hunter 216 sailboat problems

• New Sailboats
• Sailboats 21-30ft
• Sailboats 31-35ft
• Sailboats 36-40ft
• Sailboats Over 40ft
• Sailboats Under 21feet
• used_sailboats
• Apps and Computer Programs
• Communications
• Fishfinders
• Handheld Electronics
• Plotters MFDS Rradar
• Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
• Anchoring Mooring
• Running Rigging
• Sails Canvas
• Standing Rigging
• Diesel Engines
• Off Grid Energy
• Cleaning Waxing
• DIY Projects
• Repair, Tools & Materials
• Spare Parts
• Tools & Gadgets
• Cabin Comfort
• Ventilation
• Footwear Apparel
• Foul Weather Gear
• Mailport & PS Advisor
• Inside Practical Sailor Blog
• Activate My Web Access
• Reset Password
• Customer Service

• Free Newsletter

Blue Jacket 40 Used Boat Review

Catalina 270 vs. The Beneteau First 265 Used Boat Match-Up

Ericson 41 Used Boat Review

Mason 33 Used Boat Review

How to Create a Bullet-Proof VHF/SSB Backup

Tips From A First “Sail” on the ICW

Tillerpilot Tips and Safety Cautions

Best Crimpers and Strippers for Fixing Marine Electrical Connectors

Polyester vs. Nylon Rode

Getting the Most Out of Older Sails

How (Not) to Tie Your Boat to a Dock

Stopping Mainsheet Twist

Fuel Lift Pump: Easy DIY Diesel Fuel System Diagnostic and Repair

Ensuring Safe Shorepower

Sinking? Check Your Stuffing Box

What Do You Do With Old Fiberglass Boats?

Boat Repairs for the Technically Illiterate

Boat Maintenance for the Technically Illiterate

Whats the Best Way to Restore Clear Plastic Windows?

Stopping Holding-tank Odors

Giving Bugs the Big Goodbye

Galley Gadgets for the Cruising Sailor

The Rain Catcher’s Guide

Sailing Gear for Kids

What’s the Best Sunscreen?

UV Clothing: Is It Worth the Hype?

Preparing Yourself for Solo Sailing

R. Tucker Thompson Tall Ship Youth Voyage

On Watch: This 60-Year-Old Hinckley Pilot 35 is Also a Working…

On Watch: America’s Cup

On Watch: All Eyes on Europe Sail Racing

Dear Readers

• Sailboat Reviews

A lively little daysailer packing some impressive innovations, Hunter's 216 comes at an affordable price. So what's the downside? It's a little tender with too few crew.

Notwithstanding the tragedy of 9/11 and subsequently tumultuous stock market, during the past 10 years boat manufacturers have enjoyed a goodly number of buyers clamoring to purchase boats in the 30- to 45-foot range. The market has been so strong that builders have added to existing lines in one-foot increments, and introduced revisions to existing models. And this prosperity applies to both monohulls and multihulls. Builders typically ascribe this phenomenon to what Adam Smith called “a condition of the marketplace,” which, in this case, is closely related to the age of the buyers; many older sailors are moving down to mid–sized boats that are easily sailed by a couple, and the first purchase by babyboomers is often a mid-sized boat.

However, at the other end of the scale, a viable market for smaller, lively boats occupies a niche for recreational sailors whose needs do not include multiple berths, built-in microwave ovens, and enclosed heads. Rather, the market for these boats includes sailors whose primary interests are ease of handling, performance, trailerability, low maintenance, and low-cost sailing. These boats, like the aging Rainbow, continue as learning platforms for newcomers to the sport and offer no–hassle sailing for families with young children. They also appeal to the experienced sailor who wants to compete in a serious, but uncomplicated environment, or simply untie a dock line, hoist a sail, and travel in whichever direction the wind blows. In most cases, creature comforts are limited to a cuddy cabin large enough to stow some sandwiches, life jackets, and foul weather gear.

Though the community of small boat builders is a blip on the radar screen in this industry, it is thriving. Precision Boat Builders in Palmetto, FL, which offers a line of daysailers and 23- to 27-foot cruisers, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Priced at $7,500, the P-185 is a high-performance daysailer, the most recent of the Jim Taylor designs for Precision.

In the same neighborhood, Steve Colgate—who is renowned as a sailing instructor—markets the Colgate 26, also a Taylor design that is constructed at Precision’s plant. On the opposite coast, Tom Schock, President of the W. D. Schock Company, recently answered the call for a daysailor with the Harbor 20, a performance-oriented sloop displacing 1,800 pounds that is equipped with a 900-pound, torpedo-shaped fixed keel. The boat is priced at $19,000.

