The Hunter design team is once again doing its own thing. The new 450 has a look of its own, though I'm not sure what you would call it — maybe Euro-American.

The Hunter 450 Passage.

The Hunter 450 Passage.



Hunter calls this boat a "true bluewater cruiser," so let's look at the numbers and see if it fits the general type. The D/L is 200 and that's on the low side, but acceptable. The question is: if the D/L is low, where does the volume for stowage needed for extended cruising come from? This is easy to answer. Look at the amount of topsides the 450 has. The freeboard is generous and the cabintrunk combines to push the aesthetic limits of a 44-foot boat. Using my handy "trick strip," I estimate that the cabin sole of the 450 is very near the DWL. This would result in a high vertical center of gravity, though keeping the VCG as low as possible enhances stability. The hull shape shows short overhangs and plenty of beam at 14 feet.

This looks like a wonderful interior layout for a live-aboard. Both roomy staterooms have a head. The aft stateroom head even includes a bathtub. I also like the small computer station in the aft cabin. Note the offset location of the double berth. This is one of the benefits of the high cabin sole and increased freeboard. The Hunter 450 uses volume and space that many boats don't have by design. The galley looks great with lots of counter space. There is an option of a washer and dryer, though I wonder where it would fit. This is a very clever layout.

The 450 has an unusual deck design. The center cockpit is on the small side, but that's to be expected when you focus the design around the interior layout. Side decks are minimal forward and disappear entirely aft. Going aft, you walk a sort of raised quarter deck, which provides volume for the aft cabin, but again, does little to keep the VCG down.

The designers have gone back to Hunter's proven Bergstrom-Ridder-type rig, which features dramatically swept-back spreaders. This staying gives you a well-stayed and stiff rig, though it is not my favorite type. Whether it's fast or not, cruisers like to sail downwind with the apparent wind lower than 150 degrees. The sweep of spreaders means that they could impale the mainsail if they eased too much. Note the diagonal struts stiffening the lower mast panel.

The SA/D is 16.55, which also seems on the low side. I think you might want the additional horsepower of a 140 percent genoa to power up the 450 in light air. With the 450's outboard chainplates, trimming the 140 genoa to close hauled will likely be difficult. I estimate the sheeting angle past the chainplates is about 17 degrees. I would prefer an angle closer to 13 degrees.

Many cruising boats are designed from the inside out. The builder picks a target layout from a competitor's boat, then sets about trying to outdo it, usually in a slightly smaller boat. This is fine, though it often results in boats with little true cruising stowage. Lazarettes are nice for cruising, so are forecastles. My feeling is that you never have enough deck-access stowage on a cruising boat.

I think the 450 was a challenging design concept for Hunter's in-house designers. Their work became an interior layout that will find a lot of appreciative buyers.

An offshore cruiser with a wonderful layout.

Boat Specifications
LOA44'3";
LWL38'8";
Beam14';
Draft5'6";
Displacement26,000 lbs.;
Ballast9,500 lbs.;
Sail Area908 sq. ft.;
SA/D16.55;
D/L200;
L/B3.16;
Auxiliarydiesel;
Fuel100 gals.;
Water200 gals.

SAILINGlogo-115This story originally appeared in Sailing Magazine, and is republished here by permission. Subscribe to Sailing.