Hunter Marine
Hunter Marine Corporation is a U.S.-based sailboat builder, now called Marlow-Hunter, LLC., which also produces the Mainship powerboat brand.
History
In the 1800s Henry Luhrs, a German immigrant, outfitted trading ships and owned a chandlery. His grandson, Henry, continued the family heritage on the New Jersey coast, building and repairing recreational and fishing boats. By the early 1960s Henry and his sons, John and Warren, were building over a thousand powerboats a year. Hunter was started in 1973 in Alachua, Florida, as the sailboat manufacturer. Hunter was sold in August 2012 to Mr. David E. Marlow, builder of Marlow Yachts.
The early Hunter boats, designed by John E. Cherubini, targeted the value-priced market and developed a reputation for respectable quality and good value. Marlow-Hunter utilizes the design service of Glenn Henderson and its in-house team. Hunter is responsible for several market innovations, including their trademark stainless steel cockpit arch and their use of the B & R rig. Hunter also began the construction of sailboats whose hulls make use of bow hollow and stern reflex, marine architecture design elements that maximize thrust under sail.
Hunter Marine today
Hunter builds and sells through 140 dealers/distributors about 1,000 boats per year. The Hunter main factory produces about 600 larger keel boats, and roughly 400 smaller trailerable models.
Models
For the 2013 Model Year, Hunter builds a selection of ten models, with two being new releases:
| 15 Trailerable | |
| 18 Trailerable | |
| 22 Trailerable | |
| 27 Aft Cockpit | |
| NEW 33 Aft Cockpit | |
| 36 Aft Cockpit | |
| NEW 40 Aft Cockpit | |
| 45 Deck Salon | |
| 50 Aft Cockpit | |
| 50 Center cockpit |
Hunter changes its designs and model designations frequently, with the aim of closely following market trends for aesthetics and amenities. However, it limits the development of owner fleets built around "one design" models which promote sailboat racing.
