It won't offend Hunter Marine executives if you tell them you thought Hunter sailboats were great day sailers and coastal cruisers, but they won't let you leave without telling you there is more to their boats.

They will proudly point you to the experience of Mike Harker, who earlier this year finished an 11-month, 30,000-mile solo circumnavigation aboard his stock production 2007 Hunter 49. Harker was supported by Hunter during his global circuit, but paid for his boat himself, trading in a used Hunter 466 as part of the deal.MIKE HARKERWanderlust on her way home.

As a part of the extended Luhrs corporate family, not to mention one of the largest sailboat makers in the world, Hunter Marine has the resources available to invest in design, manufacturing processes and quality control.

Chief Designer Glenn Henderson spent the past eight years designing a completely new line of cruisers and, according to John Peterson, Hunter's director of sales and marketing, "reinvented our production process." On the company's website, one of the slogans is, "We go the distance."

"We are working hard to dispel the perception and myth that our new models are not suitable for long-range, bluewater cruising," Peterson said.

Hunter claims the new boats are stronger, more stable, more maneuverable and easier to sail than ever before. That may be marketing verbiage, but Harker would agree. He says his Hunter 49, with its deep fin keel, was extremely stable at sea, with very little roll and a more upright posture under most conditions. Harker also said that a redesign of the bow sections has made the new 49 a much drier boat, with less spray coming over the bow.

One of the options packages Hunter offers, the "Bluewater" package, includes an extra layer of Kevlar – the same fabric used in bulletproof vests – in the hull layup schedule. The only custom equipment on Harker's 49 was a beefed-up autopilot hydraulic actuator.