Can anyone tell me their opinions of which one to go with? I have done lots and lots of reading and have read the specs. But i would like to know what owners have to say.
Hunter 26 or Hunter 260
- Thread starter vweedon
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Well the ones i am looking at so far are the same year and neither one needs anything done. The ones i am looking at are both ready to go sailing as is with nothing to do to them. Both excellent condition. Any other suggestions? Price wise they are about the same. Do people prefer wheel or tiller over another or is that personal preference.
The 26 was a predecessor of the 260 so it's unlikely that they're the same year(ck the title). A wheel version will have a higher resale as it was a rather expensive option. If it's a wheel ver and doesn't have a wheel guard I'd defiantly install one. Since the hull is the same mold, that'd bring it down to upgrades like electronics and safety gear and the boats condition.
Of course I'd go for everything you can get if the money is the same. The OB is a real key. Nothing stinks worse than a lame OB that lets you down in a pinch or is poorly positioned to control or start. A trailer is also very valuable($2-3k) even if you don't think you'll use it.
Also look carefully for expensive things that look fine at first glance but may be getting tired like, sails, cushions/foam/bedding, rudder head fractures, corroded standing rigging fittings, bent hardware at the mast, ground tackle quality, discolored (repaired) hull sections, rotted/moldy interior wood and water stains, etc. Most people will say that a knowledgeable marine surveyor FOR SAILBOATS can save the day if he spots one major issue you'd missed.
Good luck in your choice. Mike
Of course I'd go for everything you can get if the money is the same. The OB is a real key. Nothing stinks worse than a lame OB that lets you down in a pinch or is poorly positioned to control or start. A trailer is also very valuable($2-3k) even if you don't think you'll use it.
Also look carefully for expensive things that look fine at first glance but may be getting tired like, sails, cushions/foam/bedding, rudder head fractures, corroded standing rigging fittings, bent hardware at the mast, ground tackle quality, discolored (repaired) hull sections, rotted/moldy interior wood and water stains, etc. Most people will say that a knowledgeable marine surveyor FOR SAILBOATS can save the day if he spots one major issue you'd missed.
Good luck in your choice. Mike
I have just bought a 260 instead of a 26. A bit more money, some pluses and some minuses. The 260 has a better finish on the deck and in the cockpit, the upholstery is far better and for me the transom is better designed. the boat was a lot newer as was the Outboard. I prefer the rudder arrangement on the 26 and the one in our park had a fully battened mainsail which I also prefer.both good boats, get one and get sailing.
I went through the same decision this summer and went with the 260. I found a fair amount of difference in price between most if not all of my comparison boats. I went with the newer 260 keeping resale in mind. I did want a wheel which for me takes up less room in the cockpit. There are some physical differences in the boat which are nicely spelled out on h260.com web page. It is the best source for info that I found on these boats. Look for goodies that come with the boats that also quickly add up towards their value. Mine was loaded which also helped.
Some things I looked at:
year of boat
fresh vs salt water boat
motor status
wheel vs tiller
cockpit cushions
electronics/gages
upgrades (LED, rudder, solar panel, 2nd battery, lazy jacks, pressurized fresh water, wind vane etc...)
roller furling
sail condition
anchor
bimini,covers
goodies (stereo, VHF, lifesling, dishes etc...)
trailer
price
I made up a simple spread sheet, compared all the two boats and bought the one that best suited my needs. You can weigh certain items that are most important to you accordingly. Good luck and you can't go wrong with either boat and as was mentioned in a previous post...get sailing!!
Some things I looked at:
year of boat
fresh vs salt water boat
motor status
wheel vs tiller
cockpit cushions
electronics/gages
upgrades (LED, rudder, solar panel, 2nd battery, lazy jacks, pressurized fresh water, wind vane etc...)
roller furling
sail condition
anchor
bimini,covers
goodies (stereo, VHF, lifesling, dishes etc...)
trailer
price
I made up a simple spread sheet, compared all the two boats and bought the one that best suited my needs. You can weigh certain items that are most important to you accordingly. Good luck and you can't go wrong with either boat and as was mentioned in a previous post...get sailing!!
I can't comment on the 260, but I owned a H26 for 3 years and it was a great boat. I had the tiller, which I liked very much, it was easy to steer from the rail seats with a tiller extension. The 9.9 Honda was connected to the tiller, which gave great maneuverability. It did tend to prop walk in reverse coming out of the slip. It did not point as well as I would have liked, with standard jib blocks and roller furling, I had to sheet it in very tight to keep the jib from shuddering when going upwind. Does the 260 have a sink in the head? The 26 does, I do not think the newer boat, (Edge?) has one. It is nice to have a sink in the head if you are spending a lot of time aboard, and the 26 is very comfortable for weekends, or a week at a time.
Yes, the H260 does have a sink in the head.
The decision for me was wheel steering. The tiller was OK when I was younger. I still sail it as if I had a tiller, sitting high on the windward side looking forward over my shoulder. Its under power that I find a wheel convenient.
The decision for me was wheel steering. The tiller was OK when I was younger. I still sail it as if I had a tiller, sitting high on the windward side looking forward over my shoulder. Its under power that I find a wheel convenient.
I introduced both the 26 and 260. The switch to the 260 was in 1998 which was introduced in ANNAPOLIS along with the 270.
There were modifications to the cockpit and transom. On the back of the 260, you have easier access with a dive platform to speak of on the transom. There were minor changes to the forward cabin top regarding openings. But the biggest feature was the wheel steering.
It was very difficult to install wheell steering on the 26 and many attempts privately and by a few dealers were not that good. Reviewing, I was able to install quite a few systems on the early 26 with success. This changed when Hunter changed or reworked the 26 into the 260.
If the current 260 is a tiller, then the cockpit floor is different than the one installed with factory wheel steereing. The floor for the wheel steering is noticably different with a raised circular platform for the edson wheel steering. If you do not have that, then you can either modify it or order that from Hunter if installing wheel steering. If you prefer to use the tiller style floor, then you will have to beef up or strengthen the underside of that flloor pan when installing wheel steering; otherwise, the tiller floor style will flex with installed wheel steering and could break.
Crazy Dave Condon
There were modifications to the cockpit and transom. On the back of the 260, you have easier access with a dive platform to speak of on the transom. There were minor changes to the forward cabin top regarding openings. But the biggest feature was the wheel steering.
It was very difficult to install wheell steering on the 26 and many attempts privately and by a few dealers were not that good. Reviewing, I was able to install quite a few systems on the early 26 with success. This changed when Hunter changed or reworked the 26 into the 260.
If the current 260 is a tiller, then the cockpit floor is different than the one installed with factory wheel steereing. The floor for the wheel steering is noticably different with a raised circular platform for the edson wheel steering. If you do not have that, then you can either modify it or order that from Hunter if installing wheel steering. If you prefer to use the tiller style floor, then you will have to beef up or strengthen the underside of that flloor pan when installing wheel steering; otherwise, the tiller floor style will flex with installed wheel steering and could break.
Crazy Dave Condon
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