In cooperation with the boat building arm of our long time design partner, C. Raymond Hunt, Associates, HBI announces the new Hunt HBI 30, a dramatic new production model. By installing a beautiful center console containing a full headroom head with sink, HBI takes full advantage of our deep V hull form. Hunt Yachts of Portsmouth, RI has recently finished hull number six with delivery times ranging about 3 months after an order is placed. We are now taking orders for delivery in early spring 2012.
The HBI 30 keeps the unique wide-body stance of all HBIs making movement forward and around the console a breeze. An open transom allows ease of boarding and makes the boat a delightful swimming platform. Equipped with twin Yamaha 4 stroke 225 HP engines, speed is over 50 MPH.
Introduced in the 1980s, Hard Bottom Inflatables have always defined the State of the Art. Since our founding, many others have entered the market for rigid hulled boats with inflatable tubes surrounding the hull. While the popular term RIB denotes this entire class of boats, the inaccurate acronym came about because the correct term, HBI is our trademark! HBI still defines the market.
The creation of HBI was sparked by an innovative idea: employ a removable tube system attached to a first class hull form and gain the benefits of a conventional hull with the unique features of compliant tube-based topsides. The founders engaged the naval architecture firm C. Raymond Hunt Associates to draw the lines for boats ranging from11 feet to 40 feet. Starting with a blank sheet of paper, the designers drew on their world renowned experience with deep-v hulls and introduced a startling improvement in the capability of boats in this size range. By employing the ground breaking method of field replaceable tubes, the architects were able to lower weight, deflect spray and soften the ride resulting in a new world standard for performance.
To this day, every HBI employs a Hunt designed hull and a user replaceable tube system. Tubes are still available for every HBI that has ever been built!
