abused by less than knowledgeable people who bought with little money, did no meaningful maintenance because they couldn't afford it, or worse, performed those dreaded "owner modifications." There are many beat-to-shit H40's out there that aren't worth owning. Survey REALLY carefully. Pros: It's a great looking boat. It sails beautifully. It's fast. It's inexpensive. It's got a sumptuous salon and aft stateroom for a 40' boat. There are MANY more issues, both good and bad, but these are the biggy's as far as I'm concerned. Most are repairable at which point you have to answer the "is it worth it to me?" question. For us it definitely has been. As with all boats, it's all about trade-offs, but after 6 years and nearly 10,000 miles we're happy to have ours. The H40 does have a great layout for coastal cruising and for living aboard. We love ours and we were fortunate enough to have stumbled onto a lovingly cared for one-owner boat. Just the same, we've put huge amounts of work into it along with an embarrassing amount of money. The boat works great for us but keep in mind that we have no desire to circumnav. If that's what you want to do you've got to deal with different issues such as the few I've mentioned above. I hope this helps. Good luck. BTW, our keel has only fallen off twice
I'll agree with the other posters so this'll be mostly repetitive. These are comments a made to some others who had asked about the good/bad/ugly of the 40 and whether it would be a good blue water boat. Cons: Tankage. Not capacity, but rather having ALL fuel in one tank and ALL water in one tank. Aluminum for the fresh water tank is a questionable choice of material. There are no access ports. Aft holding tank built into hull grid is poorly executed, small and prone to leaks. The steel anchors molded into the grid for the chainplate tie-rod system are mild steel and subject to deterioration with any water intrusion. The joinery is pedestrian at best. Lightweight Beckson plastic ports ('84-'86.) Most of the cabinet doors aren't positively latched. The cockpit lazarettes aren't gasketed and locking. The steep and tall companionway can be treacherous in a wild seaway although I've only managed to fall down ours while anchored in calm waters. Go figure. Only one anchor roller. Stock 40's are equipped with CNG for the stove. You won't find it outside the US. You'll need to convert to LPG. Stock 40's have a woefully inadequate house DC bank and charging/monitoring system. DC wiring is untinned. Two heads on a 40' cruising boat is ridiculous. The H40's forward head is poorly plumbed and so small as to be nearly unuseable. The aft stateroom has lousy ventilation. Most 40's are relatively inexpensive (that's why we own one.) However, that also means that most on the market have been bought and abused by less than knowledgeable people who bought with little money, did no meaningful maintenance because they couldn't afford it, or worse, performed those dreaded "owner modifications." There are many beat-to-shit H40's out there that aren't worth owning. Survey REALLY carefully. Pros: It's a great looking boat. It sails beautifully. It's fast. It's inexpensive. It's got a sumptuous salon and aft stateroom for a 40' boat. There are MANY more issues, both good and bad, but these are the biggy's as far as I'm concerned. Most are repairable at which point you have to answer the "is it worth it to me?" question. For us it definitely has been. As with all boats, it's all about trade-offs, but after 6 years and nearly 10,000 miles we're happy to have ours. The H40 does have a great layout for coastal cruising and for living aboard. We love ours and we were fortunate enough to have stumbled onto a lovingly cared for one-owner boat. Just the same, we've put huge amounts of work into it along with an embarrassing amount of money. The boat works great for us but keep in mind that we have no desire to circumnav. If that's what you want to do you've got to deal with different issues such as the few I've mentioned above. I hope this helps. Good luck. BTW, our keel has only fallen off twice
We have an '87
