Hunter 50 AC Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Hunter built the 50 AC with a fiberglass-balsa sandwich above the waterline and solid glass below, a layup using a modified polyester/epoxy mix with a vinylester layer throughout to ward off blisters anchor. Below the waterline the laminate carries Kevlar from the stem to the keel stump for extra strength, and a structural grid inside the hull helps carry keel and rig loads. The joint where hull meets deck is bolted through its full perimeter and sealed with 3M 5200 adhesive on an outward-turning flange tucked into a sturdy rubrail. On deck the surface is likewise a balsa-cored fiberglass sandwich, and the "teak" benches, swim step, and transom seats are actually PlasDECK, a synthetic substitute that avoids the maintenance of real wood. Sturdy stainless handrails run the length of the cabinhouse top, and the cockpit coaming's leading edge carries a sculpted curve meant to throw green water outboard away from the helmsman rather than into his lap.

Rig and Handling

The boat sports Hunter's backstay-free B&R rig in aluminum, with the mainsheet carried overhead on the trademark tubular arch anchor. As standard she flies an in-mast furling main with a 90-percent self-tacking blade jib, the latter being the standard headsail; options extend to a 110-percent headsail on adjustable tracks, a staysail for hunkering down when the wind builds, and a spinnaker. Winches for the headsail and mainsheet sit close at hand, with electric versions available. On the water she turned easily through the wind and lost minimal way in a series of tacks, and despite her size the boat proved easier to maneuver than many vessels a fraction of her length — a quality aided by the twin wheels that also give clear access to the transom swim step when anchored anchor.

Under Power

The standard engine is a 75hp Yanmar, though the test boat carried an optional 110hp unit. Underway she easily made just over 10 knots at 3,400 rpm, settled to 9 knots at 2,500 rpm, and still did 7.5 knots at 2,000 rpm, giving a useful spread of cruising speeds without thrashing the machinery.

Accommodations

Below, the saloon is roomy and well lit by a strip of portlights running from about the mast step aft, though one tester objected to that same angled port strip anchor. Varnished cherry joinery is impressive throughout, and the boat follows Hunter's habit of fitting an abundance of hatches for ventilation. Two interior plans were offered — a standard three-stateroom arrangement and a four-stateroom version with twin double cabins forward — and a layout swapping in a combined workbench and office could also be specified. The galley is excellent, with generous counter space including an island counter beside the companionway, though the tubular stainless fiddles will only stop large items from sliding to the sole. Up top, the cockpit has nicely angled seatbacks for lounging, a bridgedeck to keep seas out of the saloon, and a cockpit table whose raised base acts as a foot brace when the boat is heeled.

The Verdict

The Hunter 50 AC is a thoughtfully engineered big cruiser that punches above her size for handleability and lives well aboard. Her construction details — Kevlar reinforcement, blister-resistant laminate, and a secure hull-deck joint — speak to a builder concerned with longevity, while the B&R rig with self-tacking jib makes short-handed sailing plausible. The cockpit ergonomics and synthetic decking are practical, if not romantic.

Pros