Two “tweeners” also occupy spots in this niche. The Catalina Capri 22, priced at $11,966, closely resembles a scaled down version of the company’s larger boats. Perhaps the most traditional design of the lot, the Com-Pac Sun Cat ($12,995) is a catboat with a Mastendr ™ mast that is hinged above the gooseneck. Both boats are considered daysailers, though they offer sleeping berths.

None of these vessels is a candidate for a Transat passage since they are typically lightweights with low freeboard. Only the Colgate 26, (priced at $29,995), has the displacement (2,600 pounds) and ballast, (1,050 pounds of lead in a fixed keel) to withstand moderate sea conditions.

The introduction of the Hunter 216, the latest of the genre on the market, adds a new creature to the mix while offering a snapshot of the change in attitude regarding boat design that occurred when Glenn Henderson was hired by Hunter Marine to assume the mantle of director of engineering.

Design Henderson, who is known for fashioning high-performance hulls and foils, began sailing as a youth, building his first boats from scraps of plywood scavenged from job sites. “The first ‘real’ boats I owned were a 420 and Sunfish, and they are still afloat,” he said. Following graduation from the University of Northern Florida, and while postponing entrance into the work force, he “studied abroad” while cruising for six years, in the process completing degree requirements from the Westland School of Yacht Design.

Eventually returning to the homefront, he started a woodworking and fiberglass repair business and became a certified IMS and IOR measurer. Henderson reentered the boatbuilding business with the introduction of a 17-foot dinghy that was followed by a 21–foot MORC racer that “did real well,” and the SR Max, a 21-footer that put his fledgling company on the map. He joined Hunter in 1999 with a charge to re-invent the company’s product line by increasing the emphasis on performance without compromising on styling and appearance.

“We discovered that the market has changed from the time when interiors sold boats, to a baby boomer generation that consists of more performance-oriented buyers,” he says. “But performance is not measured entirely by speed. It is a combination of speed, motion, stability, the boat’s reaction to conditions, and maneuverability when docking. Comfort is still important, but we’re equalizing all of the contributing factors.”

Since joining the company several years ago, Henderson has fashioned lines for the 356 (which became the Hunter 36), 41 and 44 footers, the Excite 10 and the 216.

The design target for the 216 “was an easy-to-sail, trailerable sloop, usable for daysailing, but not for camping,” he says. He aspired to endow the boat with “performance enough to intrigue a serious sailor or club racer, but easily controllable for the rank amateur. I was looking for the blend of stability produced by a moderate beam–length ratio.”

With a large budget for the purchase of design software, Henderson was able to model “an innovative underbody by paying close attention to the distribution of volume in the hull.” The new software allowed him to measure the pressure produced by congregations of water molecules at various points on the hull and produce a shape with little underwater resistance.

To reduce drag, “I incorporated a sportboat type hull form. The bow is plumb for maximum waterline and the waterline sections forward are hollow for low resistance and volumetric distribution control. There is a slight reflex in the stern profile that artificially extends the sailing length of the boat,” explains Henderson. “The boat is very easily driven and appears to be well rounded in her performance range from light to heavy air.”

Other design elements include low-lift, low-drag underwater appendages “that improve speed, which induces lift,” he says. The internal rudder is encased in round rotating “pod” in the hull, allowing crew to quickly elevate the foil in the cockpit without leaning over the stern, avoiding the risk of the chase that ensues when boat and disconnected rudder end up traveling in opposite directions.

“The rudder system is the VARA system that I have used on several race boats. On this boat it does a number of good things. First, it is very simple to raise the rudder partway when getting into shallow water, and continue to have steerage. The aspect ratio of the rudder is very high, so it provides a significant part of the lift when going upwind. This increases upwind performance dramatically.”

Henderson also took the approach that a weighted centerboard is the best approach for the 216, compared to internal ballast and a lightweight keel. “To have a high limit of positive stability so she would be easy to recover from wind blast, I put a heavy, solid-lead centerboard on her,” he explains.

Of the design, he says, “An advantage of internal ballast is that the stability changes little with the keel up or down. I compensated for this by placing the centerboard so that, when raised, a good portion of the board is still exposed, though lateral in position. This keeps the center of gravity low as internal ballast, and it leaves enough lateral resistance so the boat does not slide out of control when being put on a trailer. The disadvantage is that the net draft is deeper. I justify that by saying the exposed centerboard is used to guide the boat on to the trailer.”

