Design and Construction
The 310 has a rounded, relatively narrow hull, with a table-straight sheer, plenty of freeboard, and beam carried well out on deck. Below the waterline, the hull is solid fiberglass laid up by hand in a female mold. Baltek balsa core runs from the waterline to the sheerline, while the deck uses a mix of balsa and plywood core.
A molded fiberglass reinforcing grid is glassed into the hull. Additional fabric wraps around the grid, spreading rig and keel loads into the laminate. The hull and deck meet at out-turning flanges, joined with 3M 5200 sealant and through-bolted vertically on 6-inch centers with 1/4-20 stainless steel bolts. A vinyl rubrail caps the joint.
The chainplates are bolted horizontally at the gunwale through the deck bulwark, and the mast sits directly on top of the compression post. The standard shoal-draft arrangement is a bulb-wing keel. The boat also carries a large, internally mounted spade rudder; its composite rudder and rudderstock construction impressed testers.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The Hunter 310 uses a fractional Bergstrom & Ridder sloop rig. It combines cross-stressed diagonals, cap shrouds, and intermediates with swept-back spreaders and a conventional headstay, eliminating the need for a backstay. Deck-mounted struts support the spar above the gooseneck, allowing a lighter, thinner mast and accommodating a large-roach mainsail with full-length battens and a low center of effort.
The standard cockpit arch keeps the mainsheet clear of the cockpit, carries the traveler controls, and makes a Bimini practical. The swept-back spreaders, however, tend to poke alarmingly into the mainsail when sailing downwind.
Practical Sailor found the 310 maneuverable, reversing course in twice her length or less. In flat, light air, she was also relatively close-winded at about 40 degrees from the apparent wind. Under the 18-horsepower, two-cylinder Yanmar, the same review reached hull speed near 7.1 knots at 3,200 rpm. However, the boat accelerated slowly and did not ghost well in a fitful breeze. Her rounded bilges provide little form stability, and the short keels create considerable parasitic drag.
Cockpit and Deck
The circular cockpit well is formed by carrying the seatbacks out to the sheer around a central molded table and pedestal. This arrangement is distinctive, but the well takes a long time to drain. A high sill sits where a bridge deck should be, and the shallow bilge compounds the drainage concern.
The cockpit arch is standard, though it may be omitted for a small extra cost. The helm seat pivots to form the gate to the walk-aboard transom. Cockpit lockers are shallow because of the aft cabin, while the control assembly for the swim-platform shower is convenient but unobtrusive. Rack-and-pinion steering drew praise from many owners.
Elsewhere on deck, serious non-skid and strut handholds help crews move around the boat. A windlass mounts in the anchor locker, and a footlight is built into the pedestal base.
Accommodations
Privacy shapes the 310’s interior plan. Double berths are placed fore and aft, separated by as much of the hull as possible and enclosed by solid doors. The saloon sits farther forward than usual, while the many windows and hull ports make the cabin exceptionally bright. Reading and overhead lights are plentiful, and the locker fronts have positive push-buttons.
The molded interior locates furniture and bulkheads glassed to the hull. Engine access is excellent, although the indifferently insulated engine box sits in the middle of the living and sleeping space. The boat also lacks much heavy-duty storage and has no convenient sea berth.
One owner found the athwartships aft double berth too low for comfort. Cross-ventilation in that cabin is also minimal.
The Verdict
The Hunter 310 is a thoughtfully engineered cruiser that trades outright speed for ease and security with a short-handed crew. Its B&R rig and circular cockpit are genuine innovations, but the small sail plan and drainage shortcomings require buyers to weigh livability against performance.
Pros
- Privacy-focused layout with enclosed fore and aft staterooms
- B&R rig eliminates the backstay and simplifies sail handling
- Excellent engine access despite the central engine-box placement
- Maneuverable in close quarters, with a responsive spade rudder
Cons
- Cockpit well drains slowly, and the bilge is shallow
- Small 455-square-foot sail area leaves no performance margin
- Swept-back spreaders can foul the mainsail downwind
- Aft berth is low and poorly ventilated, according to one owner
