BoatsHunter Marine 40-1

Hunter Marine 40-1

B&R · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1984–1990

A 12-metre cruiser with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for coastal performance between 1984 and 1990

Designed by Cortland Steck.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Hunter Marine 40-1, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

2.08 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.08
LightHeavy

226 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 226
EasygoingPowered-up

18.8 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.8
TenderStiff

45% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 45%

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

  • Beamier than ~85% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2863 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Hunter Marine 40-1, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Hunter Marine 40-1, built from 1984 to 1990, is a Cortland Steck-designed cruising sailboat with a B&R rig and a fin keel with a spade rudder.5:30 It measures 12.1 meters LOA, has a 4.1-meter beam, a 2.0-meter draft, and displaces 7892 kg.2:17 Hunter Marine, known for high-volume production, designed the 40-1 and other models to maximize interior volume and ease of handling for families, incorporating features like stainless steel cockpit arches.5:02 The model was also sold as the Hunter Legend 40.2:13 While Hunter Marine won multiple Cruising World Boat of the Year awards, the brand faced criticism for structural hardware issues, particularly chain plate corrosion, and sluggish performance in heavy seas.7:20 A 1985 Hunter Legend 40 listed for $25,000 on Facebook Marketplace illustrates how "Pinterest-style" interior remodels can hide rot in bulkheads, chain plates, or decks, necessitating a professional survey and moisture meter inspection for used boats.3:15

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen for sale
$25,000Median asking

  • A 1985 Hunter Legend 40 listed for $25,000 on Facebook Marketplace, noted for its remodeled interior potentially hiding structural issues

    from Practical Sailorseen February 20252:36

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
45.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
B&R
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.8
Displacement / length
226.3
Comfort ratio
24.4
Capsize screening
2.08
Hull speed
7.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1558
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1984–1990
Designer
Cortland Steck
Builder
Hunter Marine

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

O'day 4012.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12-metre masthead sloop featuring an extended sugar scoop stern and a taller rig on later production models
O’Day 40 - A Budget Cruiser for the Bahamasfrom Practical Sailor
Beneteau 4012.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2007 Berret-Racoupeau design with a 1.9m draft, also marketed internationally as the Oceanis 40 and Moorings 41.3
Deadpool & Wolverine Buy a SailGP Team?!9:46from The Sailing Doodles Podcast
Dufour Yachts 39 CC11.99 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA center-cockpit masthead sloop designed for comfortable cruising with a balanced 1.88m fin and bulb keel
Dufour 39 with more space for your moneyfrom SEILmagasinet
Cal Boats 4011.99 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA legendary offshore racer with 160 built, featuring a light displacement and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Hank Easom17:41from LIFE ON THE WATER
Tartan Marine 39512.04 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2019 production performance cruiser featuring a spade rudder and a 1.88-meter draft for balanced coastal handling
Which Boats Are Easy to Sail? 7 Features That Matter10:12from Practical Sailor
Dehler Yachts 38 SQ12.07 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Judel/Vrolijk-designed performance cruiser offering flexible configurations from standard to carbon-rigged competition
Sailing Around the Netherlands | Ep. 227:30from Jakob Lang Sailing

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Hunter Marine 40.5 LegendA B&R rigged cruiser featuring a shoal-draft wing keel designed for stable, comfortable coastal passage makingHunter Marine 40-2A fractional sloop with a 22.15 sail-area-to-displacement ratio, built for responsive performance since 2012Hunter Marine 38A 38-foot cruiser featuring a Glenn Henderson-designed hull and B&R rig, optimized for coastal stability since 2004Hunter Marine 34A 10.49-metre cruiser offering a shoal-draft option of 1.30 metres for versatile coastal accessHunter Marine 31A Cortland Steck design featuring a B&R rig and a fin keel, built for coastal cruising between 1983 and 1987Hunter Marine 37.5 LegendA fractional sloop with a shallow 1.45m draft, designed for coastal cruising with a focus on stability and comfort

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The fleet has more to say

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