The centerboard, which weighs 500 pounds, is designed to lift and tuck into a recess. However, the typical ratchet-wire combination found on most small boats, which requires muscle power to manage, has been replaced by a hydraulic system located under a footbrace molded into the cockpit sole. Lifting the brace provides access to “an aluminum ram designed to be corrosion resistant. The centerboard raises from 3′ 6″ to 1′ when fully retracted. When in the raised position, the board is still low enough to keep the center of gravity down so she isn’t too tippy when launching. The entire system has been designed so it can be easy to get to for maintenance.” Raising the keel, claims Henderson, takes about 30 seconds.

The rig is a single-spreader, fractional design with a 105 percent over-lapping jib that produces light loads on sheets and eases tacking.

Designed for easy rigging by trailer sailors, the mast is stepped inside the boat, rather than on deck. As the mast is raised, it slides into a groove at the forward end of the V-shaped companionway opening. This groove effectively becomes the partners, providing support at the forward face of the mast, and laterally, but not aft. And it helps maintain control when the 30′ 10″ mast is raised or lowered, so a stabilizing bridle is not necessary.

Since the introduction of the 216, says Henderson, “orders for an optional retractable bowsprit have poured in,” indicating that “buyers really are interested in performance, and want to use a spinnaker.” Even entry level users, he says, are finding that a sprit-mounted asymmetrical spinnaker requires less deck hardware and fewer lines than a traditional rig, so it’s easier to hoist, trim, and jibe.

The 216 is built at Hunter’s factory in East Lyme, Connecticut. Cutter Smith, the general manager there, says that since its introduction a year ago, more than 200 have been sold, and the factory is now producing boats at the rate of one a day.

Construction When Hunter acquired JY Boats from Rod Johnstone, it also acquired the rights to what is now the company’s patented Advanced Composite Process (ACP), which produces thermoplastic hulls formed in a closed mold. The essential components of the laminate are a skin coat consisting of a BASF plastic called Luran-S, a foam core, and fibercloth backing.

Smith says that hulls for eight of the company’s models are “constructed in a thermo–former, a machine that produces the outer shell of the hull.” The 216 is the largest model constructed using this method, though Smith says “the current machinery is capable of producing up to 23–footers.”

The urethane foam inner core “provides nearly five times the impact resistance of traditional fiberglass,” Smith says, because the hull will flex under impact and absorb energy instead of breaking. “The construction of the foam inner liner is analogous to building a sheetrock wall and then putting a stud behind it that is the same size as the entire wall.” The foam backing also provides more than 1,500 pounds of positive flotation that, says Smith, “makes the boat unsinkable,” even when completely filled with water.

An ancillary bonus that many owners will appreciate is that in the event of a collision, the hull can be sanded and buffed to its original appearance. Should the outer skin be torn, which would require substantial impact, it can easily be repaired via patching with a urethane compound. The only caveat regarding thermoplastics is that solvents will erode them, so cleaning is done either with alcohol or simply soap and water.

Pricing Hunter has taken a very aggressive approach to pricing the new 216. Though prices in the daysailer market cover a broad spectrum, in many cases the least desirable pricing characteristics offered by companies include a long list of optional equipment and the phrase “FOB the Factory.” Though nice for some buyers, such options and purchase restrictions are possible deterrents.

Hunter avoids both conditions by including a sailaway package that is just that. The standard equipment with the 216 includes North Sails mainsail and jib, Harken furler, and a trailer, priced at $13,995, including delivery, regardless of destination in the lower 48 (for a limited time, we’re told). The optional spinnaker package, including bowsprit and asymmetrical sail, will add approximately $1,600 to the total.

Performance We sailed the Hunter 216 twice at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands, not long after the resort had taken delivery of a fleet of them for use by guests, and to serve as one-design racers in the various regattas run at the resort. Both outings occurred in light breezes between 6 and 10 knots (unusually light for that area). For the first sail we ventured out solo; for the second we took along a novice sailor. In both instances the boat moved quickly and smoothly through the flat water, responding well to the helm and giving light, even feedback through the tiller. It heeled and accelerated in the puffs without increased leeway; tacked and jibed effortlessly. Though it’s not a speedster, it certainly offers a better turn of speed than most family daysailers with equal comfort and stability.

The tiller and mainsheet are appropriately located for the helmsman, and tacking the small roller-furling jib involves minimal labor. Getting underway requires nothing more than raising the main, unfurling the little jib, and casting off. Back on the mooring, or headed for the trailer, raising the 500-pound keel with the hydraulic lever pump takes about 70 throws, which meant a couple minutes’ effort, but was not hard on the muscles. Overall, this is a very simple and gratifying boat to sail in its essential form, and in those breezes.

