'06 Hunter or '88 Brewer 44

[Lance835]

Thanks for all your help in deciding between the Brewer and Gulfstar.

I am down to my last two and that is a newer Hunter 41 and a 1988 Brewer 44. Both are in excellent condition with almost identical electronics. The brewer of course has better tankage and is cutter rigged even though the current owner is sailing it as a mast head sloop.

As mentioned before I will be mostly a coastal and island cruiser, live aboard, with the occasional trip to mexico and possibly up the west coast.

The hunter sailplan seems simpler and faster, more liveaboard friendly. Will the cutter design be an issue for me? Will I lose my upwind performance? Will I really need the cutter and heavier displacement if long passages are not in my plans?

[Bash]

Those are two very different boats, and the rig is only part of it. The Brewer is a center-cockpit boat while the Hunter is aft cockpit. And they are significantly different below the waterline.

When you sail a cutter as a sloop there's really not much difference in upwind performance. However, the Hunter's hull design will probably help it point a few degrees higher than the Brewer.

Any chance you can sail these boats? You might tell the owners the honest truth, that you've narrowed your search down to two boats, and that you've been advised to take each one out for a sail to determine which one you're going to fall in love with.

[speedoo]

Are they really nearly identical in perceived value to you? What is the condition of the respective engines and sail inventories?

If they truly are that similar in value, I would lean toward the Brewer, because it offers better offshore capability than the Hunter. Even if you plan to do only coastal cruising and island hopping, I'd be very surprised if sometime down the road, an offshore voyage did not become something you'd like to do.

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by speedoo

I would lean toward the Brewer, because it offers better offshore capability than the Hunter.

and here we go again.... where is the information comming from that would back the statement you made here..

[S/V Alchemy]

Well, the Brewer probably has the better warranty...

....oh, snap.

Seriously, I don't understand the question, as they are chalk and cheese to me. It's like "do I need a Hummer to go to the corner shop, or should I take a Toyota Echo on the Paris-Dakar?"

I would pick the Brewer for "Alaska to Mexico", because that implies 4,000 miles (or whatever!) of lee shore and plenty of long haul, offshore stuff, for which you'd want the seakeeping, cutaway forefoot, skeg hungness of the Brewer.

For SOG, pointing and style, and with no more than a week between harbours, I would favour the Hunter.

For the record, I own a steel boat much like a Brewer and a fibreglass racer-cruiser not unlike a Hunter. Which one I prefer depends very much on the nature, duration and purpose of the trip contemplated.

[speedoo]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

and here we go again.... where is the information comming from that would back the statement you made here..

It's my OPINION.. Based on, among other things the fact that the Brewer has more displacement, and probably offers a more comfortable ride at sea.. Plus the fact that tne tankage is better.

Apparantly you think I am biased against Hunters? I don't believe I am.
But I do believe the Brewer is a better offshore boat in this comparison.

[Cheechako]

Opinions welcome! geez....

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Lance835

The hunter sailplan seems simpler and faster, more liveaboard friendly. Will the cutter design be an issue for me? Will I lose my upwind performance? Will I really need the cutter and heavier displacement if long passages are not in my plans?

Upwind performance? You're going cruising!! I'd go with the Brewer. Even though it's an 88 it'll hold it's price better when you eventually sell. I seriously don't think the boats will be equal as far as condition goes so you really have to check them out closely. If the Brewer surveys ok go with the Brewer.

[Curmudgeon]

Brewer. Not close.

[Randyonr3]

I made the trip from SF to Kodiak and back a few years ago.. Going up it was harbor hopping and sight seeing, but on the way back down, the wife drove the jeep and I brought the boat down..
And I was glad I had a boat that would give me good performance and a great ride, There are times when you just want to lolly gag around but in the north west, S**t happens fast, and getting caught in it is not fun..
I for one would opt for the hunter and the performance it delivers..

[sailorboy1]

If you had read the forum longer enough you would already know which way the answers would go.

It's going to be your boat so get the boat you like, not what CF members say.

[Samantha ann]

As a former travelift oper. I never had a brewer oil can on me, can't say that about hunters. I could put the entire weight of a brewer on it keel, hunter if I did that the keel would flex into the bottom.