Fairey Huntsman 31 Aft Cabin #1 for sale in Poole, Dorset
Fairey Huntsman 31 Aft Cabin #1 for sale in Poole, Dorset
Fairey Marine produced power-boats that were the class of the field and the epitome of style.
The Fairey Huntsman 31 was the personal brain child of Chief Designer Alan Burnard who persuaded the Directors of the need for a boat to slot in between the still-selling Huntsman at 28 feet and the Swordsman at 33 feet. All hulls were made from multiple layers of Agba veneers that were hot-moulded in an autoclave at Hamble Point near Southampton.
All Huntsman 31s are renowned for their soft and dry ride which is why they are sought after when rarely coming onto the market. Venator benefits from renovation work to her hot-moulded hull and a sympathetic freshening of her interior yet keeping many original features. These boats were strong, light and powerful being built to go places.
In addition to craftsmanship on the hull, Venator in the last 3 years has been completely rewired and LED lights in both cabins are a concession to modern times. Other work includes a re-paint with two period 210bhp Ford Sabre engines driving through Borg-Warner gearboxes to 3 bladed propellers. Earlier this year 4 new batteries, anti-fouling and new anodes were fitted as well as an oil-change for the engines.
A top speed of over 30 knots is regularly achieved.
Thus, the fundamentals have all been addressed. Venator like all Fairey power boats is best described as a production class GT boat and now needs a new custodian to maintain her place in history and take her forward. Thus, the new owner has the rare opportunity to maintain and enjoy a marine icon that inspired so many over the years.