Hunt Presents New Surfhunter, New Options

Based on customer demand, Hunt Yachts has added the Surfhunter 36 Coupe to its lines. The Surfhunter 36 Coupe builds on the already proven hull of Hunt’s Harrier 36 to offer more accommodation for extended cruising and is the eleventh model in production by this iconic American brand, all designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates. In keeping with earlier Hunt models, the Surfhunter 36 Hardtop Coupe is offered with multiple power and drive options, including IPS, shaft drive or waterjet; standard power is a 480 HP Cummins diesel with pod drive which will deliver 28-knot cruise and 34 knots at full throttle.

While the Hunt 36 Harrier certainly showcases Hunt’s remarkable performance, roughwater comfort and ease of handling, other Hunt customers expressed a desire for more extensive accommodations, the all-weather protection of a coupe’s hardtop and on-deck saloon, and the convenience of a continuous, unbroken level from helm to transom. The Surfhunter 36 Hardtop Coupe provides all these attributes, yet maintains Hunt’s alluring and rakish low profile topsides. Her bridgedeck/cockpit provides seating and lounging for ten people while the helmsman enjoys 360-degree clear view from the Stidd helm chair. A transom door makes boarding especially inviting from the stern platform.

Below, the master stateroom is forward with galley and hanging locker flanking the entry. The galley is fitted with refrigerator, microwave, stove, sink (H&C water standard) and Corian counter; granite is optional. Owners can choose from 3 layouts – master island berth, dinette/v-berth or lounge – all with ample storage for overnight cruising. Aft to starboard, the head features a separate stall shower which includes a seat.

Much has been made by boatbuilders of fuel efficiency, touting hull forms and superiority claims. Fair comparisons with the Hunt-innovative deep-V, however, show that the Surfhunter 36 Hardtop Coupe can deliver its crew from point-A to point-B not only quickly and in comfort but also with exceptionally thrifty use of fuel. As the designers often explain, it is not gallons-per-hour that matters: it is miles-per-gallon. Depending, naturally, on load, fuel consumption is expected to be 2.0 miles per gallon at 22 knots; the Surfhunter 36’s 150-gallon fuel capacity with 10% reserve should then provide a working range in excess of 240 nm.

It is the quality of the ride over those miles which most dramatically separates the Hunt Surfhunter 36 from other similarly sized cruisers. C. Raymond Hunt Associates has been refining the nuances of the deep-V which Ray Hunt, the firm’s founder, developed over 50 years ago, a breakthrough which has informed powerboat design ever since. No designers have the depth of experience possessed by Hunt, so it should be no surprise that Hunt Yachts perform so well across such a wide range of sea conditions. It is those attributes which have led to the vast majority of pilot boats serving major U.S. ports to be Hunt-designed for professional mariners who must go out to meet ships under the worst conditions.

Hunt Yachts are American-made, classic yet modern in style, and built to order on a semi-custom basis in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Hunt has always encouraged owner personalization and, although a Hunt Yacht is easily identifiable as a Hunt, no two are ever exactly alike.