I am looking at a 87 Hunter 26.5 and was interested if there is advice as to what to look out for that could be problems for this particular boat model?
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We purchased our 1989 26.5 in Summer 2007. We are located at Raritan Yacht Club in Perth Amboy, NJ. We have been very happy with the boat. We are not new to sailing, but new to boat owning and so have not gone cruising yet. The boat handles well and we love sailing 'her'. 'Issues' would be: 1) One main sleeping berth on longer cabin bench, other person would sleep in stern berth. A person could sleep in bow berth but the head is there. 2) Topping lift is a pain for us because we have to winter store with the mast down. So every year we have to rethread the boom TL. 3) Would like a bimini cover at stern but not sure boat accomodates. 4) Our boat needs more work. I have seen 26.5 photos of boats that look brand new. 5) We have a 4stroke 9.9 outboard and that works well for Raritan Bay wind and currents.
sleeping on a small boat
I sail a different boat a Hunter 240. I simply disconnect everything and take the boom with sail still hanked on and store it in the cabin overwinter.
I bit the bullet a few years back and ordered a bimini. Love it. Screwed up and ordered one too high. Talked to the manufacturer who was little help. finally ended up with a tubing cutter working on the frame an inch at a time. trimmed about 8 inches off to finally get it to fit.
Have you ever thought about putting the head outside in the cockpit. Its night and noone will see you hope.
I sail a different boat a Hunter 240. I simply disconnect everything and take the boom with sail still hanked on and store it in the cabin overwinter.
I bit the bullet a few years back and ordered a bimini. Love it. Screwed up and ordered one too high. Talked to the manufacturer who was little help. finally ended up with a tubing cutter working on the frame an inch at a time. trimmed about 8 inches off to finally get it to fit.
Re: sleeping on a small boat
Thanks Bart. We have a 'toilet' bolted in with pump and plumbing so we can't move it from the bow area. Everyone at RYC must unstep their mast for winter storage. We have ordered a bimini - your info is helpful if we have to 'customize' it. We don't want to sail with the bimini up. We want it for hot days, lounging and dining on the boat.
Thanks Bart. We have a 'toilet' bolted in with pump and plumbing so we can't move it from the bow area. Everyone at RYC must unstep their mast for winter storage. We have ordered a bimini - your info is helpful if we have to 'customize' it. We don't want to sail with the bimini up. We want it for hot days, lounging and dining on the boat.
I have a 26.5, and love it. Great sailing boat! The only issue I have, is that the motor, battery and cabinet for the cooler are all on the starboard side. This makes the boat lean to starboard while at the dock. When trying to sleep in the forward berth, everyone ends up on the starboard side by morning. Sort of like camping on a hill.
Also when motoring in reverse and then going into forward, the initial thrust can take the boat hard to starboard - prop walk???
The 26.5 does not trailer like the 260 and will take a bigger vehicle to pull it. The mast requires a hoist to lift, as it sets straight down on a foot.
This boat sails great, and is a great weekend boat. I wouldn't trade mine for anything - except maybe a 28.5.
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