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Yes, I have a New Hunter 25
I took delivery of a fully optioned one a couple of weeks ago. Although I'm new to yachting, I think it sails very well. However, it's early Spring here and the weather has been terrible most of the time. We did get out on a fine sunny day with a steady 8 kt SW wind and managed a very comfortable 3.5 to 4.5 kts at about 40 degrees to the wind while still getting used to the equipment. We kept up with a gaff-rigged wooden boat that looked about 35 feet long. The cockpit is very roomy for such a relatively small boat. It really is just like the Hunter website photos! (The built in stubby holders are an attraction to Australians). With just the jib, I can sail her single handed. With a bit of practice, I think I'll be able to manage the mainsail on my own too. However, there are plenty of keen crewmen and women at the moment. We're looking forward to sailing in 15 kts when the weather warms up later this month.
I took delivery of a fully optioned one a couple of weeks ago. Although I'm new to yachting, I think it sails very well. However, it's early Spring here and the weather has been terrible most of the time. We did get out on a fine sunny day with a steady 8 kt SW wind and managed a very comfortable 3.5 to 4.5 kts at about 40 degrees to the wind while still getting used to the equipment. We kept up with a gaff-rigged wooden boat that looked about 35 feet long. The cockpit is very roomy for such a relatively small boat. It really is just like the Hunter website photos! (The built in stubby holders are an attraction to Australians). With just the jib, I can sail her single handed. With a bit of practice, I think I'll be able to manage the mainsail on my own too. However, there are plenty of keen crewmen and women at the moment. We're looking forward to sailing in 15 kts when the weather warms up later this month.
K
Kevin
Can you make any comparisons?
Thanks for the info. I am on the verge of buying one myself. Can you compare it to anything else that you have sailed? I am wondering how tender it is. I have only test sailed one, and the wind was 20 to 25, so it was hard to tell, although it did very well IMHO with one reef in. If you are willing to converse more about your experiences via private email, please let me know at kevin@rudeshirt.com. Thanks, Kevin
Thanks for the info. I am on the verge of buying one myself. Can you compare it to anything else that you have sailed? I am wondering how tender it is. I have only test sailed one, and the wind was 20 to 25, so it was hard to tell, although it did very well IMHO with one reef in. If you are willing to converse more about your experiences via private email, please let me know at kevin@rudeshirt.com. Thanks, Kevin
M
Mark
Garry
If this is your first Hunter???? Welcome to the the Hunter family. You will be very impressed with the service and follow up you will get from Hunter and their Australian distributors. I've had mine (260) since 2001 and the service and advice from Hunter just keeps rolling in. I guess you will be sailing on Port Phillip bay. Send me an email if you wish for I get to Melbourne every so often and would love the chance to get on board the new model.
If this is your first Hunter???? Welcome to the the Hunter family. You will be very impressed with the service and follow up you will get from Hunter and their Australian distributors. I've had mine (260) since 2001 and the service and advice from Hunter just keeps rolling in. I guess you will be sailing on Port Phillip bay. Send me an email if you wish for I get to Melbourne every so often and would love the chance to get on board the new model.
H25 Comparisons
I've only sailed small cats and lasers (while on holidays, not competitively) and I am a keen windsurfer (warm weather only), so the cockpit of the H25 seems very high and dry. I've also skippered a 42' Jeanneau (bareboat charter) and crewed (socially) on a friend's Bavaria 40 (or so) footer, so handling the H25's sails seems easy. Not as much room below though, and one can't stand up in the cockpit in front of the wheel while coming about! I did a lot of research on the Net and in Trade a Boat etc and concluded that the Hunter 26 was ideal for my purposes (there are very few trailerable glass boats of that size and accommodations in Australia), but when I tried to order one, I found it had been superseded by the new 25. I felt I was taking a bit of a gamble, but ordered the H25 anyway. Now, the solid ballast and permanent shallow draft seem like an advantage, given the sturdy feel of the boat. The 26's galley and head were more impressive, but the 25 has a better internal layout otherwise. The mast raising and lowering system is terrific, although I certainly won't be taking her out of the water after every sail. There have been many casual admirers - she really looks and feels like a "pocket cruiser" (as the H27 and H25 are described on the Hunter website). I'll send you a private email, Kevin. Thanks, Mark, for the observations about Hunter service. The (former) dealer here is a good bloke and still very helpful even though Hunter have terminated his dealership - apparently the Sydney dealer will take over here though he may end up as the sub-dealer. Let me know when you're in Melbourne and we'll go out on Port Phillip Bay. Sunday is looking reasonable for sailing, so I'll post a further report next week.
