Fellow Sailors- I need help,my wife and I own and sail a Catalina 22. We are looking to sail Lake Erie/Lake Ontarion/Chesapeake Bay. We want a bigger boat but it needs to be shoal draft and trailerable,we need to step the mast. We have sailed Catalina 30,Beneteau 40 on lake erie and BVI and Chesapeake.Have looked at Oday 272-Nice lay out also Catalina 27 wing keel-nice layout!. need shore power but could live with porta pottie? Not sure about oday 26? catalina 25? Any thoughts? Hunter? Thanks all for your help! Alan Clark "PING"
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Rick D
Hard choise
I just sold my oday 20, loved the boat but my wife wanted a bigger boat. Was told to stay away from Hunters. We looked at a 272 and my wife fell in love with it, made an offer and were waiting to here. I've done alot of reserch and have talked to many people about the 272, my concern was the wing keel, but I do like the idear fo only 2' 11" draft. Everyone I've talked to who owns one loves it, and they say there easy to solo. Well, good luck.
I just sold my oday 20, loved the boat but my wife wanted a bigger boat. Was told to stay away from Hunters. We looked at a 272 and my wife fell in love with it, made an offer and were waiting to here. I've done alot of reserch and have talked to many people about the 272, my concern was the wing keel, but I do like the idear fo only 2' 11" draft. Everyone I've talked to who owns one loves it, and they say there easy to solo. Well, good luck.
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Trevor
Choices, choices!
I would get to a boat show if you can to check out as many different makes and models as possible before making a decision. The Catalina 250, Hunter 240 or 260 come to mind as large volume trailerable boats that sail well. A lot of folks like the MacGregor 26X PowerSailer since they motor much faster than the others, but they don't sail as well. There are other trailerables out there that may suit you (i.e. used San Juan 23), but likely with less interior volume. Best of luck, Trevor
I would get to a boat show if you can to check out as many different makes and models as possible before making a decision. The Catalina 250, Hunter 240 or 260 come to mind as large volume trailerable boats that sail well. A lot of folks like the MacGregor 26X PowerSailer since they motor much faster than the others, but they don't sail as well. There are other trailerables out there that may suit you (i.e. used San Juan 23), but likely with less interior volume. Best of luck, Trevor
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nick maggio
260
I would definitely look at the hunter 260 I thought they were a great trailerable boat and was ready to buy but last minute decied to go bigger with full keel and got hunter 290 .
I would definitely look at the hunter 260 I thought they were a great trailerable boat and was ready to buy but last minute decied to go bigger with full keel and got hunter 290 .
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Alan- "PING"
Thanks
Thanks,to all for responding, We have probably given up on the Oday 272 nice boat but concerns for mast stepping and trailerability. I like the Catalina 25,Capri 26 is too heavy,is anice heavy weather boat,Lake Erie is shallow and gets Big Waves. Thanks Nick for the Hunter recommendation,I like the layout,and will be looking out for one for sale.Also the Catalina 25. Our Home port lake is relatively shallow and we want to stay there so shoal draft is important. We sort of want to have our Cake and.. We will keep you informed Alan & Eileen
Thanks,to all for responding, We have probably given up on the Oday 272 nice boat but concerns for mast stepping and trailerability. I like the Catalina 25,Capri 26 is too heavy,is anice heavy weather boat,Lake Erie is shallow and gets Big Waves. Thanks Nick for the Hunter recommendation,I like the layout,and will be looking out for one for sale.Also the Catalina 25. Our Home port lake is relatively shallow and we want to stay there so shoal draft is important. We sort of want to have our Cake and.. We will keep you informed Alan & Eileen
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Frank Ladd
Another Hunter 260 vote
I like the Catalina's and the Hunters both. But in the case of a large trailerable boat that is easy to set up the Hunter 260 has everyone beat. It will set up and sail as fast as many daysailors and has a real head that is usable. The 19 inch draft makes it wonderful for shallow water.
I like the Catalina's and the Hunters both. But in the case of a large trailerable boat that is easy to set up the Hunter 260 has everyone beat. It will set up and sail as fast as many daysailors and has a real head that is usable. The 19 inch draft makes it wonderful for shallow water.
