About - US Yachts Pty Ltd
US Yachts was appointed as the Australian
and New Zealand distributor for Hunter Marine in September
2003. US Yachts Pty Ltd is 100% owned by
Olympic
sailor Matt Hayes who also owns the award-winning
charter and corporate sailing business Sydney
By Sail at Darling Harbour.
Hayes selected Hunter because it was a
brand that had been under-promoted here in Australia,
even though Hunter
Marine is the largest producer in the US and
the UK. "Hunters", according to Hayes, "are
the most Australian imported yacht available in this country."US
Yachts have a highly-dedicated and qualified team of Sales
& Customer Service staff, shipwrights, riggers, marine
electricians, and mechanics involved in the selling and
commissioning each yacht as it arrives.
US YACHTS PTY LTD
Australia & Oceania Distributor for
Hunter Yachts ACN 105822295
Test sail or charter at Sydney By Sail Festival Pontoon
Darling Harbour
PHONE: (612) 9281 4422 - FAX: (612) 9280 1119
LATEST NEWS & INFORMATION
Hunter Owners Rendezvous ~ Pittwater,
Sydney Australia April 2008
Conditions were near perfect for the 4th Hunter Owners
Rendezvous conducted on Sydney's Pittwater last month.
Blue skies, sunshine and light winds ensured a memorable
day for the fleet of sixteen yachts and around seventy
Hunter owners and their friends as they raced around Lion
Island.
After three weeks of gloomy weather in Sydney, we were
all thankful for the sunshine and thought it was a great
sign for the Hunter family in Australia! As the RIB raced
around delivering the sailing instructions, the mood on
every yacht was buoyant (pun intended).
The course was kept pretty simple; from the Palm Beach
Channel Marker up around Lion Island and back. However,
strategy (and luck?) played a far greater part than pure
boat speed with a very light and flukey North Westerly
slowly shifting to the North East. This left a very big
hole just south of Lion Island, and it was only a lucky
few that didn't come to a complete stop at some stage.
Thoughts of the post race BBQ and concerns whether we
would get back in time to enjoy Ed's cooking started to
arise, so we all felt the relief as the North Easter filled
in. At last the yachts got to stretch their legs a little
rounding Lion Island. One Hunter
36 with plenty of local knowledge on board (you know
who you are) stayed very close to the eastern tip of the
island. When a big set of waves rolled in it looked from
the seaward side as if they had entered a surfing contest
instead of a yacht race!
Finally, after a square run back to the finish in a fairly
soft breeze, the Hunters picked up moorings, anchored
or rafted up in the beautiful Coasters Retreat. It was
really nice to see so many in the one spot and we certainly
attracted some positive comments from the other yachties.
Now it must be said that the only person who hadn't really
been looking forward to the event was the handicapper.
With yachts ranging from 1 month to 22 years old and in
size from 27 to 49ft, how could he possibly assign handicaps
to keep everyone happy? In the end wisdom prevailed. The
trick was to forget handicapping, run a scratch race and
put all his efforts into the post race drinks and BBQ.
Clearly that did make everyone happy!
As it happened, the results were less important than
the good company, a great day on the water, and some excellent
food and drink to top it off. The presentations were held
with most yachts receiving a prize of some kind, and thanks
must be given to our generous sponsors:
" Hunter Yachts
" Wayne Newman Marine
" Top Gear cleaning products
Thanks also to all the Hunter owners who turned up for
the day. It is a great opportunity for us to get together
with our customers and for you to meet each other, and
you can be sure these events will go from strength to
strength as the number of satisfied Hunter owners in Australia
continues to grow.
Special mention must be made of the brand
new Hunter 49, Screensaver. Less than three weeks
after taking delivery of their beautiful new yacht, Alan
and Tania Pascoe were happy to take her racing on only
their third outing. That type of spirit is going to serve
them well when they take off for their trip around the
World next year.
