What About a Hunter 19 ('93 - "96)?
- Thread starter Setsail51
- Start date
We've had our '93 Hunter 19 water ballast for about 20 years. The following is from an email I composed about 10 years ago, but not much has changed. Hope this helps as you look over the boat for sale in your area. I have since added turning blocks at the mast base and on deck to handle the topping lift and reef line. It is still really easy to set and drop sail from the front of the cockpit as everything is within reach.
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from 2006
It's a fun boat with a little bit of 'big boat' looks and feel yet small enough to single handed launch and sail. I've trailed it with both 4 speed stick and automatic V6 Isuzu Rodeos with no problems. The factory mast raising system is a breeze to handle using a 'gin pole', the jib halyard, and the main sheet. When I trailer I leave the shrouds attached and can rig the boat in 30-45 minutes by myself. That's taking it easy and methodically following a simple check list. The last few years we have kept it in a slip so I'm a little rusty on rigging!
The water ballast makes the boat a little apt to heal quickly in a breeze, but she settles down at 10-15 degrees. If the winds are over 15 mph or so, I tie a reef in the main and keep the jib out. The Hunter B&R rig is designed with a small working jib and a fairly large full batten main. She carries full sail well in light air and still sails pretty flat with the reef in. I'm big enough that I can add a lot of trim using body weight and position, but the boat behaves well when boarding from a dock or pier. I leave the ballast water in when in the slip, just add some bleach at the beginning of the season to keep it fresh. When we dry sailed her we dumped the ballast when retrieving, it pretty much drains as you come up the ramp. I have been single handing a lot this summer and find it pretty easy to sail. In moderate winds I can tie off the tiller with a couple of lines and steer with sail and weight trim, all while lounging in the sun
I have the boat setup more as a day sailor and haven't done any extended or overnight cruising. What is billed as the main berth is under the cockpit and while it is queen size it is a close vertical area. It's hard to judge average comfort level as I'm 6'4" / 240 lbs, a rather large bodied guy! The V-berth has extension panels and cushions and could work as a decent size double, the biggest problem would be the portapot is under the extended portion. You could always move the pot to the floor of the main salon or even to the cockpit at night though. The galley features aren't much, a single burner alcohol stove, a non-drain basin, and a water jug. We've added a rail mount Magnum grill which is our main cooking appliance. There is sitting headroom and you can add a canvas camper top to the companion way for a little standing room when at the dock or at anchor. We often sail with another couple and have dinner on the boat. Even with a folding table added, the cockpit easily accommodates the 4 of us for sailing and dining.
Our sailing is almost exclusively on Columbus' Hoover Reservoir which doesn't require much in the way of an outboard. I have a Honda 5hp 4-stroke, which is a great little motor, but too much for our area. If I were to sail Lake Erie or even the Ohio River it would do nicely for the conditions. A 2hp would be plenty for a small inland lake.
I've found the boat to be well built and it has held up well over the years. Look over the ridge on the stern where the hull and deck are joined, this area sometimes splits and can be a problem if it's in the water all the time. Even if split, it's a pretty straight forward fix with epoxy and gel if there is no internal damage. The 19 has the same companionway slider leak concerns as the 23.5 and 26 have. The drain channels around the hatch need to be kept clean or water will flow into the cabin over the front edge of the slider. Check the ease of operation of the centerboard, it should be easy to raise by hand with the compound tackle. If it is difficult there may be problems with the sheave under the mast step, another fairly easy fix. Actually changing out the line from the deck to the centerboard is a bit more of a chore. It requires lifting the boat enough to drop the board from under in order to replace the line as it attaches to the board.
I have never, that's never, found any sign of water in the bilge area. It still has dust from the installation of a bilge pump before I bought it! I did have a leak last winter around the forward cabin hatch, my fault for not closing properly. The water partially filled a compartment in the V-berth area where it remained until I dipped and dried it out. The compartment remained water tight.
I hope this info helps you in your decision. We have found the 19 to be a great boat for our sailing style and I would heartily recommend it based on build quality and ease of sailing.
Fair winds
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from 2006
It's a fun boat with a little bit of 'big boat' looks and feel yet small enough to single handed launch and sail. I've trailed it with both 4 speed stick and automatic V6 Isuzu Rodeos with no problems. The factory mast raising system is a breeze to handle using a 'gin pole', the jib halyard, and the main sheet. When I trailer I leave the shrouds attached and can rig the boat in 30-45 minutes by myself. That's taking it easy and methodically following a simple check list. The last few years we have kept it in a slip so I'm a little rusty on rigging!
