Groovy (named for Simon & Garfunkel's song Feelin' Groovy)** is a

Glenn Henderson designed 2008 Hunter 44DS (Deck Salon).  A

fractional sloop, it is 44 feet long and 14' 6" feet wide with two

staterooms and two heads.

Hunter 44DS Model History

First introduced by Hunter Marine in 2002 as the Hunter 426, the aft

cabin was changed a little and the model name changed to "44DS" in

2003.  Production ran from 2003 to 2008.  In 2008 the the deck and

cabin were modified to accommodate twin helms instead of a single

helm, the forward berth was changed from a v-berth to a pullman style,

and the window pattern was changed to a wraparound band to match

the popular Hunter 45CC.  These changes saw the model name change

to "45DS," and as of 2012 it is still in production.

Along with the Hunter 426 and 45DS, the 44DS shares its hull with the

Hunter 44AC (Aft Cockpit) and Hunter 45CC (Center Cockpit).  Each of

those boats has the same hull but a different deck and cabin layout.

Groovy is hull #252 for the 44DS model line, where the numbering

started at #101.  Built in May, 2007, it was the last Hunter 44DS ever

built.  Click here for more information on the Hunter 44DS.

Groovy is a stock boat with Hunter's "Mariner Package," a collection of upgrades sold as a unit.  Because the boat was built after

the replacement model (45DS) was in production, it features a few of the components that are standard on that model, including

a laminate cherry interior, which we love, and a larger fuel tank, which has come in very handy.

Specifications

Length Overall (LOA)

43' 4"

Waterline Length (LWL)

39' 2"

Beam

14' 6"

Draft

6' 6"

Displacement

22,936 lbs

Ballast

7,237 lbs

Mast Height

60' 8"

Sail Area

975 sq. ft.

Fuel Capacity

66 gallons

Water Capacity

140 gallons

Holding Tank Capacity

45 gallons

Water Heater Capacity

11 gallons

Yanmar Diesel Engine

54 hp

CE Classification

A/10

We installed many upgrades to enable comfortable cruising where we can stay at anchor for months at a time without having to

rely on marinas for water or electrical connections.

House Batteries

640 Amp Hours (Four AGM 4D 12 volt) - plus one 70 Amp Hour AGM start battery

Charging

555 Watts Solar / 100 Amp Alternator on engine / 130 Amp 110v Charger (via shore power)

Inverters

600 Watts Pure Sine Wave / 2500 Watts Modified Sine Wave / 2 portable Modified Sine Wave

Watermaker

60 Gallon per hour engine-driven Echotech watermaker*

Downwind Sailing

Twin jib "Twizzle Rig" set on two fixed length whisker poles.

Anchors

60 lb Ultra primary with 300' 5/16" G4 chain

32 lb Fortress FX-55 secondary with 20' 5/16" BBB chain and 300' 7/8" Nylon Rode

15 lb Manson Supreme stern anchor w/ 5' 3/8" G4 chain and 230' 1" Nylon Rode

Dinghies

10' Porta-bote with a Suzuki 6 hp outboard

Hobie i14t tandem inflatable kayak

A GAZILLION BOATS FOR SALE... WHICH ONE

WOULD MAKE US HAPPIEST?

When we set about buying a boat, the major trade-offs we found

were age, size, price and manufacturer's prestige.  In an earlier life I

owned two boats back to back that were the exact same model, the

Nonsuch 36.  This is a wonderful boat for cruising and living aboard,

and I lived aboard for four years in Boston, Massachusetts in the

early 1990's (brrrr...those winters were cold).  The first year I was on

a 1984 model that had been ridden hard and put away wet.  After

watching in great distress as my then-husband repeatedly chased

down a spider web of unmarked cables and miles of smelly plumbing

hoses in a putrid bilge, we upgraded to a 1991 model of the same

boat that had been lavishly commissioned and meticulously

maintained.

What a world of difference.  You would never know they were the same

model boat.  Instead of him spending hours kinked up in impossible

positions in noxious nooks and crannies fixing problems and spending

boatloads of money on spare parts at West Marine, we enjoyed three

terrific summers of boating together.  We watched sunsets and sunrises

in pretty anchorages and experienced countless utterly brilliant days of

sailing.  There is nothing like an almost-new boat made up of sparkling

clean parts that work.  Therefore, when Mark and I started thinking about

buying a boat, our first two criteria were that it be in superior condition

and as new as possible.

After living in trailers full-time for so long, we also knew that size

mattered to us.  For full-time liveability, we found bigger is better.

With age and size the top priorities, and a maximum budgeted

price, there were only three manufacturers whose boats we could

afford: Hunter, Beneteau and Catalina.  These are the Ford-Chevy-

Dodge of the sailboat industry (not in any particular order).  All

three are American made.  Beneteaus are French designed but

built in South Carolina.  Hunters and Catalinas are designed and

built in Florida.

Our top priorities for livability included a huge cockpit where we could

stretch out to sleep, a long settee in the main salon where we could

nap, and two good sized staterooms (rather than three as in many

models).  Brokers thought we were crazy when the first thing we did

as we stepped aboard a prospective boat was to lie down in the

cockpit to see if the benches were long and wide enough to sleep on.

But hey, this boat would become our home, and we like to be

comfortable and relax!

Next in importance was a large swim platform and cockpit shower, as

we envisioned frequent swims off the back of the boat and we knew

we would need easy access to the dinghy when we lived at anchor,

especially hauling groceries, daypacks, trash and laundry bags in and

out.  Lastly, we wanted an airy, spacious interior.  Other than that, we

weren't fussy, but after attending dozens of boat shows, visiting fifty

or more boats with brokers, and many Caribbean charters, we found

that the Hunter models spoke to us more than the others, and of

those only the Hunter 41DS and 44DS made the cut.  The faltering

economy worked in our favor, suddenly making the larger of the two

boats a viable option.

A visit to the Hunter factory assured us that not only are their boats

cleverly designed and chock full of innovative features, but they are well

built to boot.  We came away from every contact we had with Hunter

impressed that it is a quality company that employs a loyal group of

happy employees.  Their phenomenal customer service since we

purchased Groovy (15 minute turnaround time on almost every emailed

question we've ever sent) has driven that point home to us time and

again.  Hunter sailboats are the boating industry's best kept secret.

Best of all, Groovy is a dream to sail.  With an easily driven hull,

the boat is light on its feet, easy to reef, responsive and

forgiving.  A delight to live in and fun to sail, it is an excellent

platform for extended cruising.

** When we named our boat, it was the only boat with the name Groovy in the US Coast Guard Documentation database.  So we

were quite surprised when we discovered over a year later that she has a sistership of the same name bearing a non-US flag:

Jimmy Buffet of Margaritaville fame races his Groovy in the Caribbean.  Far out!!