Former Hunter Industries Marketing Manager Lost At Sea

Hunter, 59, was sailing from Hilo, Hawaii to California on his 28-foot sloop when he was caught in an Alaskan storm that hit the northern California coast on October 27. After Hunter radioed a distress signal at 3 a.m., a Coast Guard plane was dispatched and spotted the boat in 30- to 50-foot swells with the mast down and one person on board. The Coast Guard dropped a rescue package with communications equipment near the boat, but the pilot said the sailor could not maneuver the boat to retrieve it.

After four hours of following the boat, the Coast Guard plane returned to refuel and another plane was sent out. The sailor and boat had disappeared by the time the second plane reached the vicinity the boat was last seen.

The Coast Guard continued the search for six days with search and rescue planes and two cutters, covering more than 26,000 square miles of open sea. The boat was not seen again, however, some gear was retrieved from the boat. Hunter’s son, Dylan Hunter, positively identified the gear, including a duffel bag with life raft.

Hunter is survived by a brother, Alan Hunter; two sisters, Jane Slieght and Flora Bennett; five children, Katherine Weiss, Susan Zdanowski, William Hunter, Dylan Hunter and Justin Pottinger. He also had four grandchildren.

The family held a private memorial service.