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Tom Monroe
like the C25 wing keel
I've been looking also for a trailorable boat to replace my old O'Day 22 ... movable between Carlyle lake and Kentucky Lake, and big enough to spend weekends aboard. I've sailed most of whats out there. You didn't mention budget, always a big consideration for many of us! For what its worth, I narrowed it down to one of the older Cherubini (SP?) Hunter 25's, or a wing keel C25 (made from 1986 to about 1990). Budget made part of that choice, along with the desire for a fixed keel. Finally decided on the C25, although I think the Hunter sails better. But the wing keel gives me a 2.5 foot draft and it sits low on the trailor ... almost as low as a swing keel ... and I just plain like the looks better. Either would do nicely. The H260 is probably the best choice of the lot of bigger trailorables, but I can't afford one and still have a good sailing budget. I don't own a C25 yet because finding one with a trailor in the midwest hasn't been easy. Tom Monroe Carlyle Lake
I've been looking also for a trailorable boat to replace my old O'Day 22 ... movable between Carlyle lake and Kentucky Lake, and big enough to spend weekends aboard. I've sailed most of whats out there. You didn't mention budget, always a big consideration for many of us! For what its worth, I narrowed it down to one of the older Cherubini (SP?) Hunter 25's, or a wing keel C25 (made from 1986 to about 1990). Budget made part of that choice, along with the desire for a fixed keel. Finally decided on the C25, although I think the Hunter sails better. But the wing keel gives me a 2.5 foot draft and it sits low on the trailor ... almost as low as a swing keel ... and I just plain like the looks better. Either would do nicely. The H260 is probably the best choice of the lot of bigger trailorables, but I can't afford one and still have a good sailing budget. I don't own a C25 yet because finding one with a trailor in the midwest hasn't been easy. Tom Monroe Carlyle Lake
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Jeff Johnston
other possibilities
We had a 1990 MacGregor 26 classic for several years. Though people bad mouth them it really sails well and is easy to trailer and set up. In fact mine in for sale. We bough a Hunter 25.5 last year. 1984 boat but in great shape and more cabin room than the mac. it really sails well and is built solid. Standing headroom with the pop top and with the top down the cabin top is low which i like for sailing visibility. Mine has a fin keel but they also make a wing keel that is more trailerable. In the late 80s they added a food to the stern and a taller rig and called it a 26.6 which also has a shoal draft keel. Good boats and worth looking at.
We had a 1990 MacGregor 26 classic for several years. Though people bad mouth them it really sails well and is easy to trailer and set up. In fact mine in for sale. We bough a Hunter 25.5 last year. 1984 boat but in great shape and more cabin room than the mac. it really sails well and is built solid. Standing headroom with the pop top and with the top down the cabin top is low which i like for sailing visibility. Mine has a fin keel but they also make a wing keel that is more trailerable. In the late 80s they added a food to the stern and a taller rig and called it a 26.6 which also has a shoal draft keel. Good boats and worth looking at.
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Red Beard
Hunter 260
I just purchased a new 2002 this January. I hail from Lake Pueblo, Colorado. Water Balast and Swing Keel makes for light and lower trailering ...3000 lbs boat, 2000 lbs trailer. My wife and I have plenty of room for the long weekends (porta-potty for her). I am newbie and got caught in winds around 25 knots last weekend. I reefed the jib only and had no problems getting in. I was impressed at the way Drunkards Dream handled. Though my wife wasn't to happy...she blamed me for the wind and heeling of the boat...But she'll either get use to it, or over it, sooner, but probablly later. The mast raising system on the 260 can be mostly done SINGLE HANDED AND VERY QUICKLY. If your gonna travel the boat alot I highly recommend the Hunter 260....BLUESKIES & HIGHTIDES...rb
I just purchased a new 2002 this January. I hail from Lake Pueblo, Colorado. Water Balast and Swing Keel makes for light and lower trailering ...3000 lbs boat, 2000 lbs trailer. My wife and I have plenty of room for the long weekends (porta-potty for her). I am newbie and got caught in winds around 25 knots last weekend. I reefed the jib only and had no problems getting in. I was impressed at the way Drunkards Dream handled. Though my wife wasn't to happy...she blamed me for the wind and heeling of the boat...But she'll either get use to it, or over it, sooner, but probablly later. The mast raising system on the 260 can be mostly done SINGLE HANDED AND VERY QUICKLY. If your gonna travel the boat alot I highly recommend the Hunter 260....BLUESKIES & HIGHTIDES...rb
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Cliff Ruckstruhl
25.5 is the best boat for this
Hunter did not make a 26.6 but made a 26.5 and it is not the same boat but bigger as the 25.5. Two totally different boats. After sailing and racing on the Oday 25, Catalina 25 and the Hunter 25.5. The Shoal Draft Hunter is by far the best boat in the 25 foot range, period. It is bigger 9'1" on the beam verse 8' for the Catalina and Oday, faster on all points of sail. It is offered as an inboard. Mast head rig and the cockpit is bigger, wide side decks and is a pop top. The shoal draft draws 3'3". It is not a boat that I would trailor sail on weekends but to yank it for a weeks vaction is not a problem, we hauled our 2 years in a row to Lake MI and it was not a problem. But it is a big boat on the trailor and we have never had a problem going down the high way. You know we had one, Chris and Jenny still have there's and are pulling it to Lake Erie next weekend. It will be docked by us you might want to give it a look after the Mill's race. Red Dog
Hunter did not make a 26.6 but made a 26.5 and it is not the same boat but bigger as the 25.5. Two totally different boats. After sailing and racing on the Oday 25, Catalina 25 and the Hunter 25.5. The Shoal Draft Hunter is by far the best boat in the 25 foot range, period. It is bigger 9'1" on the beam verse 8' for the Catalina and Oday, faster on all points of sail. It is offered as an inboard. Mast head rig and the cockpit is bigger, wide side decks and is a pop top. The shoal draft draws 3'3". It is not a boat that I would trailor sail on weekends but to yank it for a weeks vaction is not a problem, we hauled our 2 years in a row to Lake MI and it was not a problem. But it is a big boat on the trailor and we have never had a problem going down the high way. You know we had one, Chris and Jenny still have there's and are pulling it to Lake Erie next weekend. It will be docked by us you might want to give it a look after the Mill's race. Red Dog
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