Currently I own a Catalina 250 WB. For a number of reasons mostly having to do with headroom and performance I am planning on selling the Catalina. I have always wanted a Hunter 260. Can anyone give me some compelling reasons to make a Hunter 260 my next sailboat. I note that quality control is one issue that I understand is more of a concern with Hunter than with Catalina.
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What I like about the H260...
Hi Calvin, + The large cockpit, wheel steering, lines led aft + B&R rig with no back stay + Sugar scoop transome and swim ladder is really well done + Cabin layout is great for a boat this size + Points well and sails fast. + Trailerability + Excellent factory support - emails are usually answered the same day. I compared Catalina and Hunter and chose Hunter for somewhat better headroom, better cabin layout and felt Hunter offered more boat for the $$. Fair winds, Tom
Hi Calvin, + The large cockpit, wheel steering, lines led aft + B&R rig with no back stay + Sugar scoop transome and swim ladder is really well done + Cabin layout is great for a boat this size + Points well and sails fast. + Trailerability + Excellent factory support - emails are usually answered the same day. I compared Catalina and Hunter and chose Hunter for somewhat better headroom, better cabin layout and felt Hunter offered more boat for the $$. Fair winds, Tom
Calvin, I like the 26 better than the 260.
The problem is that the 26's are getting hard to find. The 26 is a tiller set-up rather than the wheel and I find that better to single hand. If you are thinking about a new baot then I think the quality issue has been addressed. All said and done I think the Hunter 26 or 260 as one heck of a lot better boat then the Cat. We looked at both and sailed both and then luckly found a mint H26. Enjoy the courtship. Ray S/V Speedy
The problem is that the 26's are getting hard to find. The 26 is a tiller set-up rather than the wheel and I find that better to single hand. If you are thinking about a new baot then I think the quality issue has been addressed. All said and done I think the Hunter 26 or 260 as one heck of a lot better boat then the Cat. We looked at both and sailed both and then luckly found a mint H26. Enjoy the courtship. Ray S/V Speedy
I sailed on one
I really liked it. If you find a good dealer he will makecertain you get a quality boat by fixing any problems he finds and giving you good service after the sale. I remember some one else on this board who moved up from a H240 to a Cat 250 and was not happy so they went back to the H240.
I really liked it. If you find a good dealer he will makecertain you get a quality boat by fixing any problems he finds and giving you good service after the sale. I remember some one else on this board who moved up from a H240 to a Cat 250 and was not happy so they went back to the H240.
I LOVE my 260
If Jim is second and thirding , I;ll fourth and fifth. Just had my boat in 8' seas yesterday and it performed excellently. Yes, the Hunter is only 1' longer, but the boat volume is much more. I stayed aboard a week in March with the wife and two kids and was not cramped at all. Lots of storage.
If Jim is second and thirding , I;ll fourth and fifth. Just had my boat in 8' seas yesterday and it performed excellently. Yes, the Hunter is only 1' longer, but the boat volume is much more. I stayed aboard a week in March with the wife and two kids and was not cramped at all. Lots of storage.
Go with Hunter!
Buy the Hunter. I owned a Catalina 250 (you can probably find my past remarks in the archives) and I did not like the boat at all. I was talked into selling my Hunter 23.5 by a relative who had a Catalina 30. Interestingly, he has never owned nor sailed another Hunter and he was opposed to the water balast system based on "what he had heard." the advice you get on this site is from people who own one. I bought the Catalina 250 and was sorry from the beginning. It could not match the trailerability, if that is an issue. the mast raising system is clearly inferior. I thought it was a very poor sailing boat and, for me at least, pracically impossible to dock. I have found Hunter to be responsive and this website is terrific. Quality is comparable as far as I can see. As far as the boat is concerned, I have just bought a 1992 Hunter 27 and love it. I would have just as easily bought a 26 or 260 if the right boat had been available. Let us know what you decide. Good luck. John
Buy the Hunter. I owned a Catalina 250 (you can probably find my past remarks in the archives) and I did not like the boat at all. I was talked into selling my Hunter 23.5 by a relative who had a Catalina 30. Interestingly, he has never owned nor sailed another Hunter and he was opposed to the water balast system based on "what he had heard." the advice you get on this site is from people who own one. I bought the Catalina 250 and was sorry from the beginning. It could not match the trailerability, if that is an issue. the mast raising system is clearly inferior. I thought it was a very poor sailing boat and, for me at least, pracically impossible to dock. I have found Hunter to be responsive and this website is terrific. Quality is comparable as far as I can see. As far as the boat is concerned, I have just bought a 1992 Hunter 27 and love it. I would have just as easily bought a 26 or 260 if the right boat had been available. Let us know what you decide. Good luck. John
No Comparison
I think the Cat 250 is closer in comparison to the Hunter 240 and even there the 240 comes out on top. The one thing I did like on the 250 was the opening port on the port side window. Thought about doing the same thing to my 23.5 but thought I'd wait for someone else to try it first.
