The Hunter 39 Sailboat

The Hunter 39, a B&R rigged fractional sloop, was designed by Glenn Henderson and built in the USA by Hunter Yachts.

'Lagoona', a Hunter 39, heading north from Martinique towards Les Saintes

The B&R-rigged Hunter 39

Published Specification for the Hunter 39

Hull Type: Fin keel and spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 39'4" (12.00m)

Waterline Length: 34'8" (10.6m)

Beam: 12'11" (3.9m)

Draft: 6'6" (2.0m)

Rig Type: B&R Rig

Displacement: 18,077lb (8,200kg)

Designer: Glenn Henderson

Builder: Hunter Yachts (USA)

Year First Built: 2009

Published Design Ratios for the Hunter 39

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 23.1

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 31.0

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 194

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 25.6

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Hunter 39

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 23.1 suggests that, in the right hands, the Hunter 39 will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 31.0 means that unless the bulk of the ballast is concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her keel, the Hunter 39 will have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and she'll need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 194, tells us the Hunter 39 is clearly a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer dramatically.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 25.6 suggests that crew comfort of a Hunter 39 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 is on the cusp of suitability for an ocean passage, so venture offshore with caution.