SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Should I be looking at a 31 or a 33 Hunter?

50K views 21 replies 18 participants last post by  ianjoub 
#1 ·
I have sailed a 26 Macgregor for 14 years now and think it is time to move on. I was thinking of purchasing either a Hunter 31 or a 33. I sail the Delaware and the upper Chesapeake. I usually single handle and either day sail or short week cruces. I am looking for some prose and cons on either the 31 or the 33.
Thanks
Bill
 
#2 ·
If you're talking the new 31 and 33, they're supposed to be bettered designed, performance wise, than previous models. Some pro's, in my mind are, the fractional rig (easier to singlehand), cost, shoal keel option, comfortable and roomy.

Some con's, again, in my mind, small tankage and stowage, too many non sailing related "gadgets". They also seem more geared to time at rest, than in motion.

For what you have in mind though, I'd say it's a fairly good fit. A lot depends on how much money you're looking to spend.

Regards,
 
#4 · (Edited)
Bill,
Before reviewing boat specs, you need to review your own sailing "specs". Going from a 26' MacGregor to a 31' or 33" whatever make is a big step. Since, I too, am a solo sailor, and I found a world of differnece between my 27' Hunter to my 34' Hunter. I don't know your age and physical abilities (BTW, I'm 63) but you need to consider how the boat is set up for single handed sailing. PBreezer has good points about the 33 considerirng solo sailing.

I had a tiller on my old boat and everything was within arm's reach. Going to a wheel and probably a mid-boom rig is more challenging when the weather wants to get nasty real fast. It's a long walk up to the clutches in order to dump wind fast on a big boat. I sail Lake Michigan and we've been known to get an ugly blow without warning. I just hate leaving the wheel to pop the main sheet at the clutches. It was easy when the traveler was behind me. Harken hasn't yet been able to figure out a solution to getting my main sheet at my fingertips.

Now, on the pro side of "boatfootitis" aka bigger is nicer, I was on a guy's 30 foot O'Day and it was claustrophobic in comparison. I could hold a dance in my cabin but I felt like I was bouncing off the walls in his, so to speak. On the off chance you allow people aboard that have no "boat sense", a bigger boat is better for them too. They can get lost aboard and thereby leave you alone which is probably why you enjoy solo sailing like me. Bigger cabin = more comfortable cruising.

Go to a show: kick rudders; ignore the touristas as you sit in the boat and ponder. You're there to make a decision. They're just dreaming. I've overheard more wives talk about how "purrddy the kitchen is". Do you really care about that stuff?

Remember, you're part of a minority breed... a solo sailor. Think about your safety, your ability to handle the boat without help in any condition you might encounter and still enjoy it; not just when it's a nice 10- 12 knot breeze.

I've been doing this on and off for over 20 years. but this is still just my humble opinion. We all keep learning as time goes on. My guess?... You'll go for a 33'. Boatfootitis is an addiction.

Bob
"BOHICA"
Chicago
 
#5 · (Edited)
Hunter has a site where owners review the Hunter Boats they've purchased. As one might expect, the vast majority of owners are happy with their boats. I do suggest you read these reviews carefully as there are a number of issues on the 33 that popped up several times on these 1 or 2 year old boats despite the wonderful reviews by the bought and paid for media! Here's one review (bad) below....you can read them all HERE

