When a boat is built, there is warranty giving specific time limits which spell out the warranty period. After that, repairs are left up to the owner. Further, you would have to prove your case which would be costly and given the time frame of 14 years, you are wasting your time plus you cannot prove how or why the rudder failed. Finally, Hunter no longer exists as it was sold and now operates as Marlow Hunter.
I have known of Hunter going the long mile to insure quality of their boats. I know of one rudder that was broken off due to debri in the middle of the Pacific. The owner had a sat phone and the head of warranty and the engineers walked him thru to make a temp. steering mechanism. When he came into port on an island two days later, there sat a new rudder. I know of a lot more how far Hunter went. Yes I was a former dealer but knew what they did for their customers and then there were a few who said no to. Here is one case.
Without specfics as to place, specific size of boat, name and so on, I sold a new 40 foot plus boat and made over 15 warranty visists out of state for such things holding tank not working but found it was full without being pumped out, fishing tackle in the sails/rigging, tv controller fouled up by a child, boat dirty and so on. Then all of a sudden claims of poor workmanship to include radar dome falling off at sea, failure of boom vang blocks and one attachment on boom coming off, ribs cracked and other items too. Repairs were made but the radar dome was the final issue as the owner said it was not installed incorrectly to include arguing with the mfg. as to fastners supplied with that platform. As a former investigator, I asked the question, did you ever run aground and the response was heck no for being polite. I told Mr. Owner I would pay for a haul out if nothing was seen.
Well the day of reckoning. The keel was imbedded with coral, concrete and steel rebarb, etc. plus the back of the keel was separated from the boat. I would say 1/4 to 1/3 of the rudder was missing. I looked at the owner and asked him if he ever ran aground and this time he said nothing. In fact a surveyor that accompanied the owner was bad mouthing the construction and I asked him what school of kindergarten did he get his degree from. Even though the warranty period was in affect, I told the owner due to the damages and degree of mishandling or lack of being a responsible owner/captain, I told him warranty was voided and Hunter backed me up.
Otherwise Hunter and my dealership went the extra mile.