I'm currently between boats right now (used to own a US30) and am looking for "the" yacht to go long-term cruising on. I'm considering a 1987 Hunter Legend 45. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience taking one of these offshore?
- Status
Well...
You don't say whether money is a consideration, so I'll assume it isn't. While the H45 is a good coastal cruiser, I wouldbn't call it "The" blue water yacht. If I were going offshore, I'd be looking at a Pacific Seacraft or an Island Packet, among others. If I were on a budget (which I am, BTW) I might consider modifying a H45 knowing that it would cost significant $$ and still wouldn't be as good as the PS or IP. So it's your call, I guess.
You don't say whether money is a consideration, so I'll assume it isn't. While the H45 is a good coastal cruiser, I wouldbn't call it "The" blue water yacht. If I were going offshore, I'd be looking at a Pacific Seacraft or an Island Packet, among others. If I were on a budget (which I am, BTW) I might consider modifying a H45 knowing that it would cost significant $$ and still wouldn't be as good as the PS or IP. So it's your call, I guess.
Offhore Passages
I have done considerable research on the seaworthiness of the Hunter sailboats. I would never take one on an extended offshore passage. It is not the hull, it is the related systems. For example, the roller furler on my 2000 Hunter 380 is a Profurl Basic 35M. A visit to their web site shows that this roller furler is not recommended for offshore passages. When you and your crew's safety is at stake, get an appropriate boat. You wouldn't get a car with a two cylinder engine aand try to run it on a freeway would you?
I have done considerable research on the seaworthiness of the Hunter sailboats. I would never take one on an extended offshore passage. It is not the hull, it is the related systems. For example, the roller furler on my 2000 Hunter 380 is a Profurl Basic 35M. A visit to their web site shows that this roller furler is not recommended for offshore passages. When you and your crew's safety is at stake, get an appropriate boat. You wouldn't get a car with a two cylinder engine aand try to run it on a freeway would you?
Sailed from US thru Caribbean on Legend 45
We sailed our Legend 45 from Slidell, LA (New Orleans) to Trinidad and back in 2001-2003 and found it to be just fine. It sails nicely and was easy for my husband and I to handle. Email us at svquetzal@yahoo.com and we can give you lots of details about how we were set up.
We sailed our Legend 45 from Slidell, LA (New Orleans) to Trinidad and back in 2001-2003 and found it to be just fine. It sails nicely and was easy for my husband and I to handle. Email us at svquetzal@yahoo.com and we can give you lots of details about how we were set up.
Hunter legend 45
Shelley, I know where a 1989 legend 45 is for sale, unfortunately it's on the east coast and you can probably view the listing if Matthews Pointe Marina or yacht sales has a web-site Capt. Ron
Shelley, I know where a 1989 legend 45 is for sale, unfortunately it's on the east coast and you can probably view the listing if Matthews Pointe Marina or yacht sales has a web-site Capt. Ron
Thank You!
Thank you Ron - I've seen that boat online, it's beautiful and a great deal to boot! And Glenda, thank you as well! I've sent you an email. Shelley
Thank you Ron - I've seen that boat online, it's beautiful and a great deal to boot! And Glenda, thank you as well! I've sent you an email. Shelley
Seaworthiness,
Bob, not sure I agree with the Hunter comment (and you were bound to get a bite from a Hunter owner). I've corresponded with a Hunter 43 (1991) owner who took his boat from West Coast US to Australia. Hank on a Hunter 43 is in Vanuatu. One of the above did have gear failure, but it was the forestay and not the roller furler.
Bob, not sure I agree with the Hunter comment (and you were bound to get a bite from a Hunter owner). I've corresponded with a Hunter 43 (1991) owner who took his boat from West Coast US to Australia. Hank on a Hunter 43 is in Vanuatu. One of the above did have gear failure, but it was the forestay and not the roller furler.
