Warren Luhrs, John Cherubini, and Cortland Steck designed the 54 as a dedicated cruiser. Luhrs and Cherubini developed the hull, while Steck designed the rig. The resulting recreational keelboat is now out of production but can still be found on the water.
Design and Construction
Built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, the Hunter 54 has a raked stem and a fixed fin keel. Its hull measures 54.83 feet overall and 43.5 feet at the waterline, with an 11.33-foot beam. Displacement is 20,500 pounds, including 8,200 pounds of lead ballast, for a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 40 percent. These figures place it firmly in the mid-displacement cruiser class.
At the stern, a walk-through reverse transom incorporates a swimming platform, folding ladder, and dinghy stowage in a watertight compartment. Steering is by wheel through an internally mounted, spade-type rudder.
The hull form and construction reflect the boat’s cruising brief rather than that of a stripped-out racer, but its racing-derived parentage is more than cosmetic.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
Cortland Steck’s cutter rig defines the sail plan. It carries 907 square feet of sail area, with a 120% staysail supplied as factory standard. A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.37 makes the Hunter 54 moderately powered for its weight, while the spade rudder gives it a tight-turning profile in close quarters.
The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 54, with a recorded high of 42 and low of 66. That places it among cruisers capable of maintaining a credible pace around a club-racing course without pretending to be a thoroughbred.
Accommodations and Equipment
The Hunter 54 was delivered with a cruising interior intended for long stays aboard. Private forward and aft cabins provide separate sleeping spaces, and two fully enclosed heads include showers. The interior also features a teak-and-holly cabin sole.
In the galley, equipment includes a dinette table, refrigerator, dual sinks, and a gimbaled stove and oven, making it functional under way.
Standard equipment also included a cockpit-mounted six-man life raft, an anchor with a built-in anchor roller, and an integral solar panel. For an early-1980s production boat, the standard equipment list was unusually complete.
The Verdict
The Hunter 54 is very much a product of its time: a 54-foot cruiser with racing DNA, a cutter rig by Steck, and a Luhrs-and-Cherubini hull. It was built in finite numbers before production ended in 1983.
Its accommodations were generous by period standards, and its deck gear came comprehensively specified from the factory. A clean example can therefore be a turnkey cruiser rather than a project.
Pros
- Racing-derived hull and cutter rig from a named three-designer team
- Walk-through reverse transom with watertight dinghy stowage
- Factory-standard cruising interior with private cabins and two heads
- Comprehensive standard equipment, including a life raft and solar panel
Cons
- Out of production since 1983; support parts may require searching
