Amen! When I purchased my Hunter, numerous members of the marina I joined gave me crap about my purchase....that is until they came aboard, got underway and saw things first hand. The bashing has died down considerably!
TS
Wish there were more active members here
- Thread starter Don Lucas
- Start date
TS
Right on Kito, that is about as good as it can be said in a sentence.
there is such a thing as a friendly, intelligent discussion about the differences of an object, where all the people may not agree, but this is a light year away from being a Basher.
all "Bashers", almost without exception are narrow minded people, who cannot reason or even think for themselves.... usually not much actual experience and always a lot of talk, repeating what they have heard from someone else, dismissing whatever may throw doubt into their own theories, and stating what they "think" to be actual fact....
Hmmm!!... kinda sounds like "basher" bashing... sorry
but then if its the truth, maybe it aint bashing
It seems that a widget fails, and that somehow gets translated into the builder or product line is crap, or, the widget is used outside its design intent and fails, which gets advertised as being junk.
What you don't hear very much, is how a widget fits into your need,(or want), and those who do speak up are chastised for their loyalty.
What you don't hear very much, is how a widget fits into your need,(or want), and those who do speak up are chastised for their loyalty.
When I bought my Hunter 356 in 2003 a friend of mine who introduced me to sailing and owned a steel Tahiti Ketch, went with me to see my Hunter while it was being commissioned. After the trip I asked him what he thought. He said as straight faced as he could " it's a condo, not a boat!"
His boat is in Punta Gorda, FL and last winter we took our boat down there, spent 3 months there and then back on a 2,800 mile cruise. I now have 7,800 miles on my "condo".
His attitude has changed since then. In 2003 I don't think he would have wanted to go outside a river on it. Last week he said "I'll go with you if you want to take your boat back to Punta Gorda if (my wife) doesn't want to make the trip." He's come a long way because he has seen me perform in it. I felt totally safe in my boat and I have sailed offshore on his steel ketch, Island Packets, Cabo Ricos and others and I can tell you my Hunter was as solid and good as any I have been offshore in.
The Hunter bashers just don't know the boats. They are condo's and that is why my wife enjoyed the trip we took and would go back. They are also good sailing craft while being comfortable. My boat is the most comfortable passage boat I have been on. I was dry, warm, and safe and my wife was comfortable on our last 50 hour crossing of the Northern Gulf. She also watched the Today show on our Dish Network driven satellite TV system in the middle of the passage while in 74 degree conditioned air in the salon while browsing the web on her IPad using XGate.
I could care less what anybody else thinks about our boat, we are very pleased with it.
His boat is in Punta Gorda, FL and last winter we took our boat down there, spent 3 months there and then back on a 2,800 mile cruise. I now have 7,800 miles on my "condo".
His attitude has changed since then. In 2003 I don't think he would have wanted to go outside a river on it. Last week he said "I'll go with you if you want to take your boat back to Punta Gorda if (my wife) doesn't want to make the trip." He's come a long way because he has seen me perform in it. I felt totally safe in my boat and I have sailed offshore on his steel ketch, Island Packets, Cabo Ricos and others and I can tell you my Hunter was as solid and good as any I have been offshore in.
The Hunter bashers just don't know the boats. They are condo's and that is why my wife enjoyed the trip we took and would go back. They are also good sailing craft while being comfortable. My boat is the most comfortable passage boat I have been on. I was dry, warm, and safe and my wife was comfortable on our last 50 hour crossing of the Northern Gulf. She also watched the Today show on our Dish Network driven satellite TV system in the middle of the passage while in 74 degree conditioned air in the salon while browsing the web on her IPad using XGate.
