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.
Best sales years were in mid 2000's with over 1,500 boats built per year in Ct., Fl., and England plants. Now down to one plant with 200+/- boats being built per year.
Hunter Marine today
Hunter builds and sells through 40 dealers/distributors about 200 boats per year. The Hunter main factory produces about 120 larger keel boats, and roughly 80 smaller trailerable models. After the sale from the Luhrs Brothers the company produces 66% less boats and many models are becoming outdated.
Models
For the 2015 Model Year, Hunter builds a selection of 7 production models, with two limited releases:
| 15 Trailerable | |
| 18 Trailerable | |
| 22 Trailerable | |
| 31 Aft Cockpit | |
| 33 Aft Cockpit | |
| 37 Aft Cockpit | |
| 40 Aft Cockpit |
- Limited 50' boats being built---less than 4 a year.
Also building a limited amount of Mainship powerboats---6 a year.