hunter 39 sailboat data

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• Sailboat Guide

Hunter 39 is a 39 ′ 5 ″ / 12 m monohull sailboat designed by Glenn Henderson and built by Hunter Marine starting in 2009.

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)

SHOAL DRAFT (wing keel)VERSION: Draft – 5’/1.52 m Displacement – 18,501 lbs/8,391 kg Ballast – 6,027 lbs/2,734 kg

P – Furling 50.25’/15.32 m Inboard Engine – Optional 40 HP

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The Hunter 39 is a 39.42ft b&r designed by Glenn Henderson and built in fiberglass by Hunter Marine (USA) since 2009.

The Hunter 39 is a light sailboat which is a very high performer. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a fast cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a short water supply range.

Hunter 39 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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The Hunter 39 Sailboat

The Hunter 39, a B&R rigged fractional sloop, was designed by Glenn Henderson and built in the USA by Hunter Yachts.

Published Specification for the Hunter 39

Hull Type:  Fin keel and spade rudder

Hull Material:  GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall:  39'4" (12.00m)

Waterline Length:  34'8" (10.6m)

Beam:  12'11" (3.9m)

Draft:  6'6" (2.0m)

Rig Type:  B&R Rig

Displacement:  18,077lb (8,200kg)

Designer:  Glenn Henderson

Builder:  Hunter Yachts (USA)

Year First Built:  2009

Published Design Ratios for the Hunter 39

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio:  23.1

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  31.0

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio:  194

• Under 100: Ultralight
• 100 to 200: Light
• 200 to 275: Moderate
• 275 to 350: Heavy
• Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio:  25.6

• Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
• 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
• 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
• 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
• Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   2.0

• Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
• Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Hunter 39

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 23.1 suggests that, in the right hands, the Hunter 39 will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern. 

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 31.0 means that a sailboat like the Hunter 39 (which doesn't have a stiffness-enhancing bulb keel), is likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 194, tells us the Hunter 39 is clearly a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer dramatically.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 25.6 suggests that crew comfort of a Hunter 39 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 indicates that a Hunter 39 would not be the wisest choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making owing to the lower resistance to capsize in strong winds and heavy seas that is associated with similar sailboats with a CSF of 2.0 and above.

The Hunter 39: Key Features

• The Hunter 39 sailboat is a modern and sleek boat that features a rugged ocean-going hull that bears the CE “A” Classification. The deck profile and hull shape are sleek and modern, and the extended hull improves sailing performance.
• The Hunter 39 is a light sailboat that is a very high performer. It is reasonably stable/stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a fast cruiser.
• The Hunter 39 has two cabins with double berths and two heads with shower. The galley is located to port of the companionway and includes a two-burner stove with oven, microwave, refrigerator/freezer, double sink, and plenty of storage. The navigation station is located to starboard of the companionway and includes a chart table with storage and an electrical panel.
• The Hunter 39 has an in-mast furling mainsail system. The mast is deck-stepped and the boat has an aft cockpit.
• According to Cruising World , the Hunter 39 is modern in design and clean in execution. It's well worth a look for the owner who wants to take off with family or friends for a weekend, vacation, or longer in comfort and safety.
• The Hunter 39 sailboat is intended for offshore sailing. It has an easy comfortable motion at sea under sail and performs well in light winds.

Glenn Henderson is a yacht designer from the United States who has designed a number of sailboats that were built by Hunter Yachts. In 2012, the Hunter brand was acquired by David Marlow and renamed Marlow-Hunter.

The company's main manufacturing facilities and headquarters are located in Florida, and additional factories were built in the early 2000s in Connecticut and the UK.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

Other sailboats in the Hunter range include:

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Fin w/spade rudder

Specifications HUNTER 39

Home - Sailboat Listings 2009 - 39.42 ft / 12.02 m - Glenn Henderson - Hunter Yachts (USA)

HUNTER 39 Sailboat Data

Hull Type: Fin w/spade rudder Rigging Type: B&R LOA: 39.42 ft / 12.02 m LWL: 34.67 ft / 10.57 m S.A. (reported): 991.00 ft² / 92.07 m² Beam: 12.92 ft / 3.94 m Displacement: 18,077.00 lb / 8,200 kg Ballast: 5,603.00 lb / 2,541 kg Max Draft: 6.50 ft / 1.98 m Construction: FG First Built: 2009 Builder: Hunter Yachts (USA) Designer: Glenn Henderson

Information from  sailboatdata.com .

