Why did Hunter only make this boat for a few years? Why is she generally priced so low given size, brand, and speed?
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Price is based on popularity
My guess is the narrow beam, lack of interior space compared to other Hunter boats of the time, length, and cost (price to buy new) made it unpopular in it's day... and I suspect that hasn't changed. the ones we've seen inthe classifieds have been slow to sell. If you like the boat it's probably a terrific deal!
My guess is the narrow beam, lack of interior space compared to other Hunter boats of the time, length, and cost (price to buy new) made it unpopular in it's day... and I suspect that hasn't changed. the ones we've seen inthe classifieds have been slow to sell. If you like the boat it's probably a terrific deal!
Radical
A study in long and slender design, this boat has the accomidations of a 40 footer in a 54 foot hull. The H-34 has more beam. The open transom, now common, was shared by few boats of its time and looked ugly beside its contempoaries. She was also very expensive given the austere finish of the interior and exterior. If you could afford a H54, you could afford someting else more traditional (though shorter) with better accomidations. Built to appeal to the short handed long distance racer-cruiser, it was too radical to appeal to the double-ended Westsail and converted lifeboat sailors who demanded strength, weight, and the shippy North Sea look (far east-built Bob Perry designed boats were the rage)above all. Hunter never sold a faster production boat until the current H-50 (is it faster?), but in the early 80s this was simply not a main-stream boat. Remember, Hunter was not noted as a builder of large boats at the time (37' was the largest they built before the 54) so the name was associated more with inexpensive 25 footers than ocean racers. Except for her beam, the H 54 look is fairly conventional now, and many have undergone considerable modernization. I think this i<ULry desirable boat compared to some others in its price range.
A study in long and slender design, this boat has the accomidations of a 40 footer in a 54 foot hull. The H-34 has more beam. The open transom, now common, was shared by few boats of its time and looked ugly beside its contempoaries. She was also very expensive given the austere finish of the interior and exterior. If you could afford a H54, you could afford someting else more traditional (though shorter) with better accomidations. Built to appeal to the short handed long distance racer-cruiser, it was too radical to appeal to the double-ended Westsail and converted lifeboat sailors who demanded strength, weight, and the shippy North Sea look (far east-built Bob Perry designed boats were the rage)above all. Hunter never sold a faster production boat until the current H-50 (is it faster?), but in the early 80s this was simply not a main-stream boat. Remember, Hunter was not noted as a builder of large boats at the time (37' was the largest they built before the 54) so the name was associated more with inexpensive 25 footers than ocean racers. Except for her beam, the H 54 look is fairly conventional now, and many have undergone considerable modernization. I think this i<ULry desirable boat compared to some others in its price range.
Low Price
There are many reasons for its relative low price. As sited before. But the biggest Poor Workmanship + Poor Quality Material = Cheap Boat I discover things on a daily basis on my 54 that convince me that these guys were building a 50 footer using the same techniques that you would build a 25 footer.
There are many reasons for its relative low price. As sited before. But the biggest Poor Workmanship + Poor Quality Material = Cheap Boat I discover things on a daily basis on my 54 that convince me that these guys were building a 50 footer using the same techniques that you would build a 25 footer.
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