Hunton Powerboats expanding into USA

z1ppy said:
Hunton have always used stepped hulls on their 43s and have also staggered engines as well.
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Ops, sorry, indeed I missed that.
You were talking of the 37 (of which I've seen a couple) in your previous post, and I just assumed that the 43 wasn't different.
Now, I just had a look at their website, and saw in the 43 brochure a drawing showing a double step hull.
Otoh, the only layout shown in the same brochure (with a U-shaped settee behind the helm seat) clearly would never allow the installation of fully staggered engines.
Are you sure they offer such option, that would require a radically different cockpit mould, among other modifications? I would think that for most (if not all) of their current customers, cockpit space is more important that a few more knots and an even better handling.
BTW, judging by that drawing, they hull doesn't seem to have a notched transom, just to name another trick which is "de rigueur" nowadays, for a fast monohull.
Anyhow, if they designed the hull having in mind only the CE-approved engine options (which means a maximum of 660hp per side), in fairness it wasn't even worth to consider 3-digits+ speeds. Of which plenty of boats are capable in the US, OTOH...
 
Was not aware they have ever done staggered engines.
The only 1 with a stagger is the 39 Custom build with the Ilmores.
Do not think that Hunton are going for speeds that match the US boats. They are producing a fast luxury cruiser. NOT an out and out fast boat.
Its intresting that if you look back over the race winners of the Cowes Torquay Cowes, Many of those boats have been older designs.
I.E Cinzanno or Red FPT. Think Red FPT still holds the fastest average speed.

Remember takling to Jeff Hunton a couple of years ago and his take on racing was not to race at 100 WOT but a little less and keep the reliability. thus proving that out and out speed is not everything,

To compare the Hunton with any of the American boats is not truely comparing like with like for what they are trying to achieve,

But most of all wish them well in the introduction of their boats into the American Market. Time will tell if they have got what the US wants from a boat.

Would be intresting to hear from any Americans as to how they see the Hunton and where it fits into the mix of boats over there
 
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Ian h said:
The only 1 with a stagger is the 39 Custom build with the Ilmores.
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Oh yeah, coming to think of it, I followed that build thread for a while on boatmad.com, back in the days when I had a Fountain.
Great powerplant indeed, with also the Indy outdrives, IIRC.
Otoh, it seemed like a neverending project. I suppose the boat is completed by now? Did you have the opportunity to see her in flesh?
I'd love to go for a spin with her, if nothing else for the sound of those V10 screaming at 6k+ rpm...
 
I have to agree with MapisM here, Hunton for the Yankees can never be a powerboat.
In the sense that it can never compete with a Cigarette, Apache, Outerlimits, Nor-Tech or the likes etc etc Just to name a few US brands....

On the other hand it can have a niche market, of a sport cruiser with performance and if marketed well can succeed, but even is not an easy road.
Sunseeker had the Tomahawk, Superhawk series in the past and that was suspended, must have been for a reason. Still I think the 43 Superhawk sold quite well....
Also Sea-Ray had a similar line in the past called Pachanga, with a performing 70 mph model.
But may be small numbers for these large global brands can be good for Hunton.....
It remains to see but this is a very competitive market in the US, and even many builders had to resort to fast center consoles to keep it going, and some of them did try it out in the past and still do till today.
For example Fountain has a very nice super riding 38 - 48 feet models in a sport cruiser format but to my knowledge they have always been some its less sellers....
 
Yep, I also don't think Fountain ever sold many of their sport cruisers, though this is just an educated guess, TBH.
Anyway, I agree that this is the market segment Hunton can try to penetrate.
I'm just skeptic that the "EU touch" will be esteemed as much as it is for some car brands.
Then again, time will tell, let's wait and see....
 
MapisM said:
I'm just skeptic that the "EU touch" will be esteemed as much as it is for some car brands.
Then again, time will tell, let's wait and see....
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I follow quite a bit the US market, mostly the sportfishing scene as its very interesting and definitely the largest part of the big boat market 10 - 20 meters in the US and they have a very different mentality to boats then in EU, and for them a boat is not a car. They are not easily sold out.
Infact for them production builders can go to a certain level but after that you have to look at a custom build, and here we are still speaking at 15 meters plus.

We Europeans think highly of our products but if one sees the engineering details of a Cabo or Viking along with the finishing we are away from the standard some production US builders reach.
 
PowerYachtBlog said:
if one sees the engineering details of a Cabo or Viking...
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W, have you ever seen a Statement boat?
I've had the opportunity to see their floating cockpit while they were building one of their 42' rockets in St.Petersburg, and the engineering behind it is mind blowing, plain and simple.
If you're interested in fishing boats, you might wish to have a look at their fast center console models...
 
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