Hunter Marine 54

BoatsHunter Marine 54

See her sail

The Hunter Marine 54, on the water

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

Footage from All About Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a narrow beam gives 27 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 27

CoastalBluewater

At 1.66 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.66

LightHeavy

111 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 111

EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 19.4

TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

Lighter than ~83% of boats her size on file
Draws less than ~85% of boats her size on file
Narrower than ~97% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1145 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Hunter Marine 54, 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 54 is a 16.7-meter cutter-rigged sailboat with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by W. Luhrs, J. Cherubini, and C. Steck, and built by Hunter Marine from 1980 to 1983. Its hull was designed by Luhrs & Cherubini, with the rig by Steck.1:37 The Hunter Marine Corporation, founded in 1973, became the second-largest American sailboat manufacturer by applying high-volume production to cruising boats.0:20 Hunter Marine boats, including the 54, were known for prioritizing interior volume and ease of handling for families, often incorporating features like stainless steel cockpit arches and the B&R rig, which eliminated the backstay.5:02 The brand faced criticism regarding structural hardware, particularly chain plate corrosion, and sluggish performance in heavy seas.7:20 Production of larger Hunter keelboats ceased after Marlow Hunter, LLC, which acquired the assets following a 2012 bankruptcy, eventually sold the Alachua facility in 2021.16:07

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

40.0%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Cutter

Ratios

SA / displacement

19.4

Displacement / length

111.2

Comfort ratio

26.6

Capsize screening

1.66

Hull speed

8.8 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1761

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/spade rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

1980–1983

Designer

W. Luhrs, J. Cherubini, C. Steck, 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.

Beneteau Oceanis 5416.69 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional cruiser from Berret-Racoupeau featuring a powerful sail plan and a shoal keel option

Why every SAILOR needs a GIRL onboard | Balearic Islands | Sailing Sunday Ep. 1329:23 from Sailing Sunday

Dufour Yachts 5617.07 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA 17-meter masthead sloop with a 2.44m draft, designed for high-volume offshore cruising with a 9.92-knot hull speed

#82 / Expedition Svalbard – Too Close? Polar Bear Encounter in the High Arctic from Sailing Polaris

Solaris 5516.70 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 16.7-metre performance cruiser with a 3-metre draft and a powerful 24.19 sail-area-to-displacement ratio

Genoa Boat Show 2025 Special: The show's new sailing boats0:54 from SVN solovelanet

Bavaria Yachts C5716.73 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Cossutti-designed performance cruiser featuring a high sail area-to-displacement ratio for spirited handling

Claes Eliasson on tacking sailboats0:01 from SEILmagasinet

Jeanneau Yachts 5516.93 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA modern Philippe Briand-designed fractional sloop featuring dual rudders and a high-volume hull for performance cruising

Full Tour of this IMPRESSIVE Sailboat - The Jeanneau Yachts 551:33 from Practical Sailor

Dufour Yachts 5416.84 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop by Felci Yacht Design featuring a smart electric propulsion option and flexible cabin layouts

Dufour 54 - Preview of the 2025 Genoa Boat Show0:12 from SVN solovelanet

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 37A John E. Cherubini-designed cutter featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, built for stable cruising since 1978 Hunter Marine 36A masthead sloop with a 44% ballast ratio, designed for stable coastal cruising during a short early-eighties production run Hunter Marine 45 LegendA 14-meter cruiser with a deep 1.98-meter fin keel, built for offshore stability and speed.Hunter Marine 34A 10.49-metre cruiser offering a shoal-draft option of 1.30 metres for versatile coastal access

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