Henderson gave the hull a moderately full forward section, intended to carry crew and stores without disturbing trim. The boat was drawn to Category B CE standards for coastal use. High freeboard, a rounded cabin and a rounded stern—with a rubrail masking the hull-deck joint—give the 326 an unmistakable profile among its peers.
Design and Construction
Below the waterline, the hull is solid fiberglass. According to the builder’s stated construction, the topsides above the waterline use Coremat and end-grain balsa, while the decks are woven roving over marine-grade plywood. In high-impact areas between the keel’s forward edge and the stem, the builder describes a four-layer hybrid E-glass and Kevlar lamination.
Aluminum backing plates are laminated into the deck for mounting hardware. The winches are through-bolted, while low-load organizers are supported by plywood. Hunter’s “Whisper Soft” headliner removes 120 pounds from the overhead, and the boat is built to CE Standard B.
A hatch beneath a cockpit seat provides an emergency exit from the aft compartment. Two storage compartments in the swim platform partly recover the space lost to that hatch.
Rig and Handling
The 326 carries a double-spreader B&R rig with aft-swept spreaders and no backstay. Its shrouds form a diamond pattern, with one set led to the rail and another to the cabintop. Hunter says this arrangement allows smaller mast sections, less weight aloft and a full-roach mainsail.
The mainsail controls are mounted on a stainless-steel arch over the cockpit. A Harken traveler track and its cleats are positioned so the traveler lines end at the helmsman’s fingertips. The Whitlock rack-and-pinion helm is an unusual choice, and the pedestal includes 17-inch side leaves and a built-in cooler.
Testers found the 326 the most tender boat in its comparison group in moderate puffs. They also noted that steering while seated and heeled would be more comfortable with a built-in foot brace. The designer, however, described the 326 as more forgiving and more responsive at the wheel than older Hunters.
Cockpit and Deck Equipment
Cockpit space between the pedestal and companionway is tight at just 24 inches. Owners describe the rounded cockpit as “like a bathtub” because of its enclosed feel.
The stainless mainsheet arch and a pair of Lewmar primary winches were cost options, with the winches listed as a paid extra. Two Lewmar self-tailers are fitted on the coachroof, and the coamings are pre-molded to accept the optional primary winches.
Accommodations
In Practical Sailor’s three-boat comparison, the Hunter had the largest saloon: 128 inches long and 90 inches wide. Light woodwork and white headliners brighten the space. Six-foot settees to port and starboard also serve as berths, while the amidships table seats four to six with its leaves open.
The C-shaped galley was also the largest of the group. It includes a 21-by-36-inch counter on the aft bulkhead and an L-shaped sink area. The chart table uses aft-facing seating on the port settee, although instruments on the bulkhead must be surface-mounted.
The aft stateroom has a dressing area with six feet of headroom at the entrance, beside a large hanging locker. Its athwartships queen berth sits only four inches above the sole.
Forward, the V-berth measures 6 feet 5 inches with the insert fitted. That arrangement leaves no standing room at the bulkhead, however, and headroom is limited to 5 feet 5 inches.
Standard Equipment
Hunter fitted a Raymarine VHF, knotmeter and depthsounder. In the three-boat comparison, the 326 was the only model with this instrumentation as standard.
The Verdict
The Hunter 326 is a thoughtfully packaged coastal cruiser that trades some righting moment for interior volume and easy handling. Its B&R rig and arch-mounted controls put sail shaping within reach of a short-handed crew, while the saloon, galley and aft cabin stand out in this size range.
The compromises are clear: tenderness in puffs, a low and enclosed forward berth, and a narrow route between the companionway and pedestal. For sailors moving up from a trailerable boat to their first slip-kept cruiser, the 326 remains a sensible, well-built platform.
Pros
- Largest saloon and galley in its comparison class, with dining space for four to six
- B&R rig and arch-mounted controls reduce loads and simplify sail trim
- CE Category B construction with a four-layer hybrid E-glass and Kevlar forward laminate
- Aft stateroom with dressing space and an athwartships queen berth
Cons
- Most tender of its peers in moderate wind; a foot brace would help when steering while heeled
- Forward stateroom has only 5 feet 5 inches of headroom and no standing room with the insert fitted
- Only 24 inches between the pedestal and companionway, restricting passage through the cockpit