The cockpit is remarkably open, and thus it’s easy to move anywhere about the boat. The long bench seats are comfortable, and offer good back support. In the two boats we sailed, there were no handholds anywhere on the coamings, and a complete lack of non-skid on the seats and cockpit well. The boats as they were would have been very slippery and hard to hang onto when heeled well over in a breeze.

The BEYC is a true proving ground: New sailboats see more use and abuse here in six months there than most boats do in a lifetime. We took our tests sails soon after designer Glenn Henderson had departed after inspecting the BEYC fleet. His visit was precipitated by problems with the masts pumping and inverting in the BVI’s heavy air. As a result, the spreader brackets had to be beefed up, and the masts braced better in the partners by the addition of a retention pin and mast collar. These measures had shored up the spars for our visit, and BEYC personnel were already designing handhold and non-skid solutions.

We canvassed BEYC sailing staff then, and for this review, to glean their true feelings regarding the boat. On balance, those feelings are quite positive. First (and near foremost, for them) the boat is tough. As one person said, “The thermoplastic construction is excellent—we’ve had plenty of hard contact between boats in three major pro-level regattas, and there are no dings, no scratches.”

The boats in the BEYC fleet are also tender, however, when the breeze builds to 20 knots and there are only two people aboard. The reason may be that the boats in that fleet are stripped out—they carry no loose gear or amenities, no outboard engine and fuel tank, no loaded cooler, or any of the trappings of the typical family daysailer. Consequently, they are quite buoyant and sit high on their lines. When they heel over with low crew weight, they can’t take proper advantage of Henderson’s modern underwater shape, which would otherwise help transform wind pressure into efficient horsepower. It was noted that when the boats are more heavily loaded, that tenderness disappears. Consequently, members of the BEYC staff are working on simple ballast solutions for their fleet. This tenderness shouldn’t be a problem with normal loading (and in more moderate wind conditions), but you should be aware of it nonetheless.

Cutter Smith explains that non-skid surfacing in the cockpit is now standard on all production 216s, as are reinforced spreader brackets.

We give Henderson’s VARA rudder system high marks for the excellent shape of its high-aspect rudder, and for the versatility of the system itself: It allows the rudder to be raised or removed for roll-on/roll-off trailering, easy beaching, and maintenance, yet behaves like a permanent rudder with tube, stock, and bearings, set inboard of the transom. The VARA “pod” also allows for a centerline engine mount and a small transom scoop, and makes the boat look clean and fast. Some of the BEYC boats had problems with the ball bearings in their assemblies, but these were apparently caused by an isolated installation glitch that has been resolved.

The 216 is a welcome addition to the entry-level market, and we suspect that it will be embraced as well by experienced sailors who just want to get out for a lively, easy sail, with no rigging hassles, few control lines, and no extra crew requirements.

Contact – Hunter Marine Corp., 386/462-3077, www.huntermarine.com .

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Log in to leave a comment

Latest Videos

Cabo Rico 34 Boat Review

Super Shallow Draft Sailboat: The Leeboard Sharpie

Hans Christian 41T – Boat Review

Seven dead after superyacht sinks off Sicily. Was the crew at...

Latest sailboat review.

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Online Account Activation
• Privacy Manager

• Hunter Parts Store

Hunter 216 Parts

• Copyright 1998-2024 SB Owners, LLC. All rights reserved.

• Policies | Contact Us

× You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

We Ship Worldwide! | FREE SHIPPING! for US Continental orders over $99. Click for details.

Shopping Cart

Your cart is currently empty..

FREE SHIPPING! for US Continental orders over $99 click for details

Hunter 216 - Sailboat Data, Parts & Rigging

Sailboat data, rig dimensions and recommended sail areas for Hunter 216 sailboat. Tech info about rigging, halyards, sheets, mainsail covers and more.

Sailboat Data directory for over 8,000 sailboat designs and manufacturers. Direct access to halyards lengths, recommended sail areas, mainsail cover styles, standing rigging fittings, and lots more for all cruising and racing sailboats.

MAURIPRO Sailing offers a full range of sailboat and sailing information to help you find the correct sailboat part, one that properly would fit your sailboat and sailing style. Our sailor's and sailboat owner support team are ready to talk with you about your specific sailing needs, coming regatta, or next sailing adventure.

From all at MAURIPRO, let's Go Sailing!

Copyright © 2024 MAURIPRO Sailing LLC.