I've only sailed small cats and lasers (while on holidays, not competitively) and I am a keen windsurfer (warm weather only), so the cockpit of the H25 seems very high and dry. I've also skippered a 42' Jeanneau (bareboat charter) and crewed (socially) on a friend's Bavaria 40 (or so) footer, so handling the H25's sails seems easy. Not as much room below though, and one can't stand up in the cockpit in front of the wheel while coming about! I did a lot of research on the Net and in Trade a Boat etc and concluded that the Hunter 26 was ideal for my purposes (there are very few trailerable glass boats of that size and accommodations in Australia), but when I tried to order one, I found it had been superseded by the new 25. I felt I was taking a bit of a gamble, but ordered the H25 anyway. Now, the solid ballast and permanent shallow draft seem like an advantage, given the sturdy feel of the boat. The 26's galley and head were more impressive, but the 25 has a better internal layout otherwise. The mast raising and lowering system is terrific, although I certainly won't be taking her out of the water after every sail. There have been many casual admirers - she really looks and feels like a "pocket cruiser" (as the H27 and H25 are described on the Hunter website). I'll send you a private email, Kevin. Thanks, Mark, for the observations about Hunter service. The (former) dealer here is a good bloke and still very helpful even though Hunter have terminated his dealership - apparently the Sydney dealer will take over here though he may end up as the sub-dealer. Let me know when you're in Melbourne and we'll go out on Port Phillip Bay. Sunday is looking reasonable for sailing, so I'll post a further report next week.
New 25 on order...
Hello all. I have a new 25 on order, supposed to get it some time in the next couple weeks. I can't wait. I'll be sure to post some pictures and info when I get it. I've been searching all over the web to see if anyone else has one and to hear what they think but I guess it's not a big deal now because my deposit is in. My impression after being on the demo boat is that the cockpit feels very large, the wheel and stern rail seats make it comfortable and roomy too, the shallow draft is a great feature for trailering and the good news is... no swing keel to crank and maintain, no water balast to mess with, etc. Can't wait to see how it sails and points with the shallow keel, looking forward to "exploring" a bit without my eyes being glued to the depth finder. Swim platform looks great. I also like where the gas can will sit as long as mine will fit there properly(I didn't try to see what size would fit there yet). Nice that it's not in some locker where I have to worry about ventilation and hazards. I admit that I wasn't completely impressed with the interior at first, but simple is good... and it feels large inside with everything so open. The tilt-up compainionway top will add some head room and I think the companionway canvas will make that a nice feature at anchor. The bathroom felt a little bit small at first, no sink in there, but that means more space for the setees which are actually wide enough to sit on sideways to lay back and read a book. The model I looked at had a curtain for a bathroom door but I'm told new ones are being made with a real door. Interested to see how well this is done. I'm anxious to see how well the plug in cooler really works and how much battery it uses since I don't have much experience with one of them. I'm glad there's no wasted space on a stove that will rarely get used... the travel stove is fine. The v berth looks comfortable for sleeping because it's open (rather than climbing in to the old style v berth that's all closed up)... and the rear berth(quarterberth?) has a hatch for ventilation at anchor. You can really stretch out back there and it seems easy to get in to. Some boats make it seem like you're climbing in to a cave to get into the v berth or the quarterberth and I think this is way nicer. I would've like to see a few shelves or storage bins of some kind for miscellaneous items, maybe a small shelf or something behind the setees to hold a flashlight, pair of binoculars, miniature fan, cd player, etc. I guess this really isn't a huge problem but besides storage under the cushions the only other place is in the cabinet under the galley which I think will fill up fast. Well... there are some of my thoughts, let me know what you think. -Ken
Hello all. I have a new 25 on order, supposed to get it some time in the next couple weeks. I can't wait. I'll be sure to post some pictures and info when I get it. I've been searching all over the web to see if anyone else has one and to hear what they think but I guess it's not a big deal now because my deposit is in. My impression after being on the demo boat is that the cockpit feels very large, the wheel and stern rail seats make it comfortable and roomy too, the shallow draft is a great feature for trailering and the good news is... no swing keel to crank and maintain, no water balast to mess with, etc. Can't wait to see how it sails and points with the shallow keel, looking forward to "exploring" a bit without my eyes being glued to the depth finder. Swim platform looks great. I also like where the gas can will sit as long as mine will fit there properly(I didn't try to see what size would fit there yet). Nice that it's not in some locker where I have to worry about ventilation and hazards. I admit that I wasn't completely impressed with the interior at first, but simple is good... and it feels large inside with everything so open. The tilt-up compainionway top will add some head room and I think the companionway canvas will make that a nice feature at anchor. The bathroom felt a little bit small at first, no sink in there, but that means more space for the setees which are actually wide enough to sit on sideways to lay back and read a book. The model I looked at had a curtain for a bathroom door but I'm told new ones are being made with a real door. Interested to see how well this is done. I'm anxious to see how well the plug in cooler really works and how much battery it uses since I don't have much experience with one of them. I'm glad there's no wasted space on a stove that will rarely get used... the travel stove is fine. The v berth looks comfortable for sleeping because it's open (rather than climbing in to the old style v berth that's all closed up)... and the rear berth(quarterberth?) has a hatch for ventilation at anchor. You can really stretch out back there and it seems easy to get in to. Some boats make it seem like you're climbing in to a cave to get into the v berth or the quarterberth and I think this is way nicer. I would've like to see a few shelves or storage bins of some kind for miscellaneous items, maybe a small shelf or something behind the setees to hold a flashlight, pair of binoculars, miniature fan, cd player, etc. I guess this really isn't a huge problem but besides storage under the cushions the only other place is in the cabinet under the galley which I think will fill up fast. Well... there are some of my thoughts, let me know what you think. -Ken
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