A very special Harrier 36 is taking shape on the floor of the Hunt factory. The owner is an experienced yachtsman and fisherman who is optimizing the boat to take full advantage of its luxury cruising and fishing capabilities.The choice of a Hunt deep-V hull is a perfect match for his inshore and offshore plans: you’ll find the boat off the coast of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut in the summer, and the east coast of Florida in the winter.
From early spring to late fall 2015, he’ll be targeting fluke, striper, sea bass, and tautog. August through October will be the time for several Canyon trips for tuna. In mid-December this Harrier will be trucked to Stuart, Florida. With a beam of slightly under 12 feet, the Harrier 36 is under fewer restrictions for towing (and is less expensive to ship) than beamier craft.
“Stuart, Florida, is the sail fish capitol of the world and the host of many tournaments, which this Harrier will enter,” says the owner. “The Swordfish has made a great rebound over the last several years. This Harrier has under-gunwale receptacles ready for electric reels -- hopefully several swords will be hauled through the transom door!”
The owner chose our most powerful propulsion option for the Harrier 36; twin Volvo D6 435 inboards. “With a cruising speed in excess of 30 knots, the Bahamas is only two hours away,” he says. “The eastern area of the Gulf Stream at the edge of the Bahamas is an excellent destination for a plentiful variety of game fish.”
The aft cockpit is fully equipped for extended fishing trips, starting with the custom 24-gallon live well in the transom. On the port side, all necessary tools will be at the ready in the custom bait station with sink and prep area, including five-drawer tackle storage. The extra storage will come in handy, as the cockpit boasts nine rod holders with additional outriggers on the hardtop. Down below, custom rod storage is built into the forward V berth. The bridge deck also includes a six-foot-long custom bar with a high-capacity freezer, fridge, and even more storage, located just inside the hardtop for easy access.
The electronics are also optimized for deep water fish-finding: The Simrad multi-function unit includes high-definition broadband sonar, fed by a high-resolution transducer that will track the bottom at speeds up to 30 knots and depths to 2,600 feet. The two 12” displays are easily accessible from the luxury of the Stidd ergonomic helm seat; with two screens, the radar and/or fish finder can display on one screen and a chart on the other.
Extensive underwater lights, as well as floodlights on the hard top, will bring in the fish and light up the decks for night fishing. For added safety while navigating at night, a Flir thermal imaging camera is installed on the hardtop.
While the Harrier is all business on deck, few changes have been made below. “It’s a very comfortable cruising yacht,” says the owner, who, with his wife, is planning many overnight trips in New England and Florida. Watch this space for news of the Florida launch early in 2015.