Part of the marque’s late-1980s Legend line, built for export and domestic markets under that name, the boat measures 35 feet 7 inches overall, with an 11-foot 9-inch beam and a moderate displacement of 12,100 to 13,000 pounds.
Design and Construction
The boats had solid-laminate fiberglass hulls with a fiberglass structural grid system and balsa-cored decks. Below the waterline, the hull was solid glass, consistent with the builder’s established construction method of the era.
The hull and deck met on an outward-turning flange, finished with an aluminum toe rail and secured with stainless steel nuts, bolts, and washers.
The original Legend 35 offered two keel configurations: a standard fin keel drawing 6 feet 6 inches and a winged-bulb keel drawing 4 feet 6 inches. When the 35.5 appeared, Hunter discontinued the fin-keel option, leaving the shallower winged bulb as the only listed configuration.
Rig, Handling, and Auxiliary Power
The boat carried a fractional sloop rig. Most left the factory with a mainsail and 120-percent jib as standard equipment, keeping sail handling manageable.
Auxiliary power came from a Yanmar 3GM diesel rated at 24 horsepower at 3,400 rpm. A period review described it as more than sufficient for the hull. Together, the moderate-displacement hull, broad beam, and modest but adequate engine made this a straightforward coastal cruiser rather than a performance racer.
Accommodations
The 35 and 35.5 shared the same general arrangement: a V-berth forward, portside dinette, and starboard settee amidships. Aft of the saloon, the galley was to port and the head to starboard, with a navigation station between the head and settee. A double quarter berth extended aft along the port side.
The 35.5 refined this layout with a larger dinette and head, though at the expense of a smaller navigation station. Its quarter-berth cabin also gained more room to move around. In place of the 35’s fore-and-aft berth, the 35.5 had a substantial 7-by-5-foot athwartship berth—a notable improvement in comfort for two people at anchor.
Known Issues
One well-documented weakness on the 35.5 is the passage where the jib-furling lines run through the foredeck. This fitting creates a common and persistent route for water to enter the balsa deck core. If left unchecked, the intrusion threatens the core itself.
The original waste holding tank presents a separate concern. Made from thin-gauge aluminum, it has a maximum service life of roughly ten years—a limit that any long-owned example will have exceeded and should have addressed.
The Verdict
The Hunter Legend 35 and 35.5 make up a coherent family of late-1980s coastal cruisers, with solid-glass hulls, balsa-cored decks, a forgiving shoal-keel option, and a practical interior. The 35.5 improved that accommodation with a proper double berth aft.
Its fractional rig and modest overlapping jib keep sail handling manageable, while the Yanmar 3GM provides adequate power. Buyers should weigh the vulnerability of the 35.5’s deck core around the furling-line penetrations and the limited life of the original holding tank against an otherwise sensible, well-built coastal cruiser.
Pros
- Solid-laminate hull with a structural grid, plus a balsa-cored deck on an outward-flange joint
- Shoal winged-bulb keel drawing 4 feet 6 inches broadens its gunkholing appeal
- The 35.5’s 7-by-5-foot athwartship quarter berth substantially improves aft accommodation
- Adequate 24-horsepower Yanmar 3GM auxiliary
Cons
- The 35.5’s foredeck furling-line penetrations are prone to persistent water ingress into the deck core
- The original aluminum holding tank was effectively timed out after ten years
- Hunter dropped the fin-keel option with the 35.5 revision