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Hunter 216 is a 21 ′ 5 ″ / 6.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Glenn Henderson and built by Hunter Marine starting in 2003.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

ABS plastic contruction (Luran®) Hydraulically lifting keel. Lifting ‘VARA’ rudder system. Replaced (2010) with a newer HUNTER 22, built of more conventional FG.

Embed this page on your own website by copying and pasting this code.

Discover Related Sailboats

Hunter 22-2.

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• About The Boat
• Boat Review Forum
• SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Hunter Sailboat Quality?

• Add to quote

I'm looking at purchasing a 1986 Hunter. Is this a well built boat and are there any costly items that I should consider? Any comments would be a great help.  

Intended Usage? That is a pretty broad question? Just curious what your have budgeted for a boat purchase? What your intended use of the boat would be? What is the general condition of the hunter 36? It is a 22 year old boat and I would ask what has been replaced and how recent? Personally, I an looking at multi hulls so any mono hull is out of the question.. That being said, My dad purchased a hunter 33 04' and maintains it well and it has had no problems. In fact He is leaving Tomorrow for three weeks of WA state and Canada sailing. My Aunt owns a Hunter 420 (older) and has had no problems. She will also be out sailing as well.. I have attended the annual Hunter marine get to gatherings for the past three years in the PNW and have had the oppotunity to go on many of the boats and also talk to many of the owners. Very few seem dissappointed in thier purchase. To my knowledge most purchased new or relatively new boats and have maintained them. A 22 year old boat will probably have had many owners and many systems should have been replaced after 22 years usage... If I was buying a 22 year old car, RV or home I am thinking how it was maintained might tell me if the item will be a head ache... As far as Quality, well that is a pretty subjective question... After 22 years any boat could be a piece of crap if neglected... Like wise a 20 year old sedan might meet my needs- then again if I was pulling a boat or RV, I am thinking I might desire a 4x4... Goes to usage... That hunter will not take you across the ocean. It should be pretty inexpensive and might make a fun boat sailing in protected waters... If your looking for Hunter bashers- there are no shortage of them on the net.. Many of them I have noticed get real OVER sensitive when the same is said about the boat they own, ie: The Spendy Tartan and its recent mess ups to include the company cover up... Another thread.... The same people will be quick to boat bash Hunters, Catalina and the Bene's however, lol... Hope you find the Boat that meets Your Needs in your price range... Have Fun and enjoy... Best of Luck....  

serenity4u2 said: If your looking for Hunter bashers- there are no shortage of them on the net.. Many of them I have noticed get real OVER sensitive when the same is said about the boat they own, ie: The Spendy Tartan and its recent mess ups to include the company cover up... Another thread.... The same people will be quick to boat bash Hunters, Catalina and the Bene's however , lol Click to expand...

XJ...whatever you do...get a survey and get a separate engine survey. Hunters of that era were not particularly well made and were designed to hit a price point and serve well for basic sailing needs in protected waters. As such they can be an excellent value today if they have been kept well and your need are for a boat in protected waters and weekend cruising.  

Iflyka200s said: ...If your looking for Hunter bashers- there are no shortage of them on the net... Just like Catalina bashers... Great and well reasoned post BTW... Nicely done.. Click to expand...

I've been cruising the Bahamas and FL Keys on my 1981 Hunter 30, mostly single handed, since 2000. My boat has proven perfectly adequate for my needs. That being said, any older boat should be surveyed before purchase. I would point out that the problems I have had with my boat; broken prop strut (electrolysis), water pump, alternator, exhaust hose, shifter cable, standing and running rigging, chain plates, bow pulpit, etc., were replaced because of age, not quality of construction. The only unusual repair I had was making an epoxy container to fit around the corroded metal block my mast was stepped on. I have found my Hunter 30 to be more than suitable for coastal cruising and trips to the Bahamas. I would not hesitate to purchase another Hunter product.  

I also have the 1981 Hunter 30 with a 2qm15. I am new to sailing and boats in general. I would like to talk to you about this boat when you have a chance  

I've had a 34 foot '83 Hunter for two years without any real complaint. Most of my issues have been with PO "upgrades". Like some of the other posters have said get a good survey. Like the birds say the nice thing with Hunters is they are cheap, cheap, cheap. Sailing in the Cheasapeake bay I couldn't see spending big $ on a boat. Now if you are talking long distance ocean crusing you might want to look at something else.  

My father had a late 70's hunter 33 that he bought new. It was totally neglected all of its life. It got a haul out every 4 or 5 years. And my dad does not believe in preventive anything, so nothing got touched unless it was broken. After 20 plus years of ownership he finally sold the old girl to someone more caring and I am told she is still sailing around Lake Ponchatrain. We never had any real problems even though we never took care of our boat. Used boats or like used cars (IMO), Check them out as much as you can, try to negotiate a good deal for yourself and hope for the best. Good Luck!  

