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Hunton Powerboats RS 43 (2010-)
Brief Summary
Designed by UK Offshore Powerboat racer Jeff Hunton, the RS 43 brings racing performance and a racing heritage to the luxury high-performance market. His first boat was originally designed to be a one-off, but he tells us that it generated so much interest, that plans changed immediately, and the company has been growing every since. This Hunton RS 43 is the culmination of years of building and racing experience all packed into one of the best looking high-performance express cruisers we’ve seen.
Key Features
- Hand-laid GRP
- Isophthalic gel coat
- Moulded stripes and coachwork lines
- Initial lay-up: Isophthalic resin, powder-bound glass fibre mat
- Main lay-up: Orthophthalic resin triaxial composite
- Balsa cored hull and deck construction
- Deep Vee
- Trim tabs
- Sink, shower and toilet outlets
- Fuel and fresh water breathers
- Holding tank facility
Specifications
Length Overall | 43' 1'' / 13.2 m |
---|---|
Beam |
10' 10'' 3.3 m |
Dry Weight |
16,535 lbs. 7500 kg |
Draft |
2' 11'' 0.6 m |
Deadrise/Transom | N/A |
Max Headroom | N/A |
Bridge Clearance | N/A |
Fuel Capacity |
200 gal. 757 L |
Water Capacity |
50 gal. 189.3 L |
Engine Options
Tested Engine |
Currently no test numbers |
---|---|
Std. Power |
Not Available |
Opt. Power |
Not Available |
Captain's Report
Just one look at a Hunton 43 underway, throwing a high rooster tail far behind the boat, is telling enough to know that this boat was not only designed for speed, but powered for it as well. Her Arneson surface drives coupled to engines ranging in horsepower from 600-hp to 1050-hp will get you wherever you’d like, and most likely, get you there long before anyone else.
You have a choice of gas or diesel engines from Volvo Penta or MerCruiser, and diesel only from Yanmar. Sterndrives are available for a more sedate pace.
With a cabin layout reminiscent of a typical express cruiser, you’ll find a center companionway leading below decks. A large C-shaped settee lies to starboard with a pedestal table that can be lowered to form another berth, and a galley to port. A twin berth with privacy curtain is forward, just ahead of the single wet head. A mid berth lies aft under the cockpit.
The helm is off to the starboard side and has a few features that we’d like to see changed. The nav station is set off well to starboard, where only the driver can see it. The compass is centered in the dash, rather than in the driver’s line of sight, or offset to the port side so the navigator can see it. A large open space will facilitate the use of paper charts under Plexiglas like the racers use, but that may be a rare occurrence for an average boater at the 40-53kt top end speeds this boat can achieve. Hunton reports a cruising speed of 35kts and a range of 350 miles.
The most important consideration however, is that driving a Hunton is all about the experience. There’s something about being behind the wheel and feeling the ride that simply makes you want to push harder. And that suits Hunton just fine.