Review of the Hunter 33 by John Giraudy on May 23, 2005. Year built: 2004 Location of boat: Ontario The boat is sailed on: The Great Lakes How the boat is used: Day sailing Normal wind strength: 10-15 knots Average size of crew: 2-4 Liveaboard? No John Giraudy bought the boat in: 2004 If the clock could be turned back, would John Giraudy buy again? No Gear that's been added: Yes: Upgraded from ST40 to ST60 Speed/Depth and Wind. Added Horizon GPS, Dodger/Bimini, Lewmar Windlass, Spade Anchor and a three-bladed MaxProp. I also opted for in-mast furling. Structural or complex improvements: The GPS addition was pretty straight-forward but in adding the Lewmar windlass I had to do some research and plan the fixtures and wiring connections carefully. However, it was not too complex. The boat's best features: It is well known that Hunter Marine is innovative with its designs and the Hunter 33 is no exception. The H33 is spacious and very comfortable as a cruising boat. Sleeping accommodations are very good for a boat of its size. However the toilet is a bit tight on space. The galley is well equipped and well laid out. The electrical system is neat with wiring routed through conduits. Automatic sprinklers in the engine compartment and gas detection are thoughtful aids to safety. It is also neat to have all the through-hulls located in one area. The H33 rides rough weather fairly well by cutting through waves instead of slamming. Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.: 1. Gelcoat is a bit thin and "scuffs" easily. I do not believe the integrity of the hull construction (ie strength and longevity) is as good as some of the boats in its market segment - my opinion. 2. My keel is bent and Hunter will do nothing about it. They say it is within industry standards. (Whatever that is. In my discussions with Hunter I get the impression they assume they pretty much set industry standards since they hold the largest market share). I was told by Hunter that the wing on my shoal keel can be up to 4 inches out of true ie to port or starboard - from keel/hull attachment to the bottom of the keel and this will have no effect on the vessel's performance!! The bottom of my keel is nearly two inches off center. The boat slowly veers to starboard while motoring. While visiting the Hunter facility at Alachua I noticed a number boats awaiting delivery with similarly bent keels. Hunter says the method of keel attachment is "line of sight" and not always done by the same person. (I can only guess that my boat's keel must have been sighted by the guy who needed an eye-test). 3. The location at the transom to work the bilge pump is questionable in my opinion, especially if the going is rough at the time of use. 4. The bilge and the vanity outlets are located on the starboard side about mid-hull, just below the rubrail. Apologies to anyone walking on a dock past a H33, at the time of activation of these systems. 5. Cabin top around the two winches is "busy" with all the lines leading aft. 6. Yanmar 3YM30 is a good, quiet and fuel efficient engine but in my experience prone to overheating. I hope my prolonged (overheating) problem is now solved. Spare parts for that engine is slow to market. Sailing characterisitcs: Generally the boat sails well. It is difficult to discern the "bent keel" effect while under sail. The effect is noticeable when motoring. I especially like the in-mast furling which makes for timely reefing. I do find the H33 a bit tender though. I have to start thinking about reefing in about 12 knots of wind. This was the advice given to me by the salesman who sold me the boat and it is good advice. I am told the deep fin version sails much better - as one would expect. PS: I beg forgiveness from all the H33 rail-in-the-water types who may question what may appear to be cautious reefing. However I prefer comfortable sailing. Motoring characterisitcs: The boat/engine combination is good with enough power to drive the boat in bad conditions. However, my experience of veering off course because I believe it to be as a result of the of my keel problem, is a PITA. Liveability: Good for entertaining and also for weekends and cruises. Manouvering around the helm is tight and awkward. I wish Hunter could invent something innovative with the wheel, like Beneteau did. Six is getting crowded in the cockpit. Getting at the engine is a chore. The owner's experience in dealing with Sailboat (if any): Generally Hunter's customer service staff are knowledgeable and helpful but the department is short-staffed. Hunter could do with beefing up customer support staffing, particularly as they sell more and more boats. The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any: In my experiences I would prefer not to say. However the boating industry is sadly in need of an overhaul of standards and procedures for dealings between seller and buyer. It is like the used car business of years ago, until legislated regulations forced dealers to be more customer conscious. I have no doubt there are some good dealers out there but that is not the over-riding norm for the industry. Other comments: In general - nice boat but definitely mass-production quality and value. Let's face it you get what you pay for.
 
#6 ·
Hunter 31 or 33

I looked extensively at both last year. The 31 while very nice had almost NO storage. The 33 had much better storage. I think either would be easy to singlehand.

PS. I wound up buying a '94 Legend 35.5, lots of storage and the admiral really liked the cabin layout.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I like the Hunter guy's comment here:

I loved his humor...too late now...

"Hunter says the method of keel attachment is "line of sight" and not always done by the same person. (I can only guess that my boat's keel must have been sighted by the guy who needed an eye-test)."

Just a curiosity, I've only seen 2 or 3 Hunters around here. But do not remember seeing a Catalina, (I know the boats). Do they export?

:D
 
#9 ·
My 2 cents

I went from a Mac 26X to a hunter 31 1984. WOW what a difference it sails very well and as far as single handed I sail with my wife aka admiral but I do most of the handeling. It is very easy you will need an autopilot I have a ST 4000. It sails very close to the wind but it has upgraded sails. I agree with the person that said do your own assesment of your needs. Our boat has plenty of storage for our needs. In fact we don't use all we have. Tanks are good for a few days out not a crossing for sure. We are not more that two days from a pump out and fill. So we have no issue with capacity. We really like to boat.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I too went from Mac26X to a Hunter 326. It truely is a fantastic change for the better in sailability, comfort, entertainment for family/friends... Recently I hit some underwater object that bent the wing on my shoal draft keel. The wings now look like manta ray wings. Kind of nice looking. Didn't change the sailing character one bit. She still points as high and go as fast.
My friend asked same questions about going for the 31 or 33 recently. He finally settle for the 33. Its more roomy and has has better storage. I believe you'll get more for the price difference paid then the 31.
 
#12 ·
Mac 26 to Hunter 30

I owned a Mac 26S before I bought my Hunter 30. I thought it was going to be a big step but it really wasn't. The Hunter was much easier to sail than the Mac. If I knew that it was going to be like this I would have went to a 33' boat so I wouldn't have to make that next step.
My H30 is a great boat and is fun to sail. It's very stable and has lots of room in the cabin. Storage depends on how you use your boat if you spend weeks at a time on board, you will need more storage than if you sail long weekends. I have spent a week on my boat and had no problems with storage. If I had a family with 3 or 4 kids, I'd definately want a bigger boat.
 
