Hunter
38
The new Hunter 38 replaces the popular
386, the last of which rolled out of the Florida
plant May 27, 2004 following a highly successful
seven year run.
Hunter's famed designer and racer Glenn Henderson
returned to the drawing board with one focus in
mind. "Our goal was to design a boat that was
an exceptionally comfortable cruiser, yet offered
outstanding performance and easy handling,"
said Henderson. "Our new 38 has met -- and
exceeds --
expectations." The 38 is Hunter's largest mid-size
cruiser in its fleet. While Hunter is quick to acknowledge
that the market is competitive in this class,
the company believes it is a powerful niche and
is confident its new boat will make waves due to
its many innovations. In addition, the appearance
of
the boat itself offers an optional departure featuring
red stripes, a red Hunter logo and linen bimini
top.
"The look alone will immediately
set this boat apart from others in the marketplace,"
said John Peterson, Hunter Marine's director of
sales and marketing.
"Not only is this a change from our traditional
design and appearance, but the look itself is a
standout." The sail plan for the 38 features
a large roach
mainsail with flaking system and an anodized B &
R double spreader fractional rig with Selden¨
support struts on a conventional mast. Most of the
power
comes from the mainsail, which Henderson prefers
versus relying on a large jib. "The whole sail
plan is aerodynamically efficient," explained
Henderson.
"I will not design a mast head rig sail plan.
The fractional rig with large mainsail delivers
better performance, and the smaller head sail means
easier
sail handling for both passengers and crew."
HKT Kevlar® is used to reinforce
the low drag and robust hull. Attention was given
to the volumetric distribution of the hull to even
out pressures of water
movement, utilizing the rudder as a major lift component
along with the keel. Hunter uses state-of-the-art
computer 3D simulation software -- the same
type used by the aviation industry -- for modeling
and design testing in sailing conditions without
actually having to produce a working model.
