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Enjoying the ride for generations

Wonder where the name comes from? Haines Hunter earned its bluewater pedigree from many years of successful powerboat racing in “Deep V” hulls. The driver was John Haines while the design concept was developed by Ray Hunt. Hence the name Haines Hunter!

A Rich History

Since the early 1980s, Haines Hunter New Zealand has been 100% locally owned and operated. Every boat is made right here, for our conditions, where a calm and inviting sea can turn choppy and uncomfortable in the blink of an eye. Combining time-honoured craftsmanship with ongoing innovation, Haines Hunter will continue to evolve while always providing rough water performance and stability at rest.

Take a trip down memory lane, see where we’ve come from and marvel at what Haines Hunter has become today… the maker of our country’s most sought after boats that thrill owners and their families with performance, style - and a ride that is simply incomparable.

1946 | Haines Hunter
1946

SeaCraft, the forerunner to Haines Hunter New Zealand, was established by Yeoman ‘Sandy’ Sands in 1946. The company produced clinker built timber boats as well as oars. (In fact Seacraft was the largest manufacturer of oars in NZ for over 20 years). The range of boats produced were powered by Seagull Outboards or with small inboard motors. Investing heavily in apprenticeship training, the blueprint was established – quality designs, quality materials and skilled boatbuilders.

1950s | Haines Hunter
1950s

Solid demand for quality timber boats combined with greater accessibility to outboard motors led to the company consolidating its position as NZ’s most prominent production boat builder. As the entire industry expanded rapidly, the Boating Industries Association (BIA) was formed and Sandy was elected as the inaugural President. The current owners are still active in the BIA having held various administrative roles that reflect the company’s passion for the NZ Marine Industry.

1960s | Haines Hunter
1960s

During this period the company transitioned from wooden boat manufacturing to fibreglass. A visit to the Los Angeles Boat Show in 1965 highlighted the potential of this revolutionary new medium. Again, with the emphasis on quality, the company built a dedicated temperature and humidity-controlled factory, the benchmark in NZ. In 1967 the company also opened a factory in Fiji to support the developing export market as the domestic market enjoyed unprecedented growth with the range of SeaCraft fibreglass boats benefitted hugely.

1970s | Haines Hunter
1970s

Having acquired the Mercury Outboard franchise, and with more horsepower availabile, SeaCraft developed a range of fibreglass boats to suit these “BIG“ engines of up to 130HP! The flagship was the SeaCraft Valencia, a 17 footer powered by 115HP motor and retailing for $5,000. However during the 70’s New Zealand’s marine industry was virtually destroyed overnight by the introduction of a 20% sales tax on powerboats and caravans. From then on, things had to be done different!

1980s | Haines Hunter
1980s

Embracing the new world, the company made big changes. Merging with Miller Moyes, a leading marine retailer, bought a new professionalism to marketing plus the acquisition of the Haines Hunter brand. Already well established with the famous V198, SeaCraft took Haines Hunter to another level overseeing the introduction of the 1800S, SF535, SF565L and SF700. Today you can still find thousands of these boats plying New Zealand waterways, a true testament to the build quality of a Haines Hunter.

1990s | Haines Hunter
1990s

Haines Hunter is truly established as a market leader. Model development and refinements ensure an ongoing demand. The SF600, released in 1990 has proven to be an outstanding success and 30 years on, along with many innovations and refinements, is still a big seller. The introduction of the SF650 Haines Hunter set a new benchmark for rough water ability and the SF700 continued its march as the company’s most successful large model.

2000s | Haines Hunter
2000s

At the forefront of fibreglass boat development, designing and building, Haines Hunter launches some of the world’s best performing trailer boats. Models included the SF650, SS660, SFS700 and SS720 - a stern drive with raised floors and a huge self-draining cockpit. The introduction of fibreglass “hardtops”, in conjunction with custom made toughened glass curved windscreens, created a whole new market. With features previously the domain of much larger boats, the hardtop range offered creature comforts and features that had instant appeal to family boating.

2010s | Haines Hunter
2010s

Ongoing developments in design and further investment in innovative boat building materials, technology and our people results in the creation of an impressive range of new models. These include the flagship 725 series, the 'Big' 485, and the stunning Sport Fisher 545 and SS660. These new generation boats feature structural GRP floor systems, a revolutionary breakthrough that makes them even stronger, stiffer and lighter. The Haines Hunter ride continues to evolve and get even better!

2020s | Haines Hunter
2020s

The brand enters an exciting phase with the launch of a new brand identity, refreshed logo, sharp new boat graphics, a new website (you’re looking at it) and plenty more to come! In the decade ahead, we’re looking forward to welcoming a whole new generation of converts to the Haines Hunter family. Stay on the look out for new Haines innovation - the trailer boats that perform like nothing else on the market with a ride that simply can’t be matched.

Hall of Fame

Haines Hunter New Zealand has a long history of building iconic boats. From the early Seacraft, to V17, V198 to the SF535 and SP725.

1949 Sea Craft Inboard | Haines Hunter

Sea Craft Inboard 1949

1965 Sea Craft Costa Mesa | Haines Hunter

Sea Craft Costa Mesa 1965

1972 Sea Craft Valencia | Haines Hunter

Sea Craft Valencia 1972

1975 Haines Hunter V198 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter V198 1975

1981 Haines Hunter V17R | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter V17R 1981

1981 Haines Hunter V17L | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter V17L 1981

1986 Haines Hunter 1800S | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter 1800S 1986

1986 Haines Hunter SF700 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SF700 1986

1986 Haines Hunter SF535 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SF535 1986

1990 Haines Hunter SF600 Mk1 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SF600 Mk1 1990

1990 Haines Hunter SF735 HT | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SF735 HT 1990

1995 Haines Hunter SF535 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SF535 1995

2005 Haines Hunter SS720SD | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SS720SD 2005

2006 Haines Hunter SS660 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SS660 2006

2011 Haines Hunter SP725 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SP725 2011

2015 Haines Hunter SF545 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SF545 2015

2020 Haines Hunter SF635 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SF635 2020

2022 Haines Hunter SP635 | Haines Hunter

Haines Hunter SP635 2022