British Columbia


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Huntress

     Our "Northwest Classics" series examines boats that are uniquely suited to cruising our local waters or that have become classic by virtue of popular choice. Rob Heay, owner of Port Orchard Yacht Sales, introduced us to the January 2003 "NW Classic" with an assurance that the boat is particularly well suited to coastal cruising. Upon inspection, we would certainly have to agree.
Huntress is a 1997 Hunter 336 sloop. She's 33'6" LOA, with a waterline of 28'7" and a beam of 11'8". The 336 model features a wing keel, displaces just over 11,000 pounds and draws 54 inches. The hull is designed with a wide transom, creating a larger cockpit than one might expect on a vessel in this size range and providing room for a generous aft cabin master stateroom.
Rob Heay shared his impressions of the boat. "A Hunter 336 is a pretty decent all-around sailing boat, able to make reasonable speed in light air and still capable of handling heavy weather if the need arises. They are intended to be coastal cruisers rather than transoceanic passagemakers, but I have a friend who sailed one of these from Puget Sound to Costa Rica and the boat performed very well."

      Huntress is designed for easy single- or short-handed sailing. Her sail inventory consists of a fully battened, large roach mainsail and a 112% fractionally rigged roller-furled jib. All lines lead aft, to three Lewmar self-tailing sheet winches under the dodger. Here's a boat ideal for NW cruising: many sail-trimming tasks can be performed without going forward or even dodging raindrops! The Hunter 336 mast is deck stepped, with a compression post. The spreaders are angled aft, eliminating the need for a backstay, and the shrouds are stainless steel.

The past five years have been kind to Huntress, and she still
seems like a new boat.

      The past five years have been kind to Huntress, and she still seems like a new boat. The canvas mainsail cover, dodger and bimini show very little wear. During our visit aboard, we peered under hatches, pulled the cover from the engine, opened more than half the drawers and lockers, and checked the bilge. If dirt sold for a million dollars an ounce, we would not have found enough to buy a decent lunch.

      Huntress features pedestal steering, with an autopilot, radar, GPS and a Fathometer installed to assist with piloting and navigation. When at anchor, the step-through transom with fold-down swim ladder permits easy access from a dinghy. The holding tank is in a locker just starboard of the boarding area, and the propane locker is to port. The Hunter 336 cockpit is certainly large enough to accommodate any number of people it would seem reasonable to have aboard, with seating for about eight. Two of the seats are set into the stern rail. A handy table with beverage holders and an ice bucket is attached to the steering pedestal, a feature likely to be appreciated when the cockpit is being used as a social center rather for navigation.

      Huntress is pleasantly light and roomy below decks, without any hint of the "floating cave" syndrome often experienced in darker sailboats of similar size. The most adventurous offshore passagemaking sailors would prefer fewer and smaller windows in a violent tropical storm, but for a family cruising sailboat in our NW boating environment, the windows create a bright and cheerful atmosphere without unacceptable risk.

      A teak and holly sole is found throughout the boat, with the exception of the head. Cabin interiors are trimmed in teak veneer to a level well above the settee tops, and bulkheads are trimmed in teak from sole to headliner. The head doubles as a shower room, and surfaces there are fiberglass and waterproof laminates. The judicious use of teak eliminates any tendency for the Hunter 336 to resemble the inside of a bleach bottle, but the brighter white surfaces are sufficient to disperse the enjoyable light throughout the cabin.

      Huntress's interior is laid out with a guest stateroom forward, separated from the main cabin by a bulkhead with a curved top door. Although compact, the guest stateroom can accommodate two adults, with private stowage in cubbyholes under the bunk fixture as well as port and starboard hanging lockers.

When the natural breeze is an underachiever, Huntress has three-cylinders of Yanmar's "iron wind" installed below the companionway.

      The main cabin is arranged around a spacious, drop-leaf teak table. The space between the port and starboard settees can be opened up for socializing, or provide dining space for at least six.

      Just aft of the starboard settee the navigation and communication center features a handy chart locker, and space to plot a course. A brass clock and barometer, the AC/DC distribution panel, inverter controls and VHF radio center all contribute to making the nav center an important location in the cabin.

      The galley is the aft port quarter of the main cabin. A double sink is mounted in a galley fixture set athwartships, and a good-sized Adler DC refrigerator is outboard of the sink, just forward of a two-burner propane stove and oven. Hunter put some careful thought into the galley design and included a built-in dish rack, cup holders and a drain board. A microwave oven will make short work or quick heat or reheat tasks whenever shorepower is available.

      The master stateroom is accessed through a curved top door just aft of the galley. An ample hanging locker is installed in the full headroom area just within the bulkhead door, while the remaining stateroom area consists of just possibly the greatest number of acres covered by a mattress on any boat in this size class. The bunk is huge, with reading lights and portlights to keep the area bright and airy.

      The head is most aft to starboard and is accessed through a door from the main cabin at the foot of the companionway. A marine toilet, a hand basin and a handheld shower are built into gleaming, white, low-maintenance surfaces.

      When the natural breeze is an underachiever, Huntress has three-cylinders of Yanmar's "iron wind" installed below the companionway. The companionway steps can be removed for easy access to the 27-hp diesel, and service panels in the master stateroom and the head open to reach both sides of the engine. The Yanmar has accumulated an estimated 300 service hours, apparently without losing a drop of oil in the process. Every engine area should be just as clean as this one, but most are not. Huntress carries 30-gallons of diesel fuel and burns about three quarts in an hour. Based on a waterline length of 28'7", hull speed on a Hunter 336 should be approximately 7.2 knots.

      Huntress would appear to be a fine vessel for a couple or family interested in exploring the Pacific Northwest under sail. She is easily handled and offers spacious accommodations in the cockpit as well as the cabin area. Rob Heay's Port Orchard Yacht Sales shouldn't be too hard-pressed to help locate a new owner for this well-maintained craft. Huntress is inviting, rather than intimidating, and at a seemingly reasonable $84,500 the same can be said for her price.