My new Hunter 36

[Broke sailor SV Marcell]

Well I am the proud owner of a new 2007 Hunter 36. But I have not been able to take her home yet because so far she has been plagued with issues. First when we got to the boat I noticed the bilge pump continously running. When I looked it had a hole on the side of the casing and water was shooting out of it. One of the clips that holds the pump to the strainer broke off making the hole. Also the level switch was broke internally causing the pump to continously run. The commode pump leaks out of the knob you use to select flush/dry bowl, and the pan under the AC was leaking. All this got repaired well except for the toilet which is on order. We left a day late, Sunday heading for Colonial Beach then when heading north past windmill point we hear this loud noise. The jib sheet track (Harken) broke off on the port side. So we ended up turning around and going back to Deltaville. Now we are back home awaiting repairs and checking the starboard side tyo make sure it's not deffective.

 

[Steve M]

A little surprised.

Broke Sailor,A Hunter purchased in Deltaville mut be from Carolyn and Ken's company.They have been rated number 1 in Customer satisfaction for many years.I would say that if they did all of their required prep work and complete commissioning they should have noticed the bilge pump and the leaking head.Makes you wonder what the rest of these Hunter dealers are doing accross the country.Best of luck with your boat and fair winds.Steve M

 

[larry w]

hunter

My dock neighbors took delivery of a brand new Hunter Passage 40something and battled the dealer in MDR for over A YEAR getting everything sorted out. They never did get 100% satisfaction and ended up selling the boat at a large loss when she had to have a surgery on both knees that ended their cruising plans.

 

[Benny]

That is why used boats are popular,

the kinks have been worked out of them. We bought a new, one year old model, that had been taken around to the shows here in FL and I got say all systems worked well. I guess a few proffesional crews of delivery captains tested them out and any repairs were performed. We also got a nice discount on the price.

 

[Stu Jackson]

We bought a 12 year old boat that is now

over 20 years old and still going strong.OTOH, Benny, if they didn't keep making new boats, there wouldn't BE a used boat market!

 

[seadaddler]

Mine's Real Good

I have had no real complaint's and what small miner complaint'sI did have was taken care of before taking her home.I was very happy and impressed with my dealer sailing specialties in Ct. how they handled the port list because of the Gen. and 2 4 D'S in the port locker so they added lead on the starboard side.The head service guy gave me his cell # in case I ever need help.where ever I might be even out sailing and I already did call with aquestion while out sailing.They also want me back in 90 days to service everything with a freestay at their marina.I am sure I will have some thing that might need attention,they are a super dealer who also sell other manufacturers sail boats and power boatsplus a lot of used power and sail.They went over our new 36 from top to bottom with us and every part of our boatand how every part works,it was 4 or 5 hours of explaining.My salesman Smitty was great from start to finish with trading in my 290 and out fitting our 36 with what we wanted.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Hmmm, added lead to offset port list

We did that, too, but we called it more batteries.

 

[Jim]

Stu has a point

there was a certain pride workers had when building boats that seems to be gone today. Boat builders seem to have more inspections and used better materials before 1995. Things like steel toe rail used to be standard on Hunters. What are you going to do!

 

[Steve Dion]

Not a production line like an automobile.

While I do not disagree about some of these items, we must understand that a boat is NOT like an automobile production line. There is a lot of individual items that are just hand done when assembling a boat. If it happens to be a boat that they mfg 10-12 a year or a boat like the Bavaria, Beneteau, Catalina, Hunter, Jeanneau etc. there is a lot of items that cannot be totally control during the mfg. process. This is where the QC comes into play. Even when they have done their QC work things like a bilge pump are going to get damaged and slip past the QC people. We are also dealing with a lot of different vendors that these mfg. need to depend on. They usually do not purchase the best that these vendors have to offer. If you buy a boat for $30,000 or $500,000 they all seem to have $120 Jabsco heads (go figure).I agree that Hunter should have not dropped the slotted metal toe rails, but I suppose that they have a good reason for this too (probably cost). I disagree that they have cheapened the boats. They are now using better hardware, gel coat and the fit/finish are most of the new high volume boats has improved with the woodwork and interior hardware. There is always room for improvement but I think all of the high volume mfg have had marked improvements in most of their boats.

 

[abe]

First the negative.......