AROUND THE GLOBE WITH
MIKE HARKER ABOARD HIS
HUNTER 49 – WANDERLUST
II
U.S Yachts Salesman, Matt Lumsdaine reports back
on his experience aboard the mighty Hunter 49 from Sydney
to Airlie Beach – September 2007
The Hunter 49 looks and feels like a big yacht, one in
which you would be very happy to cross oceans, and she
lived up to that promise superbly. There were 6 of us
on board for the first four days, and there was room and
comfort to spare. Both aft cabins provided comfortable
sea berths, as did the settees on either side of the saloon.
The island berth in the owner's forward cabin also proved
comfortable in this regard, with sufficient width to sleep
across the bunk with one's head to windward. Not the best
approach in a tacking duel perhaps, but perfect for a
cruise where too much tacking (especially at night) is
frowned on!
The cockpit was also a very comfortable place to be.
Even with two young children aboard and the wind gusting
over 25 knots on the first night, we never felt at all
insecure. The molded backrests are just right and the
relatively high sides give a feeling of security and protection
from the cold night breeze. For the night watch, the ability
to whip up a hot drink and meal from the well laid out
galley was a bonus.
However, it was her performance under sail that provided
the greatest pleasure. The yacht is beautifully served
by a flexible sail plan, based on a large fully roached
main and a cutter rig that includes a self tacking staysail.
Hard on the breeze in 30 knot gusts, Wanderlust was fast
and steady with two reefs in the main and the staysail
alone. The helm was perfectly balanced and the twin wheels
provide the helmsperson with great visibility from both
windward and leeward positions. Reaching at 80 degrees
off the breeze in less than 10 knots of wind, with the
full main and both headsails unfurled, she still achieved
7 knots plus.
At one stage the wind dropped altogether. The sea near
Gladstone was complete glass and we couldn't believe the
number of whales, dolphins, flying fish and even a sea
snake that we might not have seen under choppy conditions.
I took the opportunity to lean over the bow as we motored
along easily at 8 knots and saw first hand what designer
Glenn Henderson intended when he incorporated the fine
bow entry with the reverse hollow into all the new model
Hunters. The boat was literally slicing through the water,
not pushing it in the way my previous (competing brand)
yacht had done.
That may also explain why the yacht handles swell and
even short chop so well. When it came time for me to fly
out from Hamilton Island we had three hours to get from
Airlie Beach and, you guessed it, the wind came up from
the south at up to 30 knots. We had to motor sail (with
two reefs in the main) into the wind and chop and Wanderlust
did the job admirably. The motion was surprisingly steady
and comfortable in the ugly conditions and we were never
in doubt of making it!
Spending 9 days on board Wanderlust gave me an great
insight into the Hunter 49 and I also learnt a great deal
from Mike Harker about setting up for long distance cruising.
I would love to talk with anyone considering one of these
beautiful yachts and advise on the various rig and keel
configurations and the other options that are available.
Designed for serious cruising, the Hunter 49 will also
delight weekend sailors, style meisters and comfort junkies
alike! Oh, and don't be surprised if you see a few of
these appearing in charter fleets in the near future!
For further details about his trip call Matt Lumsdaine
on (02) 9281 4422
HUNTER
OWNERS' REGATTA 2006
Blue skies, brilliant sunshine and a blustery sou'easter
made for spectacular and challenging conditions for the
2nd Annual Hunter Owners Regatta held Saturday 28th October
on Sydney Harbour.
Hunter owners across Australia were invited, of which
some 80 owners with family and friends attended. Due to
the gale force winds some owners were unable to sail their
yachts down the coast from nearby Pittwater but were happily
invited aboard by fellow owners to take part. This was
to be the largest gathering of Hunter yachts ever seen
in Australia, an event that proved a major drawcard for
one determined owner, Scott Ramage, aboard his Hunter
31. Scott battled into the headwind and 2-3m seas
to make the start line - an effort that saw him receive
the award for the most courageous sailor of the day.