Voilenu, You've got a lot of posts already and I agree with virtually all that was said. We bought our 1987 h40, Windrose, ten seasons ago and have put about 12,000 miles under her keel. This July we put nearly 1,000 miles on another 1987 (four hulls newer than ours.) Our off shore experience has been limited to crossings between Florida and the Bahamas, a few day-long passages in the Bahamas, a 30 hour passage from Cape May NJ to Block Island RI and some day long passages just off the US east coast. You should know the h40 came with two drafts. We bought the boat to use primarily on the Chesapeake Bay. Our nominal five-foot (truly 5'-5" or-so) draft is ideal for that. The 6-1/2 foot draft goes to windward better. While we can sail apparent wind angles around 40 degrees, the sideslip we get results in a 60-degree track. The result is we go up wind at half the boat speed we are making. For us, the shoal draft is worth what we give up in windward performance. There is a lot said about the aft holding tank. By 1987 Hunter replaced the molded in tank with an aluminum one. By 2006 any remaining aluminum tanks should go out with your empty beverage cans to be recycled. The good news is along with our frind who sails "Three Sheets" we got Ronco Plastics and their mold maker to produce new 19 gal replacement aft tanks so they are readily available. (The original was 14 gal) The one hit on the boat for open ocean passage making that I have read elsewhere that is not mentioned in this thread is a recommendation for 30" rather tahn 24" life-line stanchons. Changing to 30" stanchons is a doable, but fairly costly. If done with life line replacement (at least $1,000) new stanchions would cost at least $500. I don't know anyone who upgraded a h40 to 30" stanchions. We love our h40 and are confident we made the right decision when we bought her. The first owner had her homeported in St Thomas so we know she made at least one trip back and forth to the VI. With the few changes we have made for costal passagemaking, I would be comfortable taking her back to the VI. All that said, for a lot of long, open ocean passages I'd shop around and look at other boats. If you do that shopping I think you'll find any renouned passage maker in the Legend 40 price range will be a much, much samller boat. That's not a bad thing. The choice is yours. If you can, go to a Hunter Rendezvous or a Hunter Sailing Association meeting and talk some more with h40 owners.
Voilenu, You've got a lot of posts already and I agree with virtually all that was said. We bought our 1987 h40, Windrose, ten seasons ago and have put about 12,000 miles under her keel. This July we put nearly 1,000 miles on another 1987 (four hulls newer than ours.) Our off shore experience has been limited to crossings between Florida and the Bahamas, a few day-long passages in the Bahamas, a 30 hour passage from Cape May NJ to Block Island RI and some day long passages just off the US east coast. You should know the h40 came with two drafts. We bought the boat to use primarily on the Chesapeake Bay. Our nominal five-foot (truly 5'-5" or-so) draft is ideal for that. The 6-1/2 foot draft goes to windward better. While we can sail apparent wind angles around 40 degrees, the sideslip we get results in a 60-degree track. The result is we go up wind at half the boat speed we are making. For us, the shoal draft is worth what we give up in windward performance. There is a lot said about the aft holding tank. By 1987 Hunter replaced the molded in tank with an aluminum one. By 2006 any remaining aluminum tanks should go out with your empty beverage cans to be recycled. The good news is along with our frind who sails "Three Sheets" we got Ronco Plastics and their mold maker to produce new 19 gal replacement aft tanks so they are readily available. (The original was 14 gal) The one hit on the boat for open ocean passage making that I have read elsewhere that is not mentioned in this thread is a recommendation for 30" rather tahn 24" life-line stanchons. Changing to 30" stanchons is a doable, but fairly costly. If done with life line replacement (at least $1,000) new stanchions would cost at least $500. I don't know anyone who upgraded a h40 to 30" stanchions. We love our h40 and are confident we made the right decision when we bought her. The first owner had her homeported in St Thomas so we know she made at least one trip back and forth to the VI. With the few changes we have made for costal passagemaking, I would be comfortable taking her back to the VI. All that said, for a lot of long, open ocean passages I'd shop around and look at other boats. If you do that shopping I think you'll find any renouned passage maker in the Legend 40 price range will be a much, much samller boat. That's not a bad thing. The choice is yours. If you can, go to a Hunter Rendezvous or a Hunter Sailing Association meeting and talk some more with h40 owners.
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