The company was founded by in 1969 by Michael Polard, as the Essex Boat Company. In 2009 it became a brand of Lauren Marine of Southampton under the name British Hunter.[1][2]
The first design produced by the new company was the Squib, an open keelboat designed by Oliver Lee in 1967. Lee also designed a cabin version of the Squib in 1972, the Hunter 19, later called the Europa. Lee was the principle naval architect for the company in this period, designing the Hunter 490 and the Hunter 701.[1][2]
In the early 1970s the company relocated to Rochford and a custom-built plant in that town. At that time it was renamed Hunter Boats Limited and by 1975 David Thomas became the main designer. He drew the Hunter Sonata and the Impala 28.[1][2]
In the mid-1970s the company produced many racing sailboats, including the designs of Steven Jones, including the Formula 28. His HB 31 was the first production boat to use kevlar laminates in its hull construction. By the 1980s the company started building boats with twin keels and moved away from racing boats to cruising boat designs. The Hunter Horizon 26 was the first of this new range of cruising sailboats and it won the Best Production Boat of the Year award when it was introduced in 1984. The Hunter Horizon 32 also won Best Production Cruiser of the Year in 1987 as the company continued to specialize in cruising sailboats.[1][2]
In 1995 the company introduced the Thomas-designed Hunter 707 and the following year it was named Yacht of the Year.[1][2]
Hunter Boats was bought out in 2003 by the Select Yachts Group and added to its portfolio of marine companies that included Cornish Crabbers, Red Fox Yachts, the Landau Launch Company and Cornish Diva.[1][2]
In 2009 Lauren Marine of Southampton purchased the rights, molds and tooling for the Hunter range of boats and built them under the brand of British Hunter, to distinguish it from the American boat building company, Hunter Marine.[1][2]
In 2018 the company was producing five designs, the Hunter 20 Sport, Hunter 20 Mini C, Hunter Channel 245, Hunter Channel 27 and the Hunter Channel 31.[3]
^ abcdefghiBrowning, Randy (2018). . sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
^ abcdefghiSea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Hunter Boats Ltd". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
^Lauren Marine (2018). "Our Range of Boats". www.britishhunter.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
External linksedit
Official website
April 13, 2024
hunter, boats, limited, british, boat, builder, presently, based, southampton, company, specializes, design, manufacture, glassfibre, sailboats, company, typeprivately, held, companyindustryboat, buildingfounded1969foundermichael, polardheadquarterssouthampton. Hunter Boats Limited is a British boat builder presently based in Southampton The company specializes in the design and manufacture of glassfibre sailboats 1 2 Hunter BoatsCompany typePrivately held companyIndustryBoat buildingFounded1969FounderMichael PolardHeadquartersSouthampton United KingdomProductsSailboatsParentLauren MarineWebsitewww wbr britishhunter wbr co wbr ukThe company was founded by in 1969 by Michael Polard as the Essex Boat Company In 2009 it became a brand of Lauren Marine of Southampton under the name British Hunter 1 2 Contents 1 History 2 Boats 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe first design produced by the new company was the Squib an open keelboat designed by Oliver Lee in 1967 Lee also designed a cabin version of the Squib in 1972 the Hunter 19 later called the Europa Lee was the principle naval architect for the company in this period designing the Hunter 490 and the Hunter 701 1 2 In the early 1970s the company relocated to Rochford and a custom built plant in that town At that time it was renamed Hunter Boats Limited and by 1975 David Thomas became the main designer He drew the Hunter Sonata and the Impala 28 1 2 In the mid 1970s the company produced many racing sailboats including the designs of Steven Jones including the Formula 28 His HB 31 was the first production boat to use kevlar laminates in its hull construction By the 1980s the company started building boats with twin keels and moved away from racing boats to cruising boat designs The Hunter Horizon 26 was the first of this new range of cruising sailboats and it won the Best Production Boat of the Year award when it was introduced in 1984 The Hunter Horizon 32 also won Best Production Cruiser of the Year in 1987 as the company continued to specialize in cruising sailboats 1 2 In 1995 the company introduced the Thomas designed Hunter 707 and the following year it was named Yacht of the Year 1 2 Hunter Boats was bought out in 2003 by the Select Yachts Group and added to its portfolio of marine companies that included Cornish Crabbers Red Fox Yachts the Landau Launch Company and Cornish Diva 1 2 In 2009 Lauren Marine of Southampton purchased the rights molds and tooling for the Hunter range of boats and built them under the brand of British Hunter to distinguish it from the American boat building company Hunter Marine 1 2 In 2018 the company was producing five designs the Hunter 20 Sport Hunter 20 Mini C Hunter Channel 245 Hunter Channel 27 and the Hunter Channel 31 3 Boats editSummary of boats built by Hunter Boats 1 2 Squib 1967 Hunter 701 Lee 1971 Hunter 19 Europa 1972 Hunter 490 Lee 1972 Hunter Sonata 1976 Impala 28 Thomas 1977 Hunter Medina 20 1979 Delta 25 Hunter 1980 Hunter 32 Jones 1982 Liberty 22 1982 HB 31 1983 Formula One Jones 1984 Formula 28 1984 Hunter Horizon 26 1984 Duette 23 1984 Hunter Horizon 32 1987 Minstrel 23 1987 Hunter Horizon 27 1988 Hunter Horizon 27 OOD 1989 Hunter Horizon 272 1993 Hunter Horizon 273 1988 Hunter Horizon 23 1989 Red Fox 200 1990 Channel 323 Hunter 1991 Hunter Horizon 21 1992 Hunter Horizon 30 1993 Ranger 265 Thomas 1994 Hunter 707 1995 Pilot 27 1996 Ranger 245 Thomas 1996 Channel 27 Hunter 1999 Channel 31 Hunter 2000 Mystery 35 Hunter 2003 Hunter 20 Fox C 2000s Hunter 20 Sport 2010s Hunter 20 Mini C 2010s Hunter Channel 245 2010sSee also editList of sailboat designers and manufacturersReferences edit a b c d e f g h i Browning Randy 2018 Hunter Boats Ltd sailboatdata com Archived from the original on 1 July 2019 Retrieved 29 October 2018 a b c d e f g h i Sea Time Tech LLC 2022 Hunter Boats Ltd sailboat guide Archived from the original on 4 April 2022 Retrieved 4 April 2022 Lauren Marine 2018 Our Range of Boats www britishhunter co uk Archived from the original on 20 April 2013 Retrieved 29 October 2018 External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hunter Boats amp oldid 1175472575, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