Owners and their yachts assembled at the US Yachts base
in Darling Harbour at noon. As the yachts rafted up and
lines were thrown people mingled and chatted excitedly
about the windy conditions and what awaited them out on
the Harbour.
The fleet comprised 14 yachts ranging from 27ft to 45ft
and of both new and old designs.
The group were welcomed by Matt
Hayes of US Yachts followed by a general briefing,
outlining the expected wind, course and starting sequence.
The yachts then sailed a circular course around the natural
landmarks of Fort Denison, Clarke Island and Shark Island.
The start line was set in Farm Cove, nestled next to the
Sydney Opera House and in front of the city, a truly spectacular
back drop for the event.
All yachts were reefed down as the wind peaked at 33
knots prior to the start. As the countdown sequence ticked
away the yachts jostled for position and weaved their
way down the line. It was an impressive sight seeing the
crisp white sails of so many yachts preparing to start.
Our starter and on water judge for the day was of the
highest calibre, Olympic Gold Medallist and US
Yachts staff member Jenny Armstrong.
There was some spectacular action including an involuntary
tack which turned in to a 360 (Carpe
Diem Hunter 38), a collision with a rubber marker
buoy at 8 knots
(Mustang
Sally Hunter 44DS) and reaching at nine knots of boat
speed
(Hunter 45CC) while the ladies on board were sipping
chardonnay on the back deck.
Awards were presented for the following:
Best looking Captain - Nick Vetta on Hunter 356 (His
face was caked in salt)
Most courageous act of the day - Scott Ramage on his Hunter
31 tackling 30 to 35 knot headwinds off the New South
Wales coast
Best Gybe - The Charlotte (Best to centre the mainsail
next time guys)
Best Start - Mustang Sally crossing the line .05 seconds
before the gun
The winner of the Hunter
33 division - Smitten, with two very smitten owners
Warwick and Kate.
First over the line - Mooramba owned by Max Clarke who
sailed superbly to take the honours.
The day ended with the presentation and post race drinks
and hot fish and chips at Darling Harbour.
We would like to thank our sponsors who helped make the
day a successful event includin
Hunter Marine
Boatworks
Wayne Newman Marine
Lewmar
TopGear Marine Grade
A DVD of the day has been produced and free copies are
available by contacting
US Yachts.
Another Hunter rendezvous is planned for March next year
for Pittwater with a date to be decided.
Hunter 27X
Hunter Marine Factory
Tour - Alachua, Florida, USA.
By Edward Penn
U.S. Yachts Sales & Warranty Manager
Alachua is a small rural town located 30
minutes from Gainsville, home to the University of Florida.
Having just spent three days in the company
of the Hunter Marine management & design team and
the top US dealers for the launch of the new
Hunter 45 Centre Cockpit I was fully enthused and eager
to get a closer look at the production facility.
My first impression upon arriving at the
factory was "where are all the employees" and
how quiet it seemed. It was not until entering the connecting
buildings that the 350 person strong workforce became
evident and the sheer scale of production process apparent.
Immediately you wonder who
or what ensures all the parts come together at the right
time ensuring that the assembly line keeps moving and
the 2.2 yachts are completed each
and every day.
I began with a general factory tour, this
gave me a good overall picture of the main areas of production
including hull and deck lay up, hull & deck
preparation, wood & cabinetry, fibreglass matt cutting,
modular interior assembly, pan to hull fixing and line
assembly.
It is inside the line assembly building
that the process looks truly impressive. With rows of
each model running down the line side by side with
7-10 yachts progressing one behind the other. It is a
magnificent sight.
The production process is labour intensive,
but Hunter Marine has sped up the process by using high
tech machinery. These include a computerized
5-Axis Mill Router for moulds and patterns, a computerized
CNC router is used to cut sheets of wood to exact measurements
for all the cabinetry and
bulkheads and a new computerized fabric cutting machine
for all fibreglass cutting
Having been involved with the selling, commissioning
and sailing of Hunter yachts in Australia for the past
3 years and had production questions that
were of particular interest, many of which have been as
a result of the technical questions asked by existing
and prospective owners. Understanding
the full production process itself is quite mind boggling
but it is not until you have had some exposure to the
process that you realise how it all comes
together and what it is you want to know.
