Design and Construction
The Hunter 40 is a monohull built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, carrying a fixed fin keel and an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a wheel. The raked stem and reverse transom with a folding boarding ladder give the hull a modern-for-its-era profile, and the 13.4-foot beam carried on a 32.5-foot waterline lends the boat real interior volume for its length. At a displacement of 17,400 pounds with 7,900 pounds of lead ballast, the design sits at a ballast-displacement ratio near 45 percent, a figure that places it firmly in the comfort-oriented cruiser camp rather than the featherweight racer end of the spectrum. The 2.07 capsize ratio and 24.45 comfort ratio further mark it as a stable, accommodating coastal vessel.
Rig and Handling
Steck gave the Hunter 40 a B&R rig masthead sloop configuration, a Bermuda rig with a sailplan that the factory backed up with a 110% roller furling genoa as standard. Four two-speed self-tailing winches were fitted at the factory, which keeps routine sail handling manageable for a short-handed crew. The PHRF average of 105 for the deep-keel version, with a spread from 99 to 111, and 108 for the shoal-draft version, from 102 to 114, places the boat in predictable company among late-1980s 40-foot cruisers — quick enough to be useful, but rated as a cruiser first.
Accommodations
Below, the Hunter 40 was built to feel like a small apartment afloat. Factory standard equipment included private forward and aft cabins, a dinette table, and teak and holly cabin sole throughout. Two fully enclosed heads with showers serve the layout, and the galley came with dual stainless steel sinks and a three-burner gimbaled compressed natural gas stove and oven. A refrigerator was standard, as was an AM/FM radio and cassette player with four speakers — period creature comfort rather than nav-station kit. The combination of two enclosed heads and two private cabins made the boat a plausible liveaboard or charter platform in its day.
Equipment and Factory Standard Fit
Beyond the rig and accommodation notes, the factory fitted a Japanese Yanmar diesel engine as the standard auxiliary. The 110% roller furling genoa, four self-tailing winches, and the gimbaled three-burner stove with oven round out a spec sheet that anticipated casual coastal cruising without demanding constant crew work. A 40-gallon fuel capacity and 100-gallon water capacity supported extended weekends or modest coastal passages.
The Verdict
The Hunter 40-1 is a thoughtfully packaged volume cruiser from the mid-1980s, strong on accommodation and easy handling, less concerned with out-right performance pedigree. Its B&R rig and roller furling make it approachable, and the two-cabin, two-head layout remains genuinely practical.
Pros
- Spacious private forward and aft cabins with two enclosed heads
- B&R rig masthead sloop with standard roller furling genoa and four self-tailing winches
- Stable cruiser proportions with lead ballast near 45 percent of displacement
Cons
- PHRF ratings place it among ordinary cruisers rather than performance boats
- Period-standard entertainment and galley gear reflect 1980s expectations, not modern systems
