Hunter 326 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Below the waterline the hull is solid fiberglass, while the topsides above the waterline use a Coremat and end-grain balsa layup, and the decks are woven roving over marine-grade plywood, all per the builder's stated construction. In high-impact zones from the keel's forward edge to the stem, the builder describes a four-layer hybrid E-glass and Kevlar lamination. Hardware mounting is handled with aluminum backing plates laminated into the deck, through-bolted winches, and plywood under low-load organizers. The "Whisper Soft" headliner the builder adopted sheds 120 pounds from the overhead, and the boat is built to CE Standard B. A hatch under a cockpit seat serves as an emergency exit for the aft compartment, with two storage compartments added to the swim platform to partly recover the lost space.

Rig and Handling

The 326 carries a double-spreader B&R rig with aft-swept spreaders and no backstay, the shrouds set in a diamond pattern with one set to the rail and one to the cabintop. Hunter claims this arrangement permits smaller mast sections, less weight aloft, and a full-roach main. Mainsail controls sit on a stainless arch over the cockpit, with a Harken traveler track and cleats positioned so the traveler lines end at the helmsman's fingertips. A Whitlock rack-and-pinion helm is an unusual choice, and the pedestal carries 17-inch side leaves plus a built-in cooler. Testers found the 326 the most tender of its comparison group in moderate puffs and noted that steering while heeled and seated would be more comfortable with a built-in foot brace, though the designer described the boat as more forgiving and more responsive at the wheel than older Hunters.

Accommodations

Practical Sailor's comparison placed the saloon as the largest of three boats reviewed at 128 inches long and 90 inches wide, with light wood and white headliners brightening the space. Six-foot settees port and starboard double as berths, and an amidships table seats four to six with leaves open. The C-shaped galley is the largest of the group, with a 21-by-36-inch counter on the aft bulkhead and an L-shaped sink area; the chart table has aft-facing seating on the port settee, though bulkhead instruments must be surface-mounted. The aft stateroom gives dressing room with six feet of headroom at the entrance beside a large hanging locker, a queen berth athwartships only four inches above the sole. Forward, the V-berth runs 6 feet 5 inches with the insert but leaves no stand-up room at the bulkhead and only 5 feet 5 inches of headroom.

Equipment and Standard Package

Hunter fitted a Raymarine VHF, knotmeter, and depthsounder as the only standard instrumentation among the three compared boats. The stainless mainsheet arch and a pair of Lewmar primary winches were cost options, the winches listed as a paid extra. Two Lewmar self-tailers come on the coachroof, and the coamings are pre-molded to accept optional primaries. Cockpit space between pedestal and companionway is tight at only 24 inches, and owners characterize the rounded cockpit as "like a bathtub" for its enclosed feel.

The Verdict

The Hunter 326 is a thoughtfully packaged coastal cruiser that trades some righting moment for volume and easy handling. Its B&R rig and arch-mounted controls put sail shaping within reach of a short-handed crew, and the interior volume, galley, and aft cabin are standouts in the size range. The trade-offs are real: tenderness in puffs, a low and enclosed forward berth, and a narrow companionway path. For a first slip boat moving up from a trailer sailor, it remains a sensible, well-built platform.

Pros

Largest saloon and galley in its comparison class, with true dining for four to six
B&R rig with arch-mounted controls reduces loads and simplifies trim
CE Category B construction with Kevlar-enhanced forward laminate
Aft stateroom with dressing space and athwartships queen berth

Cons