Type Engine: Diesel HP: 29 Fuel: 36 gals / 136 L Water: 75 gals / 284 L Hull Speed: 7.89 kn

2013 Hunter 39

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Cruising sailboat 39 3-cabin 2-cabin with deck saloon

Characteristics

12 m (39'04" )

3.94 m (12'11" )

1.52 m, 1.98 m (4'11" , 6'05" )

8.39 t (9.25 us ton)

92 m² (990 ft²)

40 ch (40 hp)

136 l (36 gal)

284 l (75 gal)

Description

Other Marlow Hunter products

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Review of Hunter 39

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season.

The boat is equipped with 7-9 berths and 285.0 liter fresh water capacity.

The Hunter 39 is equipped with a fin keel. A boat with a fin keel is more manoeuvrable but has less directional stability than a similar boat with a full keel.

The boat can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 1.98 - 2.08 meter (6.50 - 6.80 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Hunter 39 is 1.95, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

Hunter 39 holds one CE certification:

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 7.9 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Hunter 39 is about 279 kg/cm, alternatively 1562 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 279 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1562 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 47m 2 (505 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

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Quick Look: Hunter 39

• By Alvah Simon
• Updated: December 23, 2009

The Hunter 39 provides a fresh look with its redesigned topside. And with its length-to-beam ratio of 3:1 and ample headroom throughout, the interior layout is designed to provide all the comforts of home as well. Standout features above deck are twin helms that provide unbeatable visibility; convenient open-cockpit entry aft; and Hunter’s signature B&R rig, with its overhead traveler arch. This configuration, combined with “wraparound” placement of winches and sail controls, creates a safe and workable helm station.

The interior offers an athwartship owner’s cabin aft, a V-berth cabin forward, an L-shaped galley, spacious dining and lounging areas, and a standard flat-screen television. The boat will be at home in coastal or near offshore waters as a comfortable and stylish family cruiser and is big enough to set out on even longer voyages.

LOA 39′ 5″ LWL 34′ 8″ Beam 12′ 11″ Draft 5′ 0″/6′ 6″ Sail Area 702 sq. ft. Displacement 18,501 lb. Water 75 gal. Fuel 36 gal. Engine 40-hp. Yanmar Designer Glenn Henderson/ Hunter Design Team Price $195,900 Hunter Marine (800) 771-5556 www.huntermarine.com

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 31 - 40 ft , Coastal Cruising , marlow-hunter , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
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2011 Hunter 39

2011 hunter 39 specs.

• Boat Type : Monohull Sailboats
• Quantity: 1
• Horse Power: 29
• Type: Diesel
• Hull Material : Fiberglass
• Beam : 12'11"
• Length : 39'
• Net Weight : 18501 lbs
• Looking for the Boat Manual? 2011 Hunter Boats 39 Request Boat Manual Now

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2011 Hunter 39 Technical Specs

General data about hunter 39.

Engine and Power Specs

Dimensions And Wieght

Detailed Specifications

Features And Equipments

Sailing features.

Safety Features

Other Equipments

Interior Specifications

Electronical And Electrical Info

Deck Hardware

• Hunter provided us with the latest version of its 39 service repair manual
• Find All mechanical and electrical parts and accessories of Hunter 39 Sail here

Hunter 39 competitors

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Hunter 30: Still the Affordable Fantasy

Production coastal cruiser offers a lot of boat for not a lot of bucks..

Hunter Marine began building auxiliary sailboats in 1974, largely as the result of the first oil embargo and the new energy consciousness that followed. Founded by Warren Luhrs, Hunter began as a division of the powerboat-maker Silverton Yachts, which was interested in expanding its offerings and taking advantage of the new interest in saving fuel.

The companys aim was high-volume production, keeping prices low by standardizing design, making as few tooling changes as possible, and offering its boats fully equipped-while other companies were selling things like bow pulpits and lifelines as options on a 30-foot boat. The original Hunter boats were marketed as the affordable fantasy and came with sails, dock lines, fenders, life jackets, and fire extinguishers, in what Hunter called the Cruise Pak of standard features. About the only option available on the early Hunters was a choice of shoal- or deep-draft keel.

Photo by CeCe Stoldt

In 2012, Hunter Marine was sold to David Marlow, the builder of Marlow Yachts. With this change of ownership came a change in corporate goals and product offerings. Hunter Marine began-like its chief competitor, Catalina Yachts-with a small group of standardized models. From 1974 through 1977, it offered only the Hunter 25, 27, and 30 models, and from 1977 through 1979, the builder added only the 33 and 37. Today, Hunter-Marlow makes nine production models ranging from trailerable daysailors (15 to 22 feet) to mid-size (27 to 37 feet) and large (40 to 50 feet) keelboats.

Also, Hunters high-volume-production business model has been replaced with the Marlow ethos, which is more focused on yacht-level quality than production volume. Marlow-Hunter produces about 100 boats each year, including trailerable and cruising sailboats, as well as Mainship powerboats, according to Greg Emerson, Marlow-Hunters director of sales.

The Hunter 30

Designed by John Cherubini and built from 1974 to 1983, the Hunter 30 is a coastal cruiser that was designed to offer a lot of boat for little money. With a focus on streamlining construction to boost production volume, Hunter aimed to offer an affordable coastal racer-cruiser. More than 1,000 Hunter 30s were built over the nine-year production run; however, a number of them were sold as Quest 30s, which was essentially a sail-away, bare-hull kit boat, and the purchaser completed the interior and the fitting out.

For this report, we checked out a 1980 Hunter 30 (hull #934) and a 1978 model (hull #568). In contrast to later Hunters, the early Cherubini-designed models were conservative and conventional in design. The longer sister models-the 33 and 37-were, in our opinion, good-looking boats, moderately styled, with an attractive bow line and sheer, and a pleasing coachroof. The smaller boats, the 25 and 27, instead traded in some styling characteristics in order to pack a lot of room into a short waterline, which left them with higher-sided with boxier cabinhouses.

The 30 lies somewhere in between-handsome from some angles but a bit too flat in the sheer and high in the cabintop to impress traditionalists. Still, most of those traditionalists would consider it a much more attractive boat than the modern Euro-styled Hunters.

The 30s hull is very full-to maximize interior space-but otherwise, its quite typical of the racer-cruisers of the 1970s. Overall, the boat is 29 feet, 11 inches long-the maximum allowable length under the then-popular Midget Ocean Racing Club (MORC) rule. The short overhangs result in a long waterline, fundamental for sailing speed. The beam, at just a hair over 10 feet, is moderate by 1970s standards, but narrow in comparison to the big 30-footers that have appeared since. The Catalina 30, for example, is nine inches wider, and many current boats carry a foot more beam (and carry it further aft) than the Hunter 30.

A conventional fin keel, drawing 5 feet, 3 inches, was standard, with a 4-foot shoal keel as an option. We test-sailed the deep-keel version, and suspect it is much to be preferred, unless you absolutely need the shallower draft. Company literature lists the displacement and ballast as identical on both models. That would make the shallow-keel version more tender, requiring crew to reef early as the wind pipes up.

The foredeck is on the smaller side for anchor work and sail handling because the cabinhouse extends quite far forward. The 1978 and later models have an anchor well built into the foredeck that is self-contained and large enough to hold over 400 feet of rode, or enough for two anchors. The test boat we sailed had a furling jib, a desirable option in view of the smallish foredeck.

A significant shortcoming of the boats design is the narrow sidedecks. The wide cabinhouse makes it clear that the designers top priority was interior room, with deck work being a distant consideration. Its near impossible to get past the chainplates, especially on the leeward side when under a press of canvas, without climbing atop the cabinhouse.

The boat has a good cockpit, a bit smaller than some other 30-footers (again, a result of maximizing cabin space). A wheel was standard on the boat; its small, which is good for moving around the cockpit, but less than ideal for helming, in our opinion

A T cockpit became standard following the 1980 models, and some people preferred that arrangement; however, you could lie down on the older bench seats, and you can’t with the T. The bench seats would benefit from some sort of drain arrangement since they trap water. A deep lazarette behind the cockpit offers additional on-deck storage.

A peculiarity of the decks on the early Hunters is that the nonskid pattern was not molded in as is customary on fiberglass decks. Instead, a nonskid aggregate was painted on. Given the age of the Hunter 30, the original aggregate is likely long gone, and owners have had to apply fresh nonskid paint or nonskid mat. Fortunately, such a repair is straightforward and an easy (although time-consuming), do-it-yourself project (see PS August 2008 and November 2013 online).

On the boats we examined, there was minimal sail-handling equipment on deck-one pair of jib-sheet winches, a small halyard winch for the jib, no winch for the main halyard, no Cunningham or vang, no control lines on the traveler, no flattening reef, a single jiffy reef block, two jib lead blocks out on the toerail, and no backstay adjuster. However, most H30 owners have added deck gear over the years, including a running backstay, so what youll find on Hunter 30s today will run the gamut. A large number of Hunter 30 owners who responded to our survey reported that their boat was rigged for singlehanding, making it easy to sail with a short- or single-handed crew.

The original Hunter 30 owners manual was a great example of a good, clear, simple manual. It has always amazed us how many other boat builders provide the buyer with little or no printed information. If you happen to own or buy a Hunter 30 (or pretty much any older Hunter model) thats missing its manual, simply download the PDF of the original from the Hunter-Marlow website.

courtesy of Kasi McCain

The 30s interior was a strong selling point for the Hunter 30. Almost every owner that responded to our survey commented on the size of the boats interior-often relative to low price-when talking about their reasons for buying the 30.

The interior is well laid out, but plain. Theres a lot here for the money, however. Some of the original details could use changing-the alcohol stove, lack of vents, and small water tank-and many owners have upgraded or modified these systems.

The Hunter 30s layout is conventional, with a good V-berth forward, then a head with small hanging locker opposite, settee berths on each side of the saloon with a double, a drop-leaf table in the middle, an L-shaped galley, with the sink underneath the companionway, and a quarter berth, with a small chart table at its head. The berths are of good size, and on some boats, the port settee can convert to a double berth.

The head area is roomy with enough space for comfortable showering and a door for privacy. The interior also offers lots of storage for a boat this size: The hanging locker can accommodate plenty of clothes and has an overhead shelf; and there are three large storage lockers in the V-berth, plus a host of drawers and under-seat storage in the saloon.

The icebox on the boat we looked at had minimal insulation and would benefit from several more inches all around. Many owners reported having upgraded with icebox conversion kits.

The deckhouse is high and wide, and this gives a look of spaciousness below. The white hull liner overhead helps offset the extensive teak veneer on the bulkheads, ceilings, sole, and furniture.

There are adequate ports and hatches to allow in enough light. The opening portlights-Hunter was one of the first production boats to offer numerous opening ports as standard-offer good ventilation. If youre considering buying a Hunter 30 that has not had any ventilation upgrades, you will probably want to add some Dorades or solar vents to keep the air moving when the ports and hatches must be closed.

The finish downbelow is typical of low-cost production boats, which depend on pre-fab components that can be rapidly installed in the hull. In our owner surveys, there were a great many complaints about the original joinerwork, door hinges, and hardware. The original cabin sole was made of teak veneer, so in instances of water damage, it often cannot be repaired but must be replaced.

For the first four years of the Hunter 30s production, a 12-horsepower Yanmar diesel was standard. After 1978, standard power was a 15-horsepower Yanmar, followed by an 18-horsepower Yanmar.

The 12 was a particularly noisy engine; the later models were less so. Most of the owners who completed our survey thought the engines were minimal for powering the boat, especially in any kind of head seas; however, by traditional standards, even the 12-horsepower model should be adequate for the weight and length of the boat. Although the 12 is highly praised for its reliability, many people will find the later Hunter 30s to be more desirable because of their larger, smoother-running engines.

Engine accessibility was criticized by almost all of the owners who completed our survey. Access is awful, said one. You must be a left-handed midget to work on this engine.

We thought accessibility was far from ideal, but not excessively bad for this size boat. With a big interior and a small cockpit, its hard to stuff an engine under the cockpit sole without cramping.

The Hunter 30 we sailed (with a Yanmar 12) was well behaved under power; it backed nicely, turned crisply, and drove through strong winds (in protected water) with no problem. Our impression was that the engines vibration and noise were more of a concern than its power. Anyone buying the boat with the Yanmar 12 will probably want to spend the time to get perfect alignment. Wed also look closely at the engine mounts and the shaft-strut mounting.

Some owners have re-powered their boats, usually opting for a Yanmar 2QM15 or Yanmar 2GM20F diesel with good results. A two-blade solid prop was standard, but a number of owners refitted the boat with a three-blade solid prop to improve powering. We doubt if the gain would offset the loss in sailing ability.

Theres a full skeg ahead of the rudder. If you have to remove the propeller shaft for some reason, youll have to remove the engine first, or tear the skeg off. On the shoal-draft version, the skeg also is something of a grounding vulnerability as the rudder is about as deep as the foot of the keel.

We were pleasantly surprised by the sailing performance of the Hunter 30. We sailed one in a long, triangular race-two triangles, then windward-leeward-windward legs-in heavy air, a little over 20 knots at the start.

Considering that the test boat had almost no sail controls and old sails, and that the underbody was rough and a bit weedy, the boat moved very well, going to weather respectably in a serious racing fleet, and reaching and running competitively.

The jib we used was the 130-percent genoa on roller furling, and this was about right for the boat in those conditions. When the wind faded near the end of race, the boat was clearly under-canvassed.

The boat is slightly under-rigged with its short mast. To sail well in light air, especially with the solid prop that most 30s have, a sizeable genoa is required. One Florida Panhandle-based owner reports that she sails with a 155 or 170 genoa, both of which are ideal in light winds and can be reefed with furling if the wind picks up. This boat sails nicely and does better in higher winds than light wind. …. It responds very quickly when tacking and can almost sail itself in steady winds, she explained.

We agree: The 30 is a good sailing boat, responsive and easy to steer. Its PHRF rating of 186 (New England fleet) would probably be very favorable. If the boat were rigged with a full complement of sail-handling gear and modern sails, it should be able to stay with other 30-footers of the same era, such as the Pearson 30, Catalina 30 (not the tall rig), and ODay 30. Since sailing is what sailing is all about, our opinion of the Hunter 30 was improved dramatically when we took a first in the races main-and-jib class.

Conclusions

The Hunter 30 was a boat built to a price point-to appeal to the sailor who wanted a lot of boat at an affordable price.

As long as a buyer understands that, not expecting custom quality at barnyard prices, the Hunter 30 can be a good value in a used boat. Many on the used market today have been repowered and had systems upgrades added like refrigeration. Be sure to look for delamination issues, check the nonskid, and examine the cabinhouse around the mast for sagging, as many of these Hunters have had compression post issues.

Its easy to pay too much for a used boat these days, but for a good-condition, roomy coastal cruiser that can make a good showing around the buoys, the Hunter 30 can be had at a decent price-a lot of cruisability for minimal investment. Youll find Hunter 30s on the used-boat market to be priced about the same as comparable boats (Catalina 30 and Pearson 30), with an average pricetag of about $13,500.

Pros -Many have been re-rigged for easy singlehanding from the cockpit -Roomy cockpit for a 30-footer -Minimal topside brightwork -Sizeable anchor well on deck -Many have been upgraded to furling headsails -Handholds run the full length of cabin

Cons -Limited foredeck space -Very narrow sidedecks -Standard, original ventilation was lacking, needs upgrades -Pre-1980 bench seats trap water, need drain added

Hunter Marine built the 30 with an aim to maximize interior space. 1. The galley came standard with an alcohol stove, a deep ice box, and a small sink; many owners have updated the cooktop and added some type of refrigeration. The sink is too small to effectively wash dishes. 2. The settees offer full-length berths. 3. The H30 fits a fair bit of interior storage in a small space, including drawers behind and under the settees. 4. The V-berth has additional storage under the bed, which is large enough to comfortably sleep two (friendly) adults. 5. A very small nav desk and a full-length quarter berth are situated to port of the companionway. Electronics can be mounted inside the companionway.

In construction, the Hunter 30 is very conventional—an economical, solid-glass layup in the hull and a balsa-cored deck with plywood for backing under cleats. A conventional flange, with a through-bolted aluminum toerail joins the hull and deck together. The basic construction is quite a contrast to that of present-day Hunters, which can generally be described as highly engineered and Euro-styled, at the opposite end of the spectrum from the early Hunters like the 30.

Testers’ opinion of the fiberglass work was that it was good but a little light—marginal for offshore sailing but strong enough for typical coastal cruising.

On one of the Hunter 30s we looked at, there was extensive delamination of the cockpit sole and the bench seats. There also were signs of sloppy glass work—ragged edges and un-resinated glass—in compartments and other out-of-sight places.

Quality-control problems also were cited by a surprisingly high number of the Hunter 30 owners we surveyed for this article. The problems often mentioned included improperly hooked-up fuel-return lines, chafed hoses, leaking ports, poorly fitted hatch boards and lazarette covers, improperly installed exhaust systems, and so on.

The Hunter 30 compares favorably, in price and performance, to other production boats in the same size range and of similar vintage.

• Marlow-Hunter
• Hunter Owners Group

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Great review and enlightening! Thanks for your knowledge!

Great coverage on the 30! I owned a Hunter 30 1994-2000. Live aboard at Harbor Island San Diego. Very nice experience. Yes, the Yanmar 15 was a bit noisy. I thought For a while there was mechanical issues but Found out it was it’s nature.

Good article. I bought a 1977 Hunter 30, and it does sail surprisingly well for a older production boat. The engine works okay but is a bit noisy. It will soon be for sail as my daughter is the sailor and moved overseas for college.

Almost 40 years in my 1978 27 ft. Your comments were all on the mark. The original 8 hp gave out after 30 years and repowered with the 15 hp and replace the packing stuffing box with seal. Replaced the ports in the head and vee. For the time available I had to sail it worked out well. Fifteen years on Great Lakes and 22 plus in FL.

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• Thread starter Plankton
• Start date Mar 28, 2010
• Hunter Owner Forums

Going to splash a new 39 in two weeks. Anybody else "in the same boat?" Anybody had one out on the water yet?  

Wow, congratulations! Had to go and check her out: http://www.huntermarine.com/Models/39/39Index.html . Did not even know that Hunter made a two helm boat. So which draft and which engine? Text says "faux granite countertops". Does that mean they are NOT Corian? I'll assume you got the furling main. Any other features?  

Congrats... you must be excited to say the least. Saw the new 39 at the boat show this year and was very impressed. The "faux granite" is Corian. I like the twin helms and the separate helm station from the cockpit area. The other good thing Hunter has done is the solid wood floors vs. the laminate that seemed to warp. Also talked to a new 39 owner at the show and she had a huge grin on her face. Boat was commisioned in FLA from an Ontario dealer and they were headed for the Bahamas for a while before coming back to Canada.  

Ed, I got the 40 hp engine (actually 39 hp), shoal draft, furling main, 23in TV (my son is jacked up about this), chartplotter, autopilot, A/C (my wife is jacked up about this). Should be an exciting summer.:dance:  

Be sure to keep us updated on how you like the boat and how it handles.  

39_n_holding

Hunter 39 proud owners We took delivery of our Hunter 39 in December in Florida and love it, it handles well and is very comfortable. We sailed through the Exuma's very beautiful.  

Tim Schmidt

Plankton said: Going to splash a new 39 in two weeks. Anybody else "in the same boat?" Anybody had one out on the water yet? Click to expand

Just bought a brand new Hunter 39 this past Spring. While I enjoy sailing a new boat, we have had lots of issues that one would expect to not have with a new boat. The new wood floor has buckled in several spots. The salon table was cracked at delivery. Furling issues. And there are several electrical gremlins.-All of which, Hunter knows about, yet has chosen not to fix for the last 10 months. Between the dealer and the manufacturer, not a lot has been done to fix any of it. The boat has been available and accessible, so there are no excesses. I spoke to the rep from Hunter. I had told him that I called customer service several times ( no one ever answers) and left messages and no one ever returned my call ( 10 months and counting). He said that's typical, and wasn't surprised. I wish I had withheld some of the money on the front end as to incentivize these things being fixed and fixed properly. I am two months away from the end of warranty and it looks like its going to get messy. I don't want to scare anyone, but "caveat emptor" is a term you should be familiar with. I do enjoy sailing the boat, for all the same reasons we all do. But I feel that I got the short end of the stick from manufacturer and especially the dealer. I'd rather spend my spare time sailing, then trying to get these guys to fix these issues. "  

Chicago, we appreciate the contribution and your notes from experience. Buying a new boat and going through one or more of your issues is certainly too common. The manufacturers let stuff go out the door too sloppy figuring the dealer will tidy it up and the dealer tends to be hit and miss. I never had the patience to go through that, which is why I have never had a new boat or house. (Actually, I'm my wife's second too, now that I think of it...)  

I looked over the 39 again at this past Toronto Boat Show and was intrigued with the main sheet led back through a clutch on the arch beside the helm. How do you find this works. It seems you would have to adjust the main sheet when you shift the traveller? I do like the idea and was considering doing it on our boat.  

I like the jammer on the arch. It gives 3 options for tensioning the double-ended mainsheet: via the winch on the cabin roof, via the port-side aft winch or, in lighter wind, simply by manually 'bowing' the sheet and pulling through the jammer. As for the need to adjust the main on shifting the traveller, theoretically you are correct, as demonstrated by the angles in the attached jpg (which shows the car at the port end of the 1.25 m traveller). However, in practice it doesn't seem to be a problem. Maybe that is because I don't play the traveller enough - you've prompted me to pay more attention next time we're out.  

Attachments

I really liked the idea when I saw it at the show and took lots of pics. to see if I could do it on my 33. If I'm out with 4 or 5 others, it gets difficult to get the main quickly if I need to dump it in a gust, which we often do in the area I'm in. With the clutch at the helm, I could dump the maine easily if need be. I'll have to see how easy / hard it would be to weld on a plate for the clutch.  

Well, I think that Rick D hit the nail on the head with his comments. Unfortunately, in my particular situation the work ethic and customer service with the dealer is at best poor. I had to constantly stay on top of the dealer all winter to get my issues addressed. And I am still waiting for a new main sail (optional battened main) which I have trying to get this addressed since I bought the boat over a year ago! Again, I have to say this is very disappointing. The dealer said prior to purchasing the boat that they have someone in my marina every week and that if I had a problem, that it would be promptly addressed. Well, thats not the case. Also, I see from other posts that the squeaking can be fixed. Yet my dealer said there was nothing they could do. Is this correct? Anyone, anyone? Is there anyone out there on a HUNTER 39 specifically, that has the optional battened main that does not have problems? The other 39 in the area, is having issues and if it is a problem with the entire fleet, I will focus my attention elsewhere.  

I almost hate to suggest this, but if the factory is unresponsive and your dealer keeps ignoring you and the warranty period is rapidly approaching its end, a simple letter from your attorney to the dealer sometimes does wonders to put you at the top of the stack of work orders. It may cost you $100-200, but it can be money well spent sometimes. The squeaky wheel and all that.  

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