I could care less what anybody else thinks about our boat, we are very pleased with it.
this may be a bit more info than you want if you are happy with the amount of reading you are getting in the hunter owners site, but as you seem to be doubting the amount of users here, we are trying to explain there is more to this "SBO world" than what you can see in that specific owners forum...
on the hunter owner forum, you will only see the posts that are made to that specific forum... the link that Mainesail offered will allow you to see the postings from all the different "owners" forums as well as the other forums such as engines, cruising, racing ect....
the point is, if you dont get out much, it may get a bit lonely at times
... because a lot of hunter owners dont post only in the "hunter owners" forum, but may post in other forums as they share and learn from/with all other sailors on the SBO site. if you are only hanging out in the hunter owners forum, you are missing a lot of this "world", and you wont see their posts... you only get to see the posts that were made to that specific forum
And by using that entrance to the site that is all you will see Hunter Owners / Big Boat posts.... When you consider that over 80% of the questions of conversations about our boats are not brand specific, engines, plumbing, sails, rigging, electrical, anchoring, docking etc. etc.. You limit your self by looking only at Hunter Owners - Big Boats..
Keep that bookmark then add the one for All Discussions All Sites. This is a thread that summarizes all the posts on the entire SBO universe minus the off topic stuff from Sails Call Lounge and the War Room
http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/forumdisplay.php?f=139
Stu I'm not sure why but I laughed out loud at this. Double points for befriending someone who is both a Hunter owner AND a Canadian. I am reminded of Archie Bunker...I agree, this is the ONE boating website that never does Hunter-bashing. They're great boats. I recently became a personal friend with a Hunter owner in Canda!
All in good fun
I know that. I'm on other forums for general topics (most here are on those). I come here for Hunter topics without the hate.
I see your point, Don. We've been at this since 1996 and were the first Hunter forum around, so between that, the links to us from other sites, our Google search position, and paid ads, I figure there's a 99% chance that anyone who's looking for Hunter information online is going to end up here.
I don't know the real numbers involved, but let's say Hunter has built 20,000 boats in their history. That's probably a high estimate. A good chunk of those will be out of commission by now. Another good chunk will be owned by people who aren't all that interested.
Then, within that smaller group, a significant portion won't use the internet for anything other than Facebook and weather. Finally, of that remaining number, only about 1 in 10 people who view the site will register here and the people who post are a small subset of that.
So, bottom line, I think we need to offer free testosterone injections to the lurkers.
I don't know the real numbers involved, but let's say Hunter has built 20,000 boats in their history. That's probably a high estimate. A good chunk of those will be out of commission by now. Another good chunk will be owned by people who aren't all that interested.
Then, within that smaller group, a significant portion won't use the internet for anything other than Facebook and weather. Finally, of that remaining number, only about 1 in 10 people who view the site will register here and the people who post are a small subset of that.
So, bottom line, I think we need to offer free testosterone injections to the lurkers.
Yes, the lurkers need to start getting involved in posting instead of just reading. SBO isn't like Sailing Anarchy where posting pics of your wife's or gf's breasts are required for newbie postersSo, bottom line, I think we need to offer free testosterone injections to the lurkers.
I don't know about the ones here; how they were started. But, I've historically regarded Brand-Specific Owners Forums as a kind of marketing tool supported by boat manufacturers. A type of band-wagoneering sales strategy. Perhaps I'm wrong here; but that's often the impression. I suppose if someone is going to put their product upon a pedestal, then those not so enamored, perhaps even owners of rival brands, are going to take their shots. Most of the discussion on brand forums centers around specific repair or maintenance issues of the brand models; not terribly interesting discussion to owners of other brands except where there is "overlap."
the people who use other forums on this site dont hate either.... we are all here to learn, help and support one another, no matter the brand of boat we choose to own.
this is a site for sailboat owners who have a passion for the sport of sailing and the camaraderie it offers by being pleasant to one another, its NOT a site where the cliquish boat owners congregate to beat up on each other...
you need to step out and explore the site if you want to experience all the good it has to offer.... dont think everyone is going to agree with your ideas all the time, but you can be assured that they wont talk down to you because of what you think or the boat you own....
its all good here
Maybe the "testosterone-needy" here are simply living by the old adage "better to remain quiet and thought of as a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt"?
