BoatsHunter Marine 36

Hunter Marine 36

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1980–1983

A masthead sloop with a 44% ballast ratio, designed for stable coastal cruising during a short early-eighties production run

Designed by John E. Cherubini.

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

See her sail

The Hunter Marine 36, on the water

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

Footage from Sail Vessel Khalifa

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 27 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 27
CoastalBluewater

1.86 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.86
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 235
EasygoingPowered-up

17.1 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 17.1
TenderStiff

44% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 44%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Draws less than ~83% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2960 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Hunter Marine 36, 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 36 is a 10.9-meter masthead sloop designed by John E. Cherubini and built by Hunter Marine from 1980 to 1983.2:22 It features a fin keel with a spade rudder and displaces 6123 kg. Aboard *Sail Vessel Khalifa*, a Hunter Marine 36 owner upgraded the electrical system with a lithium-ion battery bank to support a Starlink system, refrigerator, and freezer, noting the boat's structural integrity remained sound during a passage from Brazil to Florida.19:41 The crew plans to replace a Quick windlass and acquired $2,500 in spare parts, including Yamaha 3JH5E engine components and Schenker watermaker spares, for an upcoming circumnavigation.2:49 They also installed a Mantus anchor swivel and use a portable depth sounder for shallow anchorages.33:51 Hunter Marine, founded in 1973, became a major American sailboat manufacturer known for production techniques and designs by John Cherubini, though the brand faced criticism for chain plate corrosion and performance in heavy seas.1:27

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

The channels sailing this model, and where they were last seen.

Seen 3 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Hunter Marine 36 on video

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Hunter Marine 36 may be fitted out entirely differently.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
44.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.1
Displacement / length
234.8
Comfort ratio
27.0
Capsize screening
1.86
Hull speed
7.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1168
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1980–1983
Designer
John E. Cherubini
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.

Contessa 3510.82 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Doug Peterson-designed IOR One Ton racer that claimed the 1974 International One Ton Cup with her prototype Gumboots
Catalina Yachts 35510.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 10.8-metre cruiser with a 37% ballast ratio and a 2.03-metre draft, built for stability and ease of handling
Catalina Yachts 3611.07 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile coastal cruiser offering optional tall rig and wing keel configurations to suit varying water depths
Hunter Marine 35610.82 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered in the UK market with twin bilge keels, this 10.8-metre cruiser provides a versatile option for shoal waters
Moody 36S10.97 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn aft-cockpit variation of the Moody 36, featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for balanced coastal cruising
Islander Yachts 3611.00 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn Alan Gurney-designed masthead sloop with a 15-year production run and nearly 800 hulls launched

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Hunter Marine 36, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue