Hunter Marine offered two versions: one with a fixed fin keel and another with a centerboard. With the board raised, the centerboard model draws less than two feet, allowing it to be beached or rolled onto a trailer without special equipment.
Design and Construction
The Hunter 22 measures just over 22 feet on deck, with an 18-foot-3-inch waterline, a 7-foot-11-inch beam, and a displacement of 3,200 pounds. It’s built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, and has a raked stem, vertical transom, and transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller. In keeping with Hunter’s standard practice at the time, the hull is solid fiberglass below the waterline.
Period assessments considered the construction light, citing plastic hatch hinges and low-end hardware. That lightness serves a purpose, however. The relatively long waterline for a 22-footer gives the design the highest theoretical speed among its competitors—a benefit for a trailer-sailer expected to cover distance under sail or power between launch sites.
The centerboard version’s shallow draft with the board retracted gives the boat its trailerable character. It can be beached or transported on a trailer without special equipment.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The Hunter 22 carries a masthead sloop with a Bermuda rig. Its mast stands roughly 30 feet above the waterline, and total sail area is 219 square feet.
With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.13, testers noted that the boat won’t be quick in light air. The low figure points to sluggish acceleration when the breeze fades.
Owners report that weather helm can become annoying in winds over ten knots. Reviewers suggested that this may simply result from not reefing the mainsail as the breeze strengthens. The tendency is real enough that buyers should expect to reef early.
The stern-mounted outboard arrangement presents another handling problem in waves. Owners report that the propeller tends to lift clear of the water, cavitate, and lose thrust when steering authority is most needed.
On the race course, the fixed-keel model has a PHRF average of 255, with a high of 258 and a low of 252. The centerboard version also averages 255, but its ratings range from 251 to 270.
Accommodations
Below, the Hunter 22 sleeps four. There’s a double V-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. Testers credited the boat’s broad 7-foot-11-inch beam with providing good space for weekend cruising—a real asset in a 22-foot hull.
The galley is split between both sides of the companionway ladder and includes a single-burner stove and sink. The head is in the bow cabin, tucked beneath the starboard side of the V-berth. Factory-standard equipment included a stove and cooler, enough to support short coastal overnight trips without immediate modification.
Known Issues
The main owner complaints concern helm balance, outboard performance, and hardware quality. Weather helm builds in winds over ten knots, although some of this may come from skippers carrying a full mainsail as the breeze strengthens.
In a seaway, the transom-mounted outboard can lift its propeller clear of the water, causing cavitation and loss of thrust. The boat’s light construction also brought plastic hatch hinges and low-end hardware as standard. These components age poorly and warrant scrutiny on any surviving boat.
The Verdict
The Hunter 22 is a pragmatic trailerable cruiser from the early 1980s. It offers genuine four-berth accommodation and a beamy interior that provides more weekend-cruising space than its length might suggest. Its long waterline gives it a theoretical speed advantage over comparable boats, but its light-air performance and weather helm call for an attentive hand on the tiller.
For a couple or small family looking for an easily transported pocket cruiser, the Hunter 22 remains a sensible used proposition.
Pros
- Centerboard version is trailerable with the board retracted, as well as beachable and easy to transport
- Roomy for its size, with sleeping space for four and a practical split galley
- Long waterline provides the highest theoretical speed among comparable boats
Cons
- Light construction, with plastic hinges and low-end hardware
- Weather helm can become annoying above ten knots if the mainsail isn’t reefed
- Outboard propeller can cavitate in waves, reducing thrust when it’s needed
