Design and Construction
Hunter built the 45 DS with a glass-and-balsa-core laminate above the waterline and solid glass below. Layers of Kevlar reinforce the bow laminate for impact resistance.
The interior is preassembled in modules fitted into a single molded structural grid. Bulkheads are glassed into the grid and to the hull above it. The complete grid module is then fiberglassed into the keel sump and bonded with Plexus adhesive. Hunter mechanically fastened and glued the deck to the hull’s external flange with 3M Marine 5200.
The cherry interior uses a film veneer over marine-plywood laminate, which the builder describes as tough and hard to dent. Before any model leaves the production line, Hunter’s offshore-sailing director sea-tests the grid-and-keel package by running each new hull hard aground ten or more times to expose weak spots.
Rig, Keel, and Handling
Henderson specified low masts to keep the sails manageable and allow the boats to pass beneath bridges along the ICW. The hulls are stable but have low resistance, helping them move along well.
The 45 DS carries a newly developed all-iron keel, offered in deep- and shoal-draft versions. A slight enlargement of the shoal-draft wings gives the production iron keel the same stability as the prototype. Compared with the 44 DS, the keel is smaller and the rudder larger, making the boat faster in light air and easier to steer.
Henderson describes these as boats with big rudders and small keels that need to foot rather than pinch. Their hollow bows travel farther into each wave without bouncing up. The sail plan’s center of effort and the underbody’s center of lateral plane were moved closer together to reduce weather helm.
During a flat-water test off St. Augustine in 6 to 8 knots of breeze, the shoal-draft prototype consistently exceeded 5 knots and occasionally reached 6. That boat carried an experimental cast-iron keel with a lead bulb and a three-blade prop. Lewmar steering, with direct shaft linkages to the rudder quadrant, made for a smooth, satisfying sail.
Cockpit and Deck Layout
The cockpit uses a familiar twin-wheel arrangement. Its centerline table has well-rounded edges and provides a useful brace in a seaway. A cockpit traveler arch supports a 4:1 Harken traveler above a T-top bimini.
The double-ended mainsheet is cleverly routed. One part passes through a Spinlock rope clutch to an electric Lewmar winch that also handles the port jib sheet. The other leads conventionally to another Lewmar sheet winch on the cabin top. Both ends are quickly accessible from either steering position.
Accommodations
Below, the raised saloon and galley are outstanding living spaces. Six moderately large ports and a central overhead hatch provide good visibility and plenty of light, while useful storage lies beneath the sole.
To port, the L-shaped galley has a sole-to-ceiling post at its inboard end for support. Strong, easy-to-grip fiddles and cutaway corners make the counter easy to wipe clean. A gimbaled Force 10 propane stove is suited to use in a seaway, and the galley also includes a microwave and a front-opening Waeco refrigerator.
To starboard are the main head with shower and a forward-facing nav station. A step down leads to the forward cabin, where a Pullman-style double measures nearly 6 feet 6 inches long. Another head with shower occupies the bow.
The aft cabin’s only compromise is somewhat limited headroom over its large island double.
Production Refinements
Hunter’s offshore director said the design team was modifying the production version by extending the bridgedeck aft 8 inches, tightening the soft headliners, and lowering the bunk mattress. These were refinements to the prototype as sailed, not changes to the underlying structure.
The Verdict
The Hunter 45 DS is a thoughtfully evolved deck-saloon cruiser. It trades a little aft-cabin headroom for bright, practical living spaces, while its hull is tuned for light-air speed and low weather helm. The modular structural grid and deliberate grounding tests reflect a production process built around structural confidence.
Pros
- Stable, low-resistance hull with hollow bows that soften wave entry
- Deep- and shoal-draft iron keels, with the shoal version offering equal stability
- Bright raised saloon and well-detailed L-shaped galley
- Twin-wheel cockpit with a brace-friendly table and smart mainsheet routing
Cons
- Somewhat limited headroom in the aft cabin
- Low masts limit sail area compared with taller-rig contemporaries