Furlers, etc. no top priority on 16-yr old vessel
On a 16-yr old 45-footer I would look first at construction and condition of hull, keel, rudder, mast & compression post, stemplate/chainplate areas, plus how watertight the decks are and what the condition of the engine is. If there are major problems in any of these areas; who cares what brand furler and other deck hardware is mounted?! From personal experience I know that it is feasible to get a new Hunter 43 ready for serious offshore cruising in tropical latitudes (plus coastal cruising in subtropical and temperate zones) with a wad of boat $$ and quite a bit of sweat equity thrown in. Not quite enough to make me consider a Pacific Seacraft, Yaga, Tartan or Sabre as economically equivalent choices (let alone the overpriced "super-brands" ), but certainly enough to make me think twice about trying to whip an older large Hunter into seaworthy condition (or - for that matter - some of the newer Hunters without toerails, anchor lockers, tie-rods or believable seabunks). Not that it cannot be done, especially if the quality of your sweat equity is worth far more than mine, but it would tend to faze me unless I were fully retired and got more fun out of working on my boat than sailing it. When we were looking for a vessel in 1991 (and ended up buying our Hunter 43 "Rivendel II" in California) there happened to be 2 used Hunter 45's dry-berthed at Tidewater Marine in Havre de Grace (Maryland)where we had been sailing Bob Buchanan's Hunter Legend 31.5 "Windtryst" for 2 summers. Both 45 keels showed a clear crack marking the keel-hull joint, whereas one of them also had some cracks in the fiberglass oilpan area under the diesel engine. Perhaps, these problems were cosmetic or directly traceable to some type of mishap. Whatever the cause, it did cool my enthusiasm for what appeared to be otherwise a nice design. A final consideration to keep in mind is that towards the end of the 80s public appreciation for larger Hunters appeared to be at an all-time low, after a string of rudder failures, oil canning complaints and other structural question marks. In response, Hunter appears to have made a major effort to redesign its larger vessels which resulted in the "classic" Passage 42, and its aft-cockpit Legend 43 cousin. On the coat-tails of the Passage 42, with its amazing used-market value, the old Hunters 45 began a slow climb back. If my memory serves me well, in 1991 several Hunter 45's (only 5 years old or so) were on the market for under 100 k$. Some five years later the same vessels were selling for well above 100 k$! Good luck! Flying Dutchman
On a 16-yr old 45-footer I would look first at construction and condition of hull, keel, rudder, mast & compression post, stemplate/chainplate areas, plus how watertight the decks are and what the condition of the engine is. If there are major problems in any of these areas; who cares what brand furler and other deck hardware is mounted?! From personal experience I know that it is feasible to get a new Hunter 43 ready for serious offshore cruising in tropical latitudes (plus coastal cruising in subtropical and temperate zones) with a wad of boat $$ and quite a bit of sweat equity thrown in. Not quite enough to make me consider a Pacific Seacraft, Yaga, Tartan or Sabre as economically equivalent choices (let alone the overpriced "super-brands" ), but certainly enough to make me think twice about trying to whip an older large Hunter into seaworthy condition (or - for that matter - some of the newer Hunters without toerails, anchor lockers, tie-rods or believable seabunks). Not that it cannot be done, especially if the quality of your sweat equity is worth far more than mine, but it would tend to faze me unless I were fully retired and got more fun out of working on my boat than sailing it. When we were looking for a vessel in 1991 (and ended up buying our Hunter 43 "Rivendel II" in California) there happened to be 2 used Hunter 45's dry-berthed at Tidewater Marine in Havre de Grace (Maryland)where we had been sailing Bob Buchanan's Hunter Legend 31.5 "Windtryst" for 2 summers. Both 45 keels showed a clear crack marking the keel-hull joint, whereas one of them also had some cracks in the fiberglass oilpan area under the diesel engine. Perhaps, these problems were cosmetic or directly traceable to some type of mishap. Whatever the cause, it did cool my enthusiasm for what appeared to be otherwise a nice design. A final consideration to keep in mind is that towards the end of the 80s public appreciation for larger Hunters appeared to be at an all-time low, after a string of rudder failures, oil canning complaints and other structural question marks. In response, Hunter appears to have made a major effort to redesign its larger vessels which resulted in the "classic" Passage 42, and its aft-cockpit Legend 43 cousin. On the coat-tails of the Passage 42, with its amazing used-market value, the old Hunters 45 began a slow climb back. If my memory serves me well, in 1991 several Hunter 45's (only 5 years old or so) were on the market for under 100 k$. Some five years later the same vessels were selling for well above 100 k$! Good luck! Flying Dutchman
Henk, we.ve had our 1991 P42 for three years....
and it still amazes me at how well Hunter did in its design and construction. I had my heart set on a 40.5, but my first mate took one look at the P42 and told me this was the boat she wanted. Smart woman! Terry
and it still amazes me at how well Hunter did in its design and construction. I had my heart set on a 40.5, but my first mate took one look at the P42 and told me this was the boat she wanted. Smart woman! Terry
- Status