As other have implied, it's all about the condition of the boat; not the nameplate on it. A derelict Morris or Alden will cause problems for you, regardless of where or how you sail, much moreso than a well-maintained Hunter or any other brand for that matter. One of the reasons most people avoid this forum is the apparent density of self-proclaimed experts who seem to enjoy bashing anything other than what they currently own and I seriously doubt any of them have sailed a Hunter extensively offshore enough to form an informed objective opinion. I've had the opportunity to cruise extensively when younger and can tell you first-hand that no one anchored in any S Pac motu spend any time talking about which brand boat is best/worst suited for cruising - they all spent all their time talking about repair and maintenance issues regardless of who made it. It should be apparent to you how seriously you should take anyone who makes generalized criticisms of anything.  

k1vsk said: I've had the opportunity to cruise extensively when younger and can tell you first-hand that no one anchored in any S Pac motu spend any time talking about which brand boat is best/worst suited for cruising - they all spent all their time talking about repair and maintenance issues regardless of who made it. Click to expand...

Mike...welcome. The 20 is a decent boat to learn on but carefully check the keel centerboard trunk for leaks and the winch for proper operation. This seems to be a real problem spot on these boats but it is not a big deal to fix. Some owner reviews here: Hunter 20 owner reviews  

camaraderie said: Mike...welcome. The 20 is a decent boat to learn on but carefully check the keel centerboard trunk for leaks and the winch for proper operation. This seems to be a real problem spot on these boats but it is not a big deal to fix. Click to expand...

I posted a review in the hunters forum for all the interested in a Hunter boat. It is too long to repeat here.  

Remember the Original Post The original post was regarding a 32 y/o boat... Hunter or any 32 y/o boat will obviously need a survey. A 32 y/o hunter will probably be a very inexpensive price... As posted in earlier post, I sail on two family owned Hunters... Both newer and also maintained well... As I posted earlier- be it a Boat, RV, Auto or even a Home... Many people buy what they "think" they can afford... Meaning they can afford the payment and not much more.... I know people who buy expensive cars and have not enough money to properly maintain them, where as some Dodge owners do the regular scheduled maintenace... A Dodge Intrepid is No BMW... Yet, I'd prefer a well maintained used Dodge over a poorly maintained BMW... As a home owner, I change my central air filters every month- I have a friend who when seeing me purchase a new filter asked how often it should be changed... He had not changed his in FIVE years- it was black... Like wise I have my AC & Heating serviced by the company that installed it every Six months.... I am amazed at how dirty the inside of my Gas furnace is after SIX months as well as the heating and the cooling element / coil... In reality a 32 y/o Hunter is a low end production boat that in ALL likely hood will have had numerous owners. A real likely hood that you will not have a 32 y/o well documented history of boat upkeep... That being said, it should be a fairly inexpensive boat and may meet coastal and sailing in protected waters... If the boat meets your needs and "real" cost (not just purchase price)- enjoy it and take care of it for the next buyer... Best of Luck.....  

Bummer What a bummer, although I have met no unhappy hunter owners on the past three or four hunter gatherings here in the PNW.... I know that 45CC is pretty spendy-mmm thinking 300K.... Thinking if I was spending that kind of money I'd look elsewhere then a hunter. At least they service it lol... Depending on your location- thinking I could do better on a water front condo in the 300K range and be content with my 37' tayana...  

serenity, it was 478,000 when all was said & done and yes, I am very, very content with my Tayana  

Wow Wow Pappy, that is very spendy and about 100K more then I would have thought... Like I said, I would have boaugt a waterfront condo on land and kept my tayana... Thinking a 30 y/o tayana 37 probably lists for around 75K- Just a Guess.... I have had family and people I know who have had great luck with thier hunters... I still would NEVER spend 475K on a hunter 45CC... I have not priced Tayana's.. I am thinking tayana's are comprable to Valients- sorry if they are not and that offends any out there... I am thinking you could have boaught a slightly used Tayana or Valient in the 45 foot range for a half a million... Or better- ditch ALL three and get the new PSC 40PH.... Just my bias and not meant to be offensive...  

Thanks for all the input. I've heard around the Yacht Club the same talk I'm hearing in this forum. How then would a Hunter compare to a Tartan, Irwin or Ericson? Mid 1980's, 30 to 35 ft. I'll be using it to sail the Great Lakes and a little dock condo-ing! Thanks again!  

