Sea Hunt Boats: Are They Worth The Hype?

Sea Hunt boats are a popular choice for fishing and leisure activities. The American brand was launched in 1995 by father-and-son duo Vic and Bubba Roof, with the aim of creating affordable, family-friendly fishing boats. Sea Hunt boats are constructed from composite materials, including fibreglass, resins, gel coat, and composite coring materials, ensuring durability and long-lasting performance. The boats are designed with ample storage, seating, and modern features such as GPS, marine radio, and fish-finding systems. They are also known for their high performance, with powerful engines that provide high speeds and easy manoeuvrability in various water conditions. Overall, Sea Hunt boats offer a blend of performance, durability, and style, making them a preferred choice for many boaters.

Sea Hunt's commitment to innovation

Sea Hunt has revolutionized the boating industry by focusing on a unique centre-console boat layout, offering enough room to fit a family while still being a functional fishing boat. This fresh concept continually sees new features and innovations, attracting both fishermen and families. For instance, Sea Hunt has added backrests along the bows and incorporated smart use of bench seating in the rear, providing additional seating and legroom for enhanced comfort and accommodation.

The company also integrates modern features like GPS, marine radio, and fish-finding systems, making their boats ideal for fishing and leisure. They also offer various models tailored to different needs, from fishing enthusiasts to family vacations.

Sea Hunt boats are constructed using composite materials, ensuring durability and long-lasting performance. The boats are resistant to wood rot and have robust hulls that perform well even in rough waters. The unique Carolina Flare hull design enhances stability and efficiency, providing a smoother and drier ride.

In addition, Sea Hunt offers customization options for buyers to tailor their boats to specific needs, from fishing and diving to leisure activities. The company's ongoing integration of new features and technologies demonstrates its commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation in the boating industry.

The company's history

Sea Hunt is an American boat brand that was started in 1995 by the father-and-son duo, Vic and Bubba Roof. The company was founded on the idea of building good, affordable, family-friendly fishing boats. The Roofs started the company in a one-room workshop in a small industrial area outside Columbia, South Carolina.

The company's initial focus was on building center-console saltwater fishing boats that were also family-friendly. The boats were designed to have enough room for storage and seating arrangements to accommodate a family with children of all ages. The first Sea Hunt boat was a 23-foot design, and the company now offers sizes ranging from 18 to 30 feet.

Sea Hunt boats are constructed from composite materials, including fiberglass, resins, gel coat, and composite coring materials, along with pumps and other hardware. The company uses molds to keep manufacturing costs low without compromising on design and build quality. Each boat is inspected by the company's owner to ensure it meets their standards.

Over the years, Sea Hunt has expanded its offerings and now has five main categories of boats: Gamefish, Bay Boats, Ultra Series, Tritons, and Escape series. The company has also continuously integrated new features and technologies, such as pop-up footrests, to stay ahead in the boating industry.

Today, Sea Hunt operates out of a 170,000-square-foot facility in downtown Columbia, employing more than 220 people. The company builds around 2,100 to 2,200 boats per year and has become one of the best-selling boat companies in the United States. Sea Hunt boats are known for their quality, durability, and innovation, offering exceptional value to fishing and leisure enthusiasts alike.

Quality and durability

Sea Hunt boats are built to last and are crafted from high-quality composite materials, including fibreglass, resins, gel coat, composite coring materials, and pumps, along with other hardware. The company uses moulds to keep manufacturing costs low without compromising on design and build quality.

The boats are assembled by highly skilled and experienced craftsmen, and all materials and components are inspected and meet the high standards expected at the factory. The company's president and CEO, Bubba Roof, personally inspects every boat before it leaves the facility.

Sea Hunt boats are also NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) certified, following ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards. This provides further assurance of the boats' durability and safety.

The boats are designed with ease of maintenance in mind, requiring less upkeep than other boats. For example, users don't need to oil teak decks or polish stainless steel. However, some maintenance is always required, such as rinsing the boat with fresh water after each use to prevent seawater corrosion.

While the boats are designed to be durable, how long a Sea Hunt boat lasts will depend on the owner and the level of care and maintenance provided. With proper maintenance, a fibreglass boat can last for many years, even up to 50 years.

Performance and adaptability

Sea Hunt boats are designed to be versatile, handling deep-sea and coastal fishing efficiently. They are equipped with powerful engines, typically from Yamaha, known for their fuel efficiency and performance. The boats provide ample storage, live bait wells, fish boxes, and center-console designs that maximize space and comfort.

The Gamefish Series is ideal for offshore fishing, while the Ultra Series is perfect for family vacations. The Escape Series offers a fresh design for family trips, and the BX Series is tailored for shallow water fishing with extra seating.

The boats come in sizes ranging from 18 feet to 30 feet, depending on the boating requirements. The Gamefish Series offers seven models, the Ultra Series offers eight variants, the Escape Series has been redesigned from the keel up, and the BX Series comes in four variants.

Sea Hunt boats are highly buoyant and virtually unsinkable, using 100% vinyl ester resin and core cell foam for strength and durability. The Carolina Flare hull design enhances stability and efficiency, providing a smoother and drier ride.

The company continuously integrates new features and technologies, such as pop-up footrests, ensuring their boats remain innovative. Sea Hunt also offers customization options for buyers to tailor their boats to specific needs, from fishing and diving to leisure activities.

The boats are constructed using composite materials, which make them resistant to wood rot and ensure a long-lasting, robust hull that performs well even in rough waters. The deep V hulls and wide flares keep the water spray off, providing a dry ride.

Overall, Sea Hunt boats offer high performance and adaptability, making them suitable for various water conditions and catering to different user needs.

Pros and cons

Sea Hunt boats are an American brand of boats launched in 1995 by father-and-son duo, Vic and Bubba Roof. They are designed to be family-friendly, saltwater fishing boats at an affordable price. Here are some pros and cons of Sea Hunt boats:

Pros

• Affordable price point: Sea Hunt boats are designed to be affordable without compromising on quality.
• Durable: Sea Hunt boats are built to last and are made from high-quality composite materials such as fiberglass, resins, gel coat, and composite coring materials. They are also NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) certified, which provides assurance of their durability and safety.
• Spacious and comfortable: These boats have ample seating and storage space, making them ideal for families and fishing trips.
• Innovative features: Sea Hunt incorporates modern features such as GPS, marine radio, and fish-finding systems. They also offer customization options to tailor the boat to specific needs.
• High performance: Sea Hunt boats are equipped with powerful engines, typically from Yamaha, known for their fuel efficiency and performance. They are versatile and can handle various water conditions.
• Variety of models: Sea Hunt offers a range of models, including the Gamefish Series for offshore fishing, the Ultra Series for family vacations, the Escape Series for a fresh design, and the BX Series for shallow water fishing with extra seating.

Cons

• Limited availability: Sea Hunt boats are not widely available worldwide or nationally.
• Single engine: Most Sea Hunt boats come with only a single boat engine.
• Warranty issues: Warranty issues can only be handled by the central office in Carolina, which may be inconvenient for some customers.
• Basic packages: The new boat packages are more basic than expected.

Frequently asked questions