..what do expect when all your Catalinas and Hunters are made from the cheapest laborers...many unskilled coming from third world countries?This is not Norway nor Sweden...and you are not going to have that "pride" nor the "craftmanship". It is a production boat at a production price and these companies do the best they can with the labor force they have.That said, H&S in the west coast did a very good job when they sold me the H36. They spent several hours showing me the boat and its workings.They also allowed me to go in the boat prior to delivery at any time I wanted to get familiarized with the boat, its system, and wiring while everything was taken apart when the instruments were being installed. Through that process I was able to find things wrong and they corrected things even before inspection day. They were also very helpfull post delivery and had the service guy come at least six times in a timely fashion to take care business. Yes, I get frustrated when a year later I find that my engine mount nuts were all loose and the engine was dancing like a jumping bean. Or when you find a ton of saw dust behind the cabinets/and seats. They could do better than that, I know. But its a Hunter and not a Regina, Hallberg R., Malo, Najad, or other upper end boats.H&S did an excellent job and my hats of to the crew in Oxnard/Channel Islands and the guys in San Diego.abe

 

[Salty Dog]

They Did It Again

I see that they have done it again. I have to agree with Steve M.....if Norton's is #1 and has been for so long, what are the other dealers doing. I can sympathize with you Broke Sailor, I also made the mistake of dealing with Norton's once. I'll never do it again. Normally, I'm willing to give the person the benefit of the doubt. But when you spend the kind of money we spend to buy a nice boat, there is not excuse for the haphazard way they do things. Had they gone over your boat like they were supposed to, you wouldn't be having the problems your having.Good luck in getting your new boat on the water and I'll see you on the bay!

 

[Jim Seamans]

Glad to see I'm not the only one

Having issues with Norton's service??JimS/V Java

 

[Jim Seamans]

hey Broke Sailor

Are you going to be bringing the boat up this weekend? June 16th???If so I'll be out and looking for you. We can have a drag race up the river.JimS/V Java

 

[Broke sailor SV Marcell]

Hi Java

No I do not have an estimated date for repair yet. The jib track coming off the deck on the port side while under the pull of the jub sheet is a big deal, as in why did it happen. They will have to take the headliner off on both sides to check the backing plate etc.I am tentatively planning for Tuesday-Weds next week.

 

[JBs Alter Ego]

New Boat Commissioning

A process of rigging, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, cabinetry, fiberglass and electronics. It takes many different highly skilled people to complete the process. I have yet to find a marine mechanic that can do it all. My qualifications include supervising, building and operating vessels from 400 feet down to 14 feet in length for about 44 years. I can't perform every skill needed.Production boat building is accomplished by people, not robots as in the automotive industry and people make mistakes. Production lines are not full of highly skilled craftsmen. If they were, many could not afford boating.I work very closely with the boating public daily. Long years of experience in this work have indicated that those who cast stones at manufacturers or dealers without all of the facts positively known are those who are never satisfied by any business. The postings on any internet forum are rarely complete in factual information.Casting stones at manufacturers and dealers does nothing to correct problems. It is detrimental to all customer-dealer relations and further aggravates the situation. This is supposed to be a Hunter support group forum. I don't see that in what I am reading in some of the responses to "My New Hunter 36".Hunter Marine supports their product better than any other manufacturer in the business. I have worked with many other production manufacturers so I know of what I speak. Their dealerships are equally motivated and none that I know intentionally hand over a boat to a customer that is defective. (Fact: Boat systems fail on a daily basis). I am not a Hunter Marine employee; I do work in the boating service field. If anyone reading my opinions is skilled in the marine service field, do not ever make mistakes and can perform all skills required to fully commission any new production boat, contact me immediately on this forum. I definitely have an employee opening for you.

 

[Rich Stidger]

It's not necessarily if a problem surfaces, .....

but how that problem is addressed and resolved.We bought our new 1997 h40.5 from Sailing Specialties in West Mystic, CT. Was it a "perfect boat"? No. But EVERYONE at the dealer from the salesman to the owner to the yard mechanics gave 110% to resolve each and every concern in a timely manner. Communication at every level was top-notch.What more can you ask for?

 

[Broke sailor SV Marcell]

Putting it to rest

OK. I am very dissapointed that it is middle of June and my boating season has not started yet. Yes my boat has been plagued with problems but Norton's has addressed each as soon as they could and we have worked together trying to move things along. Hopefully the jib track problem will be resolved soon and I can be out racing with Java on the Potomac. Amen.