Apples to Oranges Xj, You get what you pay for, in the case of Tartan's and Ericson's you pay more you get more. My 1986 Hunter 31 (previous boat) was a very nice Ches. Bay boat worth every penny I paid for it, I know simply because that is what I paid for it. Personally I could have lived on it, after I put 5k into the interior and some much needed maintenance it was a fine old boat worth exactly what I sold it for- again, I know that because that's what I got when I sold it. Now, show me two boats for the exact same price, same length, same intended usage and then we can compare red apples to yellow apples.  

Love my Vintage Hunter In part it may be because I know no other boat as well as I know my own, but I love my 77 Hunter. The PO didn't do much in his last years of ownership but at least he did no harm. While I have not faced a hurricane on her on open water in the Chesapeake she has brought me home when I have heard others mounting distress calls. When I brought her home after I bought her 2 years ago we left the quiet waters of the Putexent into the teeth of a 40 mph wind with gusts into the 60's. If we'd known what we were heading into we would have never left port, but as it was it brought us home safe. Being a green sailor, its only my 4th year on the water after a 40 plus year layoff I have done my share of stupid things, but she has always forgiven me and gotten us both home. There are no doubt stronger better boats out there but there are few as forgiving. I also would point out virtually nothing its age can go to wind like this boat does. Several times I have out run far newer longer boats when heading to wind, that with a green sailor at the helm so don't let people talk you out of an older Hunter.  

The one Hunter I would avoid is a 1975 to 1977 27 footer. On this boat Hunter made a huge design flaw. On mine the entire bottom of the boat delaminated around the keel and it nearly fell off while they were launching it! It was 6 years old at the time. The flaw was that rather than molding a keel stub on the hull which increases the thickness of the internal stringers, they molded a recess in the hull to fit the top of the keel. This recess cut into the stringers at the center and made them way too thin to support the keel stresses. The problem got fixed on the 1978 version. Gary H. Lucas  

I would be very interested in hearing about the details on why you would not purchase a Hunter. I can see why someone would navigate towards a Bristol. Yet, a Hunter is one boat that I have never tillered. On the Sailboat Data website they don't list what the ballast was/is. As these are often 1970s and 1980s boats, that makes me nervous as I have owned two late 1960s Columbias and I knew exactly what that keel was. I have zero experience on Hunters and want to learn more so I know more about what what I am looking at. Thank you.  

Well, if the Korean War can end after almost 70 years, then maybe there's hope for ending the Hunter bashing. Naaaaaaahhhh!  

As others have mentioned, condition is the most important consideration when buying a 30 year old sailboat. One very costly item is sails. I can't over-emphasize the importance of having sails with a good shape. They are the "engine" of the boat. The shape of dacron sails deteriorates long before they start to fall apart. The structure may appear to be sound (ie no rips), but the shape might be old and baggy to a skilled eye. Unless the dacron cloth is crispy and new and clean, and are less than 5-10 years old (depending on how much they have been used), they are probably due for replacement sooner or later. Shape is hard to evaluate for an untrained eye. If you want help evaluating the shape of the sail, you may want to snap a few pictures during the sea trial. Take pics looking up from under the middle of the foot and post them here and PM me and I'll take a look at the shape for you. Judy Sailmaker  

Sock puppet perhaps.  

When buying an 30+ year old boat, - a boat has been constantly upgraded and maintained is a better choice.  

• ?            
• 176.4K members

Top Contributors this Month

• Forums New posts Unanswered threads Register Top Posts Email
• What's new New posts New Posts (legacy) Latest activity New media
• Media New media New comments
• Boat Info Downloads Weekly Quiz Topic FAQ 10000boatnames.com
• Classifieds Sell Your Boat Used Gear for Sale
• Parts General Marine Parts Hunter Beneteau Catalina MacGregor Oday
• Help Terms of Use Monday Mail Subscribe Monday Mail Unsubscribe

purchase a Hunter 216?

• Thread starter DCL
• Start date Apr 4, 2011
• Hunter Owner Forums
• Smaller Boats

I'm looking to purchase a sailboat that I can trailer easily but is stable and large enough (especially the cockpit) to be comfortable for 4 adults and 2 children. I had a capri 14.2 in the past and know I want something larger. The 216 looks really good for this purpose, but I'm concerned about the reports and pictures of the cracking due to the hull manufacturing process. Should the 216 be eliminated from consideration based on these issues? Other models i'm considering are the early H19, the H18.5 and oday mariner 2+2. I'm open to other models, but these seems to be available and fair representation of what I think I want.  