I think the Cat 250 is closer in comparison to the Hunter 240 and even there the 240 comes out on top. The one thing I did like on the 250 was the opening port on the port side window. Thought about doing the same thing to my 23.5 but thought I'd wait for someone else to try it first.
legal limiits
You are correct that the legal limit on the interstates is 8 1/2 feet but on state roads it will depend on the state you are living in as it will either be 8 or 8 1/2. To answer your question, the 260 and 26 are not legal as they are over 4 inches wider on the interstate. I have heard some have gotten wide load permits but at that point you are limited to the day only and some routes are forbidden plus then you will need to go through the wiegh scales and in some states like Tennessee, Ugh! As a dealer and one who has trailerd more of these puppies than anyone else in the country, I never get an overwidth permit and have never been cited. The silloute of the boat sits high on the trailer and you cannot determine as the boat sits higher than power boats. If stopped and asked which did happen once, I looked the fellow in the eye and said 8 1/2. The next question is if you are involved in an accident. I use to be a claims adjuster plus a pilot as well. An accdient is detemined on the facts of the case as to what caused it not an overwidth if that was not involved. All my clients usually trailer the boats but make sure you have your tag on as Virginia is a tough state to be caought without one. Crazy Dave Condon
You are correct that the legal limit on the interstates is 8 1/2 feet but on state roads it will depend on the state you are living in as it will either be 8 or 8 1/2. To answer your question, the 260 and 26 are not legal as they are over 4 inches wider on the interstate. I have heard some have gotten wide load permits but at that point you are limited to the day only and some routes are forbidden plus then you will need to go through the wiegh scales and in some states like Tennessee, Ugh! As a dealer and one who has trailerd more of these puppies than anyone else in the country, I never get an overwidth permit and have never been cited. The silloute of the boat sits high on the trailer and you cannot determine as the boat sits higher than power boats. If stopped and asked which did happen once, I looked the fellow in the eye and said 8 1/2. The next question is if you are involved in an accident. I use to be a claims adjuster plus a pilot as well. An accdient is detemined on the facts of the case as to what caused it not an overwidth if that was not involved. All my clients usually trailer the boats but make sure you have your tag on as Virginia is a tough state to be caought without one. Crazy Dave Condon
A solution to your problems.
Calvin: There are dealers that will take your boat in trade towards a new or used H260. Email me at Ladd333@aol.com if you want the name of a good one. Here are the advantages. You get the boat you want now and we all know life is too short. Your new or used boat will be checked out by the dealer and everthing will be put in working order. You get rid of your old boat without going through the hassle of showing it to everyone who is thinks they maybe interested. The only dissadvantage is that it costs slightly more to go the dealer route. However I think the security and convenience would be worth a little extra money.
Calvin: There are dealers that will take your boat in trade towards a new or used H260. Email me at Ladd333@aol.com if you want the name of a good one. Here are the advantages. You get the boat you want now and we all know life is too short. Your new or used boat will be checked out by the dealer and everthing will be put in working order. You get rid of your old boat without going through the hassle of showing it to everyone who is thinks they maybe interested. The only dissadvantage is that it costs slightly more to go the dealer route. However I think the security and convenience would be worth a little extra money.
Performance?
If you like the quality control of the Hunter product your not alone. That's probably one of the main reasons they sell more boats then anyone else. However from my experience in sailing the 260, I'd go up against just about anything in her size. I'll point better and be to the mark before them. With the aysmetrical spinnaker, I'm going to stay ahead of the breeze as well. The underwater lines of the Hunter boats I think are second to none and make the boats performace wonderful. Why not take one out and try it? You'll be surprised.
If you like the quality control of the Hunter product your not alone. That's probably one of the main reasons they sell more boats then anyone else. However from my experience in sailing the 260, I'd go up against just about anything in her size. I'll point better and be to the mark before them. With the aysmetrical spinnaker, I'm going to stay ahead of the breeze as well. The underwater lines of the Hunter boats I think are second to none and make the boats performace wonderful. Why not take one out and try it? You'll be surprised.
Keepa you mout shut!
'Ey! Highway patrol troopers are human, too, and they play on the internet just like real people. And I'm sure they swap info on their message boards. So, if our favorite boat is 4 inches too wide, don't go announcing it all over the net, huh? If the worst thing you've ever done is sneak an extra 4 inches on your boat trailer, you're doing a lot better than most of us.
'Ey! Highway patrol troopers are human, too, and they play on the internet just like real people. And I'm sure they swap info on their message boards. So, if our favorite boat is 4 inches too wide, don't go announcing it all over the net, huh? If the worst thing you've ever done is sneak an extra 4 inches on your boat trailer, you're doing a lot better than most of us.
Mr. Small
For your information, there has been alot of discussion of the width of the Hunter 260 and 26 for a long time in the forum. Many questions are asked about that and folks would appreciate knowing than not knowing. Crazy Dave Condon
For your information, there has been alot of discussion of the width of the Hunter 260 and 26 for a long time in the forum. Many questions are asked about that and folks would appreciate knowing than not knowing. Crazy Dave Condon
H260 Performance
Blowing my own horn on this one. At the Hunter Chesapeake Bay Rendevous my "Java" a H260 came in first place out of 25 - in real time. We were the smallest and the largest was a 40.5, I think. The H260 can perform, believe it. This last Sunday afternoon the winds were running around 10 to 12 kts and I kept running up on a 35 something boat and had to keep tacking off because he keep getting in my way. Jim S/V Java
Blowing my own horn on this one. At the Hunter Chesapeake Bay Rendevous my "Java" a H260 came in first place out of 25 - in real time. We were the smallest and the largest was a 40.5, I think. The H260 can perform, believe it. This last Sunday afternoon the winds were running around 10 to 12 kts and I kept running up on a 35 something boat and had to keep tacking off because he keep getting in my way. Jim S/V Java
H260 beat out a Catalina 270 as well
Last week we caught up and passed a Catalina 270 on our H260. We were both on a broad reach aiming to get under a bridge, we had two adults while he was alone on his boat.
Last week we caught up and passed a Catalina 270 on our H260. We were both on a broad reach aiming to get under a bridge, we had two adults while he was alone on his boat.
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