#14 ·
Camaraderie gave a pretty good synopsis of his Hunter 33. I bought a new one in 2005. It is my first new boat and I'm in love with it as is my wife. We daysail and take cruises on Lake Ontario for weeks at a time. For yourself go sit on a 31 then sit in a 33. You'll notice a huge difference. It's the first time my wife has said we should look at the larger boat.
As far as quality goes the only complaint I have is that of several voids in the gelcoat in the cokpit area. These were fixed immediately by the Broker. The boat has a 5 yr warrantee stem to stern so most prblems except for osmosis should show up during the warrantee period.
We installed a full compliment of electronics which makes my decisions easier.
We went as far as to install a heat pump/airconditioner which extends our season. The air has a sampling system which samples the air on the boat every couple of hours when at the dock and not attended. If the humidity is too high it switches on to dry the air and prevents any of the musty smells that can develop due to damp humid air in the boat. It sounds decadent but it's been a pleasure having it.
The cockpit is big and the wheel folds so that at the dock there is plenty of room to walk by it. We use stern boarding.
The boat is fast and handles very well. Down wind the boat tends to be slow as we have a furling main which has a smaller sail area than the normal rig. However; I purchased an asymmetrical spinnaker this winter so that should solve my need for speed.
Ultimately it needs to be your decision. Good hunting.
 
#15 ·
I'm seriously looking to pickup a Hunter 78'-84' wheel steering and shoal draft. I've been close on a couple last year but: 1. Decided with my shoulder I needed wheel steering (also had shoulder operated on last winter) and 2.Due to lack of slip space in Daytona Beach area to keep her at anchor when in the water & trailer when not.

In anticipation of finding the right boat this year I've just bought a 07' Toyota Tundra Double cab (the one that tows 10,000#). But won't pull the trigger until later in the year or early spring.

So my question is what advice, got-ya's etc can you offer?
 
#16 ·
I bought a 1984 H31 and have lived on it for 3 1/2 years, and my wife with me the past year. This is a decent little boat with much more storage than some of the more racy boats its size. It's a very light boat with lots of beam and gets uncomfortable fast as it gets nasty. I agree with the reefing early aspect. I installed an inner forestay for a storm jib, works well and extends my sailing capability into the really nasty that this boat was not designed for. The Yanmar 2GMF 13hp is underpowered, and I added a 3 blade prop that decreased vibes and increased fuel efficiency and speed. A bad thing is hunter's way of running the chainplate rods down to a piece of L-iron affixed to the inner liner. This caused a pucker on the port side of my boat, probably won't sink it but no good. The hunter rep said it's a really bad thing but I think the hulls are just thin. Also, if you have to re-rig a B+R get ready to pull out your wallet. That rig has so many end fittings that it's quite costly to re-rig. I did mine in 2007 all myself and still cost me 1500. The hunter rep quoted me 4k. Hunter puts carpet over all bare fiberglass surfaces, super nasty in the v-berth. Rip it out, apply form insulation and face with either a nice plastic sheet or pretty wood. The boat sails well, and it's fun to pop the chute for downwind runs. It's in the yard now and there are about 100 dime-sized blisters after not being painted for 5 or 6 years, and that aint bad! I'm going to let em ride. The cockpit is tight due to the large wheel, very annoying. I traded for a 6" diameter smaller wheel and eased the problem. The bimini/dodger is a round-bow type and useless for sailing in real rain, unless you sit in the companionway and steer via autopilot buttons. If you buy a boat this age, replace all the hoses or else your boat might sink.
 
#18 ·
A jump from a MAC26 to either the 31 or the 33 will be a great move up as others have suggested. After being in a Hunter 33 for awhile, you'll love the size, it feels much bigger than it is. Coming from a MAC, you'll feel like you went from a box under the bridge to a mansion!! lol.
 
#20 ·
I love seeing these old threads and wonder what was chosen and how it held up over the years. One thing I know now is Hunter does not 'Value" very well on NADA. Insurance companies use NADA as a value source for insuring your vessel. If you buy a 2007 Hunter 33 for 65,000 and insurance values it at 45,000...that can be a PITA is there is a loss of the vessel. If you look at Catalina or Beneteau, they are right on point with the value. I haven't seen one in person because I keep hearing of weird issues on their newer boats, like leaky ports, mystery leaks from the deck dripping through the cabin head liner, and now from this thread a freaking uncentered keel!!!! Too bad as it's a really sexy looking boat inside and out with a lot to offer for the price(hmmmmm....you get what you pay for?)....I'm now considering the Catalina 320 or the Beneteau 331...I would even choose the old O'day 322 before the Hunter....maybe not the O'day 322, I know of a couple keels that decided to retire and leave the vessel....one during a soft grounding and tow to get off the mud bottom...and one that wanted to see the bottom of the Great Lakes without warning the captain.
 
#21 ·
even with the dredge alert on the 13 yo thread...
in my mind Benney versus Cat... is a audi versus cadillac kind of statement.

It comes down to brand loyalty, and layout/feel that you like...

Just got back from a chartered Beneteau 35.1... by all rights a damned fine boat... but I felt like if it were laid out more like the 320, I'd have liked it better. Is the 320 better.... NO!!!! just my preference.

I think Hunter just strikes a chord with their owners... Nothing wrong with that. For the record, so does the Mac..
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top