Barnacle Bill

Everyone is probably scared to comment. But, I have seen cracking in those boats that have that construction method. I also saw a 216 with a Hobie float atop the mast. Does that mean it is tender? J Boats first had their JY line of daysailors built by the same method and they had terrible cracking problems. I believe they sold it off to Hunter who expanded on the designs. The whole concept was neat, but the cracks did appear. I know of one 216 in our area that was so bad that they had the whole deck replaced. So.......  

not a fair question Thanks for the response. I guess it is not really a fair question; I'm new to the forum and looking to learn from the experience of the group. I found the design of the 216 very appealing, but don't want to jump into a huge problem of cracking based on the cases that have been seen by many. All boat have maintence requirements, but I'm not looking for extra projects. Right now the new H22 is beyond my budget so I guess I'll have to find another model.  

Ken Prichard

There was a couple of 216's at our marina with real bad cracks. I've been told they were written off. I sailed a 18.5 for 4 years and thought it was great. If you find one in good condition that meets your budget I think you wil like it. Don't have any experience with the other boats you mentioned.  

Lee C - H31

Not a pervasive problem While there are certainly some problems with this construction, I don't thing it is pervasive. I have a 2005 H216 with no such problems. Never heard of a float on the mast of an H216. One reason I like the boat is the lead keel provides stability. I think any small boat will be tender. One benefit of the H216 is the very large, open cockpit. Lots of room to move around. It's a great day sailer.  

Same thoughts on design The characteristics you describe are the same one I like for this boat.  

We have had a 2004 216 for 4 years. It is a tender boat especially in choppy conditions. But I would recommend her for folks looking for a daysailer or looking for a challenging boat to race with a high excitement factor and steep learning curve. The plastic cracks in colder climates when water is able to get into an seam/hole and expand with below freezing conditions. I have noticed hairline cracks near the chain plates but was able to stop and easily repair them. These were unrelated to weather and just natural age. The acp plastic is on the outside with a foam core and an inner fiberglass shell. The new hunter 22 is a better design and now fully fiberglass vs acp (essentially plastic). This adds a few hundred lbs of displacement which I would personally like. We started daysailing and have since begun racing with a 198 phrf rating. The sail area to displacement ratio with main/jib is around the mid 30s. With main and spinnaker it is around the 50s. She is "easy" to sail, but challenging to sail well. As you can tell with those ratios the 216 has a lot of sail in proportion. This is what adds to the challenge. She is is also very beamy in relation to other boats in her size. Which is nice for cockpit room, but not great on the performance aspect b/c she really needs to be kept pretty flat upwind to point well. The vara rudder is ok. Gotta make sure the bearings are delran otherwise the helm sticks. The swing keel design is also ok. The hydraulic that raises the keel is very powerful. People over tension and it pulls the blots out of the keel. The keel cable also comes off. We added a piece of plastic in front of the pulley guide to prevent this. The keel also swings in rougher conditions. Door stops help. We have customized heavily, replaced the vang, added spinnaker package, new sails, electric, vberth, lighting, radio,traveler, lighter higher tech sheets, mast wedge, and added a keel gasket. The mast is relatively easy to step. The shrouds are easy to tension and tune. She is light on the trailer. Had we not started racing we would've probably never made 3/4 of the mods we have made. From a family daysailer perspective you can't ask for anything easier. If you want to cruise or go longer distances this not the boat. If you want to quickly go for a sail without the hassle then this is the right boat. If you want to go for mr toads wild ride in heavy conditions then this is the right boat. If you want to play it calm then take her out in 5-10 kts and save the 10-15+ kts as you gain experience. Hope this helps.  

We bought our 2008 H216 in July 2009. So far, I would say the experience has been consistent with Paul's. Lots of fun to sail, especially in a bit of wind (with enough weight in the crew!) I have certainly worried about cracking over the past 2 winters, but here in Toronto, they've been pretty mild compared to Ottawa or Wisconsin (where the ugly crack pix have originated) If you do not live somewhere which gets to -30C (say -23 F) then my sense is the cracking issue may not be such a worry. I checked out the new H22 at the Boat Show in January, and, though I like the fiberglass construction, standard jib fairlead rails and windows in the cubby, I do not like the new rudder placement. Good luck! Jamie  

I had a 99' Hunter 170 that lived in Virginia it's entire life, never saw lower than maybe +15 F and it grew cracks regularly. It wasn't very hard to repair but not a boat that will last many years if left outdoors. The ACP product just won't last for decades like fiberglass.  

• This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more…