The new Hunter 38 replaces the popular 386, the last of which rolled out of the Florida plant May 27, 2004 following a highly successful seven year run. Hunter's famed designer and racer Glenn Henderson returned to the drawing board with one focus in mind. "Our goal was to design a boat that was an exceptionally comfortable cruiser, yet offered outstanding performance and easy handling," said Henderson. "Our new 38 has met -- and exceeds -- expectations."

The 38 is Hunter's largest mid-size cruiser in its fleet. While Hunter is quick to acknowledge that the market is competitive in this class, the company believes it is a powerful niche and is confident its new boat will make waves due to its many innovations. In addition, the appearance of the boat itself offers an optional departure featuring red stripes, a red Hunter logo and linen bimini top.

"The look alone will immediately set this boat apart from others in the marketplace," said John Peterson, Hunter Marine's director of sales and marketing. "Not only is this a change from our traditional design and appearance, but the look itself is a standout."

The sail plan for the 38 features a large roach mainsail with flaking system and an anodized B & R double spreader fractional rig with Selden¨ support struts on a conventional mast. Most of the power comes from the mainsail, which Henderson prefers versus relying on a large jib.

"The whole sail plan is aerodynamically efficient," explained Henderson. "I will not design a mast head rig sail plan. The fractional rig with large mainsail delivers better performance, and the smaller head sail means easier sail handling for both passengers and crew."

HKT Kevlar® is used to reinforce the low drag and robust hull. Attention was given to the volumetric distribution of the hull to even out pressures of water movement, utilizing the rudder as a major lift component along with the keel. Hunter uses state-of-the-art computer 3D simulation software -- the same type used by the aviation industry -- for modeling and design testing in sailing conditions without actually having to produce a working model.