Present vocal company excluded, of course.
All y'all can MacGregor-bash me, I don't mind.
Present vocal company excluded, of course.
All y'all can MacGregor-bash me, I don't mind.
I was amazed to see one, the 26-fter, blow into the Ft. Jefferson anchorage at the Dry Tortugas in May of 2011 on a 20-kt+ east wind that had been up for three days. Minimum open sea travel distance 70 n.mi. from the Keys (lying due East). I remember wondering how in the hell they'd be able to get back!! Wait for a favorable shift, I suppose!!Maybe the "testosterone-needy" here are simply living by the old adage "better to remain quiet and thought of as a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt"?
Present vocal company excluded, of course.
All y'all can MacGregor-bash me, I don't mind.
I don't know if it's because of *who* I am; but I never seem to feel any Hunter-bashing where I live, work and sail. Maybe this is because southern NJ is truly Hunter Territory (reasons open to consideration). Between Sails Aweigh at Brick and the dealer in Havre de Grace, Hunter boats came onto the map in a big way. There are simply oodles of '73-'83 Hunters in every yard and marina from Raritan Bay to Deltaville.
Much credit and admiration is due to people like Maine Sail and Phil, who have done far above what might have been reasonably expected of anyone to promote a useful Internet bulletin board. This site rocks because of the people who contribute to it and take care of it-- pure and simple. The less-seasoned of us will soon note that a snert will tend to flash up once or twice and then disappear. Thus the site is remarkably free of annoyances, 'lookatmes' and inane-argument-wagers.
As for myself, I know I get the reputation of being 'Dr Doom' around here (it's true my motto is 'Prudent pessimism is the mark of a responsible yachtie') but I have been in the boating industry, in just about every capacity in it, since 1972 and I've adopted the mission of trying to inform people of the technical aspects of rigging, general construction and design issues that maybe not everyone considers. Most of the snerts and 'lookatmes' don't really want straight facts and cautionary advice; they like to think they're correct in their own little worlds and will shun what they consider naysayers.
As PGIJon said, those of us who are more seasoned on this site know this place becomes like a family. We admire and respect each other's opinions, advice, experience and intentions. This unique family atmosphere, with Phil's undying devotion to keeping it all afloat (literally), is what has made the HOW (as it was once always called) the single best boat owners' go-to site for answers. Even the most gremmie questions, asked with humility and eagerness to learn, are treated with the respect due to fellow boaters-- to peers, because that's what we all are.
Rock on, you cool Hunter owners everywhere. We be jamming good, y'all. :dance:
Much credit and admiration is due to people like Maine Sail and Phil, who have done far above what might have been reasonably expected of anyone to promote a useful Internet bulletin board. This site rocks because of the people who contribute to it and take care of it-- pure and simple. The less-seasoned of us will soon note that a snert will tend to flash up once or twice and then disappear. Thus the site is remarkably free of annoyances, 'lookatmes' and inane-argument-wagers.
As for myself, I know I get the reputation of being 'Dr Doom' around here (it's true my motto is 'Prudent pessimism is the mark of a responsible yachtie') but I have been in the boating industry, in just about every capacity in it, since 1972 and I've adopted the mission of trying to inform people of the technical aspects of rigging, general construction and design issues that maybe not everyone considers. Most of the snerts and 'lookatmes' don't really want straight facts and cautionary advice; they like to think they're correct in their own little worlds and will shun what they consider naysayers.
As PGIJon said, those of us who are more seasoned on this site know this place becomes like a family. We admire and respect each other's opinions, advice, experience and intentions. This unique family atmosphere, with Phil's undying devotion to keeping it all afloat (literally), is what has made the HOW (as it was once always called) the single best boat owners' go-to site for answers. Even the most gremmie questions, asked with humility and eagerness to learn, are treated with the respect due to fellow boaters-- to peers, because that's what we all are.
Rock on, you cool Hunter owners everywhere. We be jamming good, y'all. :dance: