Hi, we were at strictly sail in chicago last winter. My wife really liked the Hunter 260. We currently own a Catalina 22, and catalina for whatever reason, didn't have a 25 or 27 at the show. Probably be their loss with my next purchase. But, I digress, what I'd really like to know is what current owners think of the 260. I've read some of the forums and am alittle concerned with the water ballast.Seems to be quite a few valve leaks. Also what upgrades would you recommend to the basic equip? I'll probably sail her in Lake Michigan. Thanks John
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Previous 260 owner
I just traded my 1998 260 for a new 356. The 260 (may be a 270 now) had a fixed keel and a 9.9 HP Honda 4 stroke. It was my first sailboat. We sailed it for 5 years on Kentucky Lake. The 260 is a great small boat. I would buy the fixed keel and wheel. I also later added pressure water. Should have done that in the beginning. This boat has a lot of room inside for this size. Our boat also had a roller furling jib. The only downside was the standard sail requires one to spend some precarious time above the companionway hatch when lowering the sail. In a rolling sea, the first few moments can be exciting while getting the sail under control. I certainly would recommend the 260.
I just traded my 1998 260 for a new 356. The 260 (may be a 270 now) had a fixed keel and a 9.9 HP Honda 4 stroke. It was my first sailboat. We sailed it for 5 years on Kentucky Lake. The 260 is a great small boat. I would buy the fixed keel and wheel. I also later added pressure water. Should have done that in the beginning. This boat has a lot of room inside for this size. Our boat also had a roller furling jib. The only downside was the standard sail requires one to spend some precarious time above the companionway hatch when lowering the sail. In a rolling sea, the first few moments can be exciting while getting the sail under control. I certainly would recommend the 260.
Buy It...
I dont know about the Catalina 270 but I do know that the Hunter 260 is a much better sailboat than the Catalina 250 in either the water ballast or wing keel versions. It is faster, more comfortable, and more stable but at the same time several thousand dollars more expensive. I bought the Hunter because I decided that I would be spending a considerable amount of time on it and I wanted comfort and speed while retaining the ability to trailer. As far as I know, no other boat has this combination.
I dont know about the Catalina 270 but I do know that the Hunter 260 is a much better sailboat than the Catalina 250 in either the water ballast or wing keel versions. It is faster, more comfortable, and more stable but at the same time several thousand dollars more expensive. I bought the Hunter because I decided that I would be spending a considerable amount of time on it and I wanted comfort and speed while retaining the ability to trailer. As far as I know, no other boat has this combination.
Enjoying it...
I have only had my 260 for about 4 months. Here is what we got on it at time of delivery: wheel steering, jib roller furler, upgraded interior cushions to fabric, stern rail seats (a must IMO), bimini (I live in FL), bottom paint (I am on the brackish St. John's River and boat stays in water), 9.9 Merc, raymarine ST40 separate knot and depth instruments mounted on bulkhead, and compass mounted on the wheel binnacle. We opted not to get the trailer right now but I still wanted to have the option of trailering in the future. I have added the stern rail seat cushions, and the stern rail pads from the chandlery here. