just starting the search for a boat

[dinah]

Greetings,

DH and I have decided to purchase a sailboat. I grew up sailing a Pearson 24 with my dad, and have been on land-locked for the past 2 decades The first round of considerations were between a 30-something-ft Pearson, Catalina, O-Day or Erikson. Not sure why exactly, like I said, we are just starting our discovery. I'd love input on these... but I've been distracted by a Craigslist listing for a 28 foot Bayliner Buccaneer (built in the 70's). I searched this forum and found some remarks that concerned me, and didn't know what to make of them. Is this a really bad boat? I found one an elderly couple is seeking to dump for 3000.00 My thinking goes like this: for 3 grand, we have a lot of room for error.... learning the feel of sailing again on a smaller boat might have some benefits... learning to maneuver in and out of a slip and crowded marina settings (we live near Detroit) might be easier in a smaller boat... once we know what we are doing, invest in a bigger boat.

I would love your input.

[kd3pc]

the bucs are as bad as you have heard....$3K or not they are junk...take that money and buy something else..

you will be much happier

dave

[dinah]

Ohhhh I found a Hunter 33.5, 1990 for 39,500.... This one is tempting... it is even bears the name of the boat I grew up on: "Impulse"!! Regarding heels - - are you sold on the hull that is shaped like an upside-down "T"? makes a lot of sense, they were not around back when i sailed.

[deniseO30]

Was a hunter 23.. in 11 months I knew I wanted at least a 30 something. fortunately I was able to sell the hunter for about what bought it for plus the costs of some of the upgrades. So in less then a year i went from a 23 to a 30 lol. I now have a Oday 30 and I'm very very glad I went larger. (almost bought a pearson 26) Most of my friends and family family aren't interested in sailing. so I solo as much as I can. Each time it gets a little bit easier to! Smaller is not always easier to handle. I hated the outboard,, reaching over the transom, ducking under the rail, trying to get the shift in reverse. Not being able to walk around the boat, not able to stand in the cabin. Now I could just about live on the boat! (may happen someday too, but I'd go larger) Hunters are nice boats.. but they seem to have low resale numbers.

All in all think about what you want to do with your boat. How you will use it. most of that should be your deciding factors.
good luck!

[k1vsk]

You may hear some bad things about hunters but most of the criticism is unfounded to put it politely. There were some issues with early 80's Hunters and the myth persists, however, an early 90's boat and particularly the --.5 series Hunters are all built as well as any comparable production type and better than some. The wing keel is almost ubiquitous among production boats these days and, although won't track quite as well as a fin, is a compromise to allow shallower draft plus adds some lift if sailed properly. As you probaly well know, as with any boat purchase, make sure it is contingent on a survey satisfactory to you. You can do your own analysis of asking prices on the internet and this model H holds it's value as well if not better than the competitors equivalent.

[dinah]

k1vsk: so would you prefer the fin to the "wing" keel (I am assuming this is what the "T" thing is called) the boats I'm looking at primarily are early to pre-1980, and don't seem to have the wing keel.

deniseO30: I sure hear you regarding leaning over the transom for an outboard - I was having flashbacks to trying to get an outboard into reverse to slow down entry to a slip and having it stall....

DH is 6'4" and would like to stand upright in cabin, and not have to sleep folded in half. I'm not sure we'll get 6'4" headroom in anything we can afford, but we'll have fewer issues in something 30ft-ish.

Thank you both!

[Jeff_H]

One minor point, K1VSK actually the 1980's era Hunters were very well constructed compared to the early 1990's Hunters at least according to my local surveyor friends. In fact during one discussion with a small group of surveyors and brokers back in the early 1990's there was a feeling that in many ways the Hunters of the 1980's were of roughly equivilient build quality to the Odays and Pearsons of that time, and with their lower price, better sailing ability, and better standard equipment package, that was what killed Pearson and Oday more than the minimal impact that the so-called luxury tax had on them.

Jeff

[k1vsk]

Dinah
More important than my preference for which type keel, it would be best for you to make your own judgement after learning the difference and estimating what yype of sailing you intend. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages. For example, if the place you plan to dock or moor the boat has a depth at MLW of 5 feet, obviously a deeper fin would be inappropriate. If you find or think you may easily run aground in your choosen cruising area, a fin is somewhat easier to dislodge. The sailing characteristics of each are similarly different but in your case, it may be a moot point if just leisurely cruising or a big deal if you think you will be racing.

JeffH - my apologies - I reversed the eras and you are absolutely correct

[TrueBlue]

In fact during one discussion with a small group of surveyors and brokers back in the early 1990's there was a feeling that in many ways the Hunters of the 1980's were of roughly equivilient build quality to the Odays and Pearsons of that time, and with their lower price, better sailing ability, and better standard equipment package, that was what killed Pearson and Oday more than the minimal impact that the so-called luxury tax had on them.

Seems like a logical supposition, since Hunter was one of a few price-boat builders that survived.

[RAGTIMEDON]

Headroom is a big issue with me, since I am 6'6" and the admiral is 6'1/2". I have looked at Hunter 33.5's and have a friend who has a 1992 model. The 1991's are about 6"4 inside, 92's are higher (I can stand easily in my friend's boat) and the last ones made before the 33.6's were back to 6'4! I finally gave up on finding one of the taller ones and bought a 1980 37 Endeavour (Mostly because the A and I love the all mahogany interior!) I have sailed on several Hunters, 30 to 36 feet of 90's vintage, and IMHO they sail really well.