The most recent baby in the Hunter family is pretty spacious considering it’s the smallest in this Florida-based family. And though it was initially designed for teens and beginners, it holds its own with quality assembly and a modern design. With a well-designed rear section and super-straight bow, this boat starts flying as soon as the wind picks up.
Easy to manœuvre
A high freeboard, wide cockpit, raised boom, a standard Harken roller furling jib – they really though of everything to make this boat as safe and pleasant as possible. With curved surfaces throughout the interior, you’ll never bruise yourself on a sharp angle. Meanwhile, since the Hunter 15 is relatively light, manoeuvring is fast and easy. The front compartment, which has a retractable waterproof cover, is very easy access and a good place to store you anchor, cooler, safety equipment and rope.
Open rear transom
The architects who worked on the Hunter 15 pulled off quite the accomplishment by creating a 15-foot boat with an open rear transom and a closed interior. Climbing aboard after a quick dip in the water is a cinch compared to bigger boats. Plus you can add a small motor mount if you want to add a 2.5 Cv gas or electric engine.
Outstanding assembly
Although the current trend for centerboards is to use rotomolded polyethylene, Hunter has chosen to keep using fibreglass. It’s sturdier, more attractive and lasts longer than polyethylene. Plus, it’s easier to repair. The Hunter 15 offers a refined shape and a certain finesse that you rarely find on small boats. And even though fibreglass is more expensive, it hasn’t affected the price of the Hunter 15, which is comparable to its polyethylene competitors.
Unsinkable and practically uncapsizable
The caissons are filled with unsinkable foam, which means that this boat always floats above water level. When I decided to see what it would take to flip it over, it took me three tries just to get it to tip. Thanks to its high freeboard and width, this boat is super stable. I hooked up the anti-capsize cushion to the mast and was genuinely surprised that I couldn’t get it past 180°. And once we got our heads out of the water, there was practically no water to bail. The extra water is removed automatically via a self-bailing drain as soon as the boat resumes its course.
All aboard
With a maximum carrying capacity of 420 kg, the whole family can get on board and enjoy a day on the water. Two adults and two children fit comfortably. Since the cockpit is so wide, weight is distributed effectively.
Easy to rig
The mast is easy to put up thanks to auto-blocking chain plates. The roller jib goes across the bridge, preventing the rope from catching on the sheets . All the chandlery is made by Harken. You can reef the mainsail when winds are strong.
Towable
The Hunter 15 can be paired with a road trailer. With low draft and a wide hull, it can be eased into the water with a shallow a relatively flat ramp – or even a sandy beach.