anyone own a Marlow-Hunter sailboat?

[MLS991]

I’m contemplating making an offer on a Marlow-Hunter 31. Trying to find anyone who has had experience with this boat or slightly larger Marlow-Hunters (32, 33’).

The boat we’re looking at is quite nice but I have some reservations about certain features (e.g., high freeboard, negotiating steps in the coachroof leading forward, fold-down swim platform in the transom, integrity of fixed port lights, engine access). Would be great to get input from someone who owns--or has owned--one.

[sailorboy1]

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/forums/big-boats.40/

[Stu Jackson]

I have a good friend with a 33. It's a wonderful boat. The transom opening is a great idea and they use it at their home slip and it's great for dinghy work, too. Gorgeous down below. He's upgraded to 4 golf cart batteries and a goodly amount of solar. They go off grid all summer.

[MLS991]

Thanks for the links and Stu, your impressions of your friend’s 33 Marlow. The interiors of the Marlows are indeed quite beautiful with a well-designed layout--in fact the exterior in some ways seems primarily designed to maximize interior space and the size of the cockpit.

My only concern about the swim platform on the 31 is that it seems very high off the water and I'm wondering how easy it would be to get in & out of a dinghy while at anchor. My previous boat was a Hunter 280 and the swim platform was only a few inches above the water, so getting into/out of a dinghy or kayak was super easy. I suppose it would simply require getting used to this and developing a strategy. Not a reason to not buy an otherwise impressive boat.