Hunter Marine uses a highly efficient and
affective way of assembling the interior of each yacht
using a modular process. A common process to
strengthen a hull is to glass into place a stringer or
grid system. Hunter does not use this approach. Instead
they use a separate glass moulded
section, a rigid structure, known as the pan and somewhat
resembles the underside of an egg box when complete. Then
using an actual hull still
inside its mould, the majority of each side is cut away
to form what is known as a jig. The pan is then lowered
into the jig and onto which the floor
support structure is placed and then the interior of the
yacht is built whilst still inside the jig. With the jig
having most of the sides cut away the access
for wire runs is made easy. The structure is actually
powered up and the first stages of the QC process take
place. All the bulkheads are put into place,
panelling and cabinets.
The advantage of 'building the boat within
a boat' is that all the measurements will be exactly the
same as the real hull into which the module will be
placed. When the module is complete it is taken to the
awaiting hull and after a series of dry runs is lowered
into place onto a bed of plexus, an
extremely strong bonding compound. The bulkheads are then
'tabbed' to the hull using the plexus.
I spent considerable time in the Modular
Room, for this is the area that has dramatically speeded
up the whole production process. This area is
adjacent to the woodworking & cabinetry room. Just
at the right time, items come out of the woodwork room
and begin the process of being spray
finished, then when complete are fitted inside the module.
Here I learnt of exactly how many coats are applied to
the woodwork, and just how many
days it takes to make a high gloss dinette table. Generally
not the sort of questions that spring to mind unless you
see it actually happening in front of you.
It takes 2 days to build the module of a
mid sized yacht ready to be affixed into the awaiting
hull. The Modular Room sees 10 boats a week pass through
it.
It was also here that I spoke with the manager regarding
the importance of timing and how any changes to the production
schedule can dramatically
affect the rest of the production process. Each morning
all the managers from the different areas of production
meet to discuss the schedule.
An area that was of particular interest
to me was the Quality Control process. I was staggered
to learn the extent to which Hunter Marine go to ensure
any
faults are rectified before the yacht leaves the factory.
A team of 8 people are employed to check every yacht at
3 main stages of production including;
the modular phase, assembly phase and when at the pond.
The pond is the area where the yachts are cradled into
the water and left overnight with
all systems running.
Yachts that are sent to Australia also have
the rigs assembled and masts stepped to ensure all is
correct. The rigs are then repacked into the shipping
crate where the risk of damage is minimal. Unlike our
competitors they are not simply tied alongside the shipping
cradle.
Each yacht has its own 'hull book' into
which all the checks are listed, details of any faults
and when any faults were corrected and by whom.
An interesting fact is that each yacht is pressured up
(all ports taped shut) using an air pressure unit then
covered with soapy water. A leak test is also
done on the anchor locker and whilst the yacht is at the
pond.
The more time I spent talking with the employees,
whether management or assembly workers it was apparent
was how much passion they had for the
job and how happy they were despite the temperature being
in the 90's with 100% humidity and often dusty and noisy
conditions. With Hunter Marine being
employee owned and offering a company pension scheme I
found that the majority of employees I spoke to have worked
at the factory for between 10-20 years.
This was certainly an impressive fact and gives good peace
of mind when it comes to consistency in production.
The highlight of the visit was a quick peak
inside the R & D area normally restricted to all visitors.
What I saw in that area…well….that remains
classified BUT and am happy to answer any technical questions
on Hunter yachts.
Hunter Marine conduct tours daily and welcome
visitors.
Special thanks to John Peterson, Ken
Overman, Al Fooks, Julie Christian,
Joyce Perry, Vance Simmons and Jim McCorry for all their
kind assistance during my US visit.
