2005 Hunter 456

Chela is a 2005 Hunter 456. I have always loved Hunter sailboats and looked at all their boats from thirty-eight feet to fifty feet. I looked at most of the other brands as well. After looking carefully, I decided I wanted a center cockpit, versus an aft cockpit. Chela is very easy to sail and with its bow thruster anyone could dock this boat. She is a fast boat. She is very user friendly and has been a wonderful home. I like that the master bedroom is twelve feet by twelve feet with a walk around queen birth. There is so much storage in the bedroom. Though the electric and plumbing is there to put a washer/dryer, I choose to add five additional self closing cedar drawers for storage. This boat actually has a shower similar to a home; it is very big and two people could easily shower at the same time. I like the kitchen and its large refrigerator and freezer. I stored enough frozen meat and vegetables to last six months in the Bahamas. I love that the large refrigerator is both top and side opening. I love the storage in the kitchen. I like that the forward bedroom is a bedroom with a queen size bed and lots of storage. I do not like v-births, and anyone who has ever had an RV understands how hard it can be to make the bed that you have to climb on to make. I like that the dining room table raises to the ceiling creating a bigger living area. I like that the master shower and bathroom are in separate areas. I like that this boat is easily single handed. Though I had never owned a big boat before, I found this boat to be very easy to single hand. I have sailed it over 5,000 miles alone so far. It has never been a problem or have I ever wished for help. I like that all lines lead to the cockpit. I like that both sails furl. I bought this boat in New Bern NC and sailed it 560 miles to Florida by myself. It was very easy to sail, dock and anchor and I never felt overwhelmed. Because I do not need the generator or engine to make electricity or water and because of the large storage and refrigeration, docking becomes a choice and not a necessity.

Equipment: Davits over the transom to carry the dingy. Transom shower as well as a fresh water wash down for washing the boat away from the marina. Outboard engine davit and crane. On top of the davits is a 400 watt bi-facial solar panel. Another exact solar panel behind the cockpit. I put a new Bimini with three sight windows, nine enclosure panels with opening windows and doors in order to use the winches while the enclosures are down, and a new dodger with an opening window. New stainless uncoated safety lines. New standing rigging. New running rigging. New main sail, 110% headsail and cruising spinnaker. New Raymarine electronics including Raymaine Quantum 2 Doppler radar and matching slave wind direction and speed at nav station. New Navionics Large Platium Plus charts with sonar in the cockpit and at the nav station.All the instruments networked together. New cushions and upholstery throughout the boat. New queen size bed in master bedroom with box springs and memory foam. New air conditioning unit. New refrigerator. Rebuilt toilets in both bathrooms. New water pump, a/c pump, shower sump pump, macerators, etc. New Schenker Zin 30 water maker plumbed to each water tank and sink with water directed to all or as directed. This water maker is very quiet and runs off the batteries. There is no need to start the generator. New Victron programable solar chargers bluetoothed, new Victron Multi Function 3000 bluetoothed and programmable, New Victron battery monitor. All networked and seen from nav station and duplicated on cell phone. 900 amps of new lithium iron phosphate batteries, each with a bms. New AMG starter battery. New Hypalon rigid dingy with new 15 horsepower Mercury outboard, anchor, rode and chain. Boarding ladder for dingy. Balmar 150 amp alternator. New Rynogy 40 amp DC-DC charger with cutoff switch. New Force 10 stove. New smart TV in master and living room. New microwave, coffee maker, griddle, and toaster. Changed out all lights in the interior, masthead anchor light and navigation lights, bow and stern, to LED lights. New Epirb including location via satellite and AIS. New AIS. New dock lines and shore power cords. New solar panel trickle charger for starter battery. Built and install five new cedar self closing drawers in closet. New VHF mic and handheld VHF. New accumulator pressure tank to take the burden off the water pump. New binoculars. New Starlink, moved its electrical circuit to 12 volt. New deerskin leather wrapped wheel. Refurbished Danforth cockpit compass with new LED back light. New cockpit radio/CD player with speakers. Installed freshwater washdown. New faucets in both bathrooms. Fifty five pound Rocna anchor with 250 feet of 5/16 chain. Back up 44 pound Danforth anchor with 250 feet of rode and chain. My maintenance/replacement list and records are long and exhaustive. This boat has been meticulously maintained.