# Hunter 306



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I am interested in the Hunter 306 as well as the Feeling 29 DI; I am really interested in the Hunter 306, for traveling between Maui and back to California. From what I have read regarding the Hunter 306, it’s a very good boat, but they fail to mention if it was sea worthy, and not just for cruising the coast. It’s defiantly big enough for a few friends and myself from time to time. 
Also I can’t find a price range for her, does anyone know what the basic price would be for a brand new Hunter 306?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

To make trips like that in a production boat I would opt for a Pacific Seacraft or and Island Packet. Thw Hunter is a very nice inshore to inland cruser I have no opinion on the Feelings but freom the weight and the fact that it sounds like a swing keel I would look for a full keeled boat. I think you can still find afew Pacific Seacraft 31s But boats of this caliber aren''t cheep..


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

You can find base prices on the Hunter website.

As to sailing a suh a price point, value boat to Hawaii, take a look at the story:
http://www.equipped.org/0698rescue.htm
(thanks to whomever put this link up a few months ago - it''s a great read...). I''d put my money on the Catalina 36 in a sec.

Cobraman, I gotta say, that you suggest such a trip in either of these boats hints you might want to get some more daysailing in before you consider overnighting...


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## jack_patricia (May 20, 2001)

Cobraman and Sailingfool: (Surely, first names aren''t that risky or time consuming to use on these posts...)

I think I''m the one who posted the URL on the Catalina that didn''t make it to Hawaii. I''m not terribly keen on that being a sole reference to the question of taking a high-volume ''factory boat'' like a Catalina to Hawaii as it was a very early C36 and even had a steering failure resulting from poor design which Catalina subsequently modified. A hatch that tore off was also underspec''d for that kind of passage, something I''m guessing (hoping, perhaps) Catalina''s CE rating process would now catch and not permit to happen (altho'' there is no guarantee of this when buying a Catalina on the American market).

I guess what I''m saying is that, if we''re going to look at a failed C36 attempt to reach Hawaii when commenting on Cobraman''s plans, then we should also acknowledge the same boat model (C36) has won its class on the same passage (in the West Marine Pacific Cup) and also been singlehanded & multi-crewed multiple times in the same race over the last decade. (Remember: each of these boats must also be returned to the West Coast, a different kind of passage, once the race is completed).

Having said all that, I think you (Cobraman) need to be especially careful as you move down in size and contemplate an ocean passage, as smaller boats (perhaps the Hunter 306 fits this caution perfectly) are even less intentionally designed and built to the strength needed for an ocean passage. E.g. there''s a Hunter 290 across from me right now and, as I inspected its marginal rig the other day (it''s sailed along the English Channel on occasion, which is what peeked my interest), I can say it must take a very brave or naive person to cross an ocean in this boat. Also, keep in mind there''s a lot of off-wind work going over and I keep hearing expressed regrets about using the B&R rig in downwind sailing because of mainsail chafe and not being able to boom out and vang down the sail appropriately for the course one needs to sail. (I will refrain from commenting on the absence of a backstay in such conditions - offshore, in a big sea, with convective weather common at times - except to remind potential Hunter shoppers that the B&R rig was chosen so that Hunter could REDUCE the mast cross section and strength (diameter) of the rigging wire, not to utilize its advantages to make it stronger).

Re: Feeling centerboard boats, I would encourage you to try and find some BB''s in Western Europe, and also track down the UK distributor (who speaks English). Feeling yachts are much more common over here (tho'' not anywhere near the big brands) and you''d likely find useful information by inquiring about them among W Europeans.

Good luck on the search!

Jack


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Wow, thanks for all of the info, I will be very careful in my research. I am surprised that a C36 did not make it to Hawaii. After talking to my girlfriend about this, we decided that we are going to look into a Hunter 466, but that is getting alittle out of our price range, but never the less, we still want to look into it. Does anyone now how the Hunter 466 handles on the sea?
The info from their web site says that its sea worthy.


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## windship (May 4, 2002)

Cobraman,
If you,ve got the means to consider a hunter 466 why then don,t you consider something like a pre-owned Swan or Sabre or somthing else with proven seaworthyness.To me (and alot of other sailors)I wouldn''t even take a hunter out of the bay! 
Why are you so surprised to hear that a Catalina didn''t make it to Hawaii??
Don''t forget thats it''s far more important to have the skill, experiance and knowlage to go open ocean voyaging than to just have a boat that is seaworthy.

Dennis


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## seadaddler (Dec 23, 2006)

*306*

Having been the owner of the 290 Hunter and loving it I don't
see it as a ocean crossing boat.
I would not try anything but coastal cruising with a 306,I like Hunters and now own a Hunter 36 and still would not cross a ocean only because I am not
a ocean crossing kind of guy.


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