The 1989 sales brochure presented the Legend 43 as a boat designed for sailors who wanted performance without sacrificing comfort. In practice, it comes across as a pragmatic, capable cruiser rather than a style statement.
Design and Construction
The Legend 43 is a solid-fiberglass cruiser, but its main structural feature lies inside the hull. A bonded, full-length internal frame and stringer grid carries the rig loads and stiffens the boat. This allowed Hunter to use less heavy glass than was typical in late-1980s and early-1990s construction while still claiming maximum strength without a weight penalty.
The chainplates tie directly into the frame system. Heavy-duty deck hardware is through-bolted and backed with plates, providing direct load paths from the double-spreader fractional rig into the boat’s structural backbone.
There’s no varnished wood on deck. The anodized toerail is through-bolted and fitted with amidships cleats, while the pulpits and cabin handrails are stainless steel. Beefy double lifelines with gates complete the workmanlike perimeter.
The bulb-wing keel draws less than 5 feet. Its shallow profile works with the internally mounted spade rudder to provide predictable control at low speed.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The anodized, double-spreader fractional rig has a 64-foot 6-inch mast. Most boats carry a full-batten mainsail with a flaking system, along with a furling foresail controlled by a roller furler. A mainsheet traveler and boom vang support sail control, while the jib sheets run through inboard genoa tracks with cars.
Internal halyards lead aft to the cockpit. Two two-speed self-tailing halyard winches and a pair of two-speed self-tailing genoa winches keep the controls within reach of a short crew. Owners routinely cite the boat’s ease of shorthanded sailing.
Testers found the Legend 43 capable in a stiff breeze. In a 2017 Sailing magazine account, David Liscio noted that in 25 knots with large swells she handled admirably and proved maneuverable and predictable, while pointing high with ease. The large rudder also made backing into a slip noticeably less challenging.
Cockpit and Deck
The spacious, T-shaped cockpit has deep, wide seats and a sturdy table with drink holders and collapsible leaves. Stowage includes three cockpit lockers and two transom lockers.
Wheel steering is mounted at a binnacle with a lighted compass and engine panel. A walk-through transom leads to the swim platform.
Accommodations
Below, the Legend 43 doesn’t feel like a stripped-down racer. The cabin sole is teak and holly, headroom is 6 feet 6 inches, and natural light enters through skylights, seven opening hatches, and ports.
The original three-cabin layout has a forward V-berth for two and an aft cabin with a perpendicular double berth and a private head nearby. The third stateroom has bunk beds, which owners name as the most common positive attribute of the three-cabin layout. Two fixed heads serve the saloon, while a third head in the form of a porta-potti is concealed beneath the bunk cushions.
A navigation station with a hinged seat and chart table fits into the three-cabin plan. To port, the galley is functional rather than lavish, with a double-basin stainless-steel sink, propane range and oven, Corian counters, and a refrigerator with a separate freezer. A settee sits just forward.
Engine, Tankage, and Ownership
The 40-horsepower, freshwater-cooled Yanmar diesel originally specified for this size range was replaced on the production line by the 50-horsepower Yanmar 4JH2-E FWC, which was standard by launch.
Tankage varies from hull to hull. Freshwater capacity ranges from 120 to 190 gallons. Certain boats have a forward 75-gallon tank, two 45-gallon tanks, and one 25-gallon tank.
Several Legend 43s entered charter service with the Moorings, so ex-charter boats form part of the used population. The construction records were lost in the 2012 bankruptcy that recast Hunter Marine as Marlow-Hunter, and the number of completed hulls isn’t known.
The Verdict
The Hunter 43 Legend is a sensible, well-framed cruiser that trades classic looks for usable volume, straightforward shorthanded sailing, and a rigid internal structure. She’s more functional than fabulous—and that’s precisely the point for cruisers who value predictable handling over a pretty sheer.
Pros
- Bonded, full-length frame and stringer grid provides stiffness without heavy glass
- Shallow bulb-wing keel and large spade rudder ease close-quarters maneuvering
- Cockpit-led rig controls and self-tailing winches suit shorthanded crews
- Three-cabin layout, bunk room, and two fixed heads work well for cruising families
- Standard 50 hp Yanmar 4JH2-E provides ample auxiliary power
Cons
- Plain deck styling lacks graceful sheer and overhangs
- Galley and accommodations feel functional rather than refined
- Some hulls have a porta-potti third head beneath the bunk cushions