The water ballast makes the boat a little apt to heal quickly in a breeze, but she settles down at 10-15 degrees. If the winds are over 15 mph or so, I tie a reef in the main and keep the jib out. The Hunter B&R rig is designed with a small working jib and a fairly large full batten main. She carries full sail well in light air and still sails pretty flat with the reef in. I'm big enough that I can add a lot of trim using body weight and position, but the boat behaves well when boarding from a dock or pier. I leave the ballast water in when in the slip, just add some bleach at the beginning of the season to keep it fresh. When we dry sailed her we dumped the ballast when retrieving, it pretty much drains as you come up the ramp. I have been single handing a lot this summer and find it pretty easy to sail. In moderate winds I can tie off the tiller with a couple of lines and steer with sail and weight trim, all while lounging in the sun
I have the boat setup more as a day sailor and haven't done any extended or overnight cruising. What is billed as the main berth is under the cockpit and while it is queen size it is a close vertical area. It's hard to judge average comfort level as I'm 6'4" / 240 lbs, a rather large bodied guy! The V-berth has extension panels and cushions and could work as a decent size double, the biggest problem would be the portapot is under the extended portion. You could always move the pot to the floor of the main salon or even to the cockpit at night though. The galley features aren't much, a single burner alcohol stove, a non-drain basin, and a water jug. We've added a rail mount Magnum grill which is our main cooking appliance. There is sitting headroom and you can add a canvas camper top to the companion way for a little standing room when at the dock or at anchor. We often sail with another couple and have dinner on the boat. Even with a folding table added, the cockpit easily accommodates the 4 of us for sailing and dining.
Our sailing is almost exclusively on Columbus' Hoover Reservoir which doesn't require much in the way of an outboard. I have a Honda 5hp 4-stroke, which is a great little motor, but too much for our area. If I were to sail Lake Erie or even the Ohio River it would do nicely for the conditions. A 2hp would be plenty for a small inland lake.
I've found the boat to be well built and it has held up well over the years. Look over the ridge on the stern where the hull and deck are joined, this area sometimes splits and can be a problem if it's in the water all the time. Even if split, it's a pretty straight forward fix with epoxy and gel if there is no internal damage. The 19 has the same companionway slider leak concerns as the 23.5 and 26 have. The drain channels around the hatch need to be kept clean or water will flow into the cabin over the front edge of the slider. Check the ease of operation of the centerboard, it should be easy to raise by hand with the compound tackle. If it is difficult there may be problems with the sheave under the mast step, another fairly easy fix. Actually changing out the line from the deck to the centerboard is a bit more of a chore. It requires lifting the boat enough to drop the board from under in order to replace the line as it attaches to the board.
I have never, that's never, found any sign of water in the bilge area. It still has dust from the installation of a bilge pump before I bought it! I did have a leak last winter around the forward cabin hatch, my fault for not closing properly. The water partially filled a compartment in the V-berth area where it remained until I dipped and dried it out. The compartment remained water tight.
I hope this info helps you in your decision. We have found the 19 to be a great boat for our sailing style and I would heartily recommend it based on build quality and ease of sailing.
Fair winds
What a great report Henry! I think this is a good boat for us to relearn our skills and to step up to and look to purchase. Problem is we'll have to travel far and wide from home to see one for sale.
Henry, great report.
As to why you do not see many of them, they were not selling as fast as the 23.5. Warren Luhrs, CEO and owner of Hunter Marine, was hammered as to why they were not selling and the cost at a general dealer meeting in 1996. He then asked me in front of everyone what were my thoughts. It took nearly as much time to build the 19 as with the 23.5 and raw materials was not that much different. At the time Hunter was building the trailers. I pointed out the cost of the 19 vs. 23.5 was about a $1,000 different but the 23.5 was bigger, more stable and faster by design. Therefore, the 23.5 was a good seller outselling the 19 by 7 to 1. I suggested completing those in the factory and then concentrate only on the 23.5 as we dealers were scrambling to get them. I suggested incentives to those stocking dealers with 19 inventory in order to move them quickly so Hunter could concentrate on the 23.5. Warren concurred with my thoughts and said he agreed suspending further production. The 19 was a fun little boat and I sailed it a lot with Jim Seamons who contributed so much on the 356 in this forum but sadly I lost my dear friend this year due to cancer.
As to why you do not see many of them, they were not selling as fast as the 23.5. Warren Luhrs, CEO and owner of Hunter Marine, was hammered as to why they were not selling and the cost at a general dealer meeting in 1996. He then asked me in front of everyone what were my thoughts. It took nearly as much time to build the 19 as with the 23.5 and raw materials was not that much different. At the time Hunter was building the trailers. I pointed out the cost of the 19 vs. 23.5 was about a $1,000 different but the 23.5 was bigger, more stable and faster by design. Therefore, the 23.5 was a good seller outselling the 19 by 7 to 1. I suggested completing those in the factory and then concentrate only on the 23.5 as we dealers were scrambling to get them. I suggested incentives to those stocking dealers with 19 inventory in order to move them quickly so Hunter could concentrate on the 23.5. Warren concurred with my thoughts and said he agreed suspending further production. The 19 was a fun little boat and I sailed it a lot with Jim Seamons who contributed so much on the 356 in this forum but sadly I lost my dear friend this year due to cancer.