The company was founded in 1966 by C. Raymond Hunt and John Deknatel with the concept of applying the "deep vee" hull concept to a wider range of boats. The firm started designing for the production and custom markets. Powerboat manufacturer that produced Hunt designs included Bertram,
Boston Whaler, Robalo, Cruisers,
Chris-Craft Corporation, 4 Winns, Southport, Grand Banks, SeaArk, Regal and
Wellcraft. The company has designed all the hulls used by
Grady-White Boats since the 1990s. The company also designed custom yachts for Burger, Palmer Johnson, Hinckley, Lyman-Morse, Nautor and Royal Huisman. In the sailboat market the company did design work for
Cal Yachts,
O'Day Corp,
Ranger Yachts and
Paceship Yachts. Newspaper owner Phil Weld sailed his Hunt-designed
trimaran Moxie to win the 1980
Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race. In the 1970s the firm entered the commercial boat market and the military market. They produced designs for several navies, coast guards and police departments as well as for fire departments. Among his naval designs was a 34-foot patrol boat for the
US Navy as well as several
destroyer hull designs. The company started its own boat building subsidiary in 1998. Called
Hunt Yachts, it built high-end powerboats in the size range. It was building about 30 to 40 boats per year in 2013. The division was sold to Hinckley Yachts in 2013. == Boats ==