Design and Construction
The Legend 43 is a solid-fiberglass cruiser whose real structural story is inside the hull. A bonded, full-length internal frame and stringer grid carries the rig loads and stiffens the boat, which let Hunter use less heavy glass than was typical of late-1980s and early-1990s practice and still claim maximum strength without a weight penalty. Chainplates tie directly into that frame system, and deck hardware is heavy-duty, through-bolted, and backed with plates, so the load paths from the double-spreader fractional rig run cleanly into the backbone. On deck there is no varnished wood in sight; the toerail is through-bolted and anodized with amidships cleats, the pulpits and cabin handrails are stainless, and beefy double lifelines with gates complete a workmanlike perimeter. The bulb-wing keel with draft of less than 5 feet draws a shallow profile that pairs with the internally mounted spade rudder for predictable low-speed control.
Rig and Handling
The anodized double-spreader fractional rig steps a mast 64 feet 6 inches tall and carries a full-batten mainsail with a flaking system on most boats, plus a furling foresail tamed by a roller furler. A mainsheet traveler and boom vang add rig support, jib sheets run through inboard genoa tracks with cars, and internal halyards lead aft to the cockpit, where dual two-speed self-tailing halyard winches and a pair of two-speed self-tailing genoa winches put everything a short crew needs within reach. Testers found the boat capable in a stiff breeze, and in a 2017 Sailing magazine account David Liscio noted that in 25 knots with large swells she handled admirably and proved maneuverable and predictable, easily pointing high. Her large rudder made backing into a slip noticeably less challenging, and owners routinely cite how easy she is to sail shorthanded.
Accommodations
Below, the Legend 43 does not read like a stripped-down racer. The sole is teak and holly, headroom runs 6 feet 6 inches, and natural light pours through skylights and seven opening hatches with ports. The original three-cabin layout places a V-berth forward for two, an aft cabin with a perpendicular double and a private head close by, and a third stateroom with bunk beds that owners name as the most common positive attribute; two fixed heads serve the saloon, and a third head in the form of a porta-potti hides under the bunk cushions. A nav station with a hinged seat and chart table fits the third-cabin plan. The galley to port is functional rather than lavish, with a double-basin stainless sink, propane range and oven, Corian counters, and a refrigerator with separate freezer; a settee sits just forward. Up top, the spacious T-shaped cockpit has deep wide seats, three lockers plus two transom lockers, a sturdy table with drink holders and collapsible leaves, wheel steering at a binnacle with lighted compass and engine panel, and a walk-through transom to a swim platform.
Ownership and Refits
The 40-horsepower Yanmar freshwater-cooled 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 differs from hull to hull, with fresh water ranging between 120 and 190 gallons, and certain boats equipped with a forward 75-gallon tank, a pair of 45-gallon units, and one 25-gallon unit. Several Legends went into charter with the Moorings, so ex-charter histories are part of the used population. The construction records were lost in the 2012 bankruptcy that recast Hunter Marine as Marlow-Hunter, so completed hull counts are not known.
The Verdict
The Hunter 43 Legend is a sensible, well-framed cruiser that trades classic looks for usable volume, easy short-handed handling, and a rigid internal structure. She is more functional than fabulous, and that is precisely the point for cruisers who value a predictable boat over a pretty sheer.
Pros
- Bonded full-length frame and stringer grid delivers stiffness without heavy glass
- Shallow bulb-wing keel and large spade rudder ease close-quarters maneuvering
- Rig controls led to the cockpit with self-tailing winches suit shorthanded crews
- Three-cabin layout with bunk-room and two real heads favors cruising families
- Standard 50 hp Yanmar 4JH2-E gives ample auxiliary power
Cons
- Plain deck styling lacks graceful sheer and overhangs
- Galley and accommodations read functional rather than refined
- Some hulls carry a porta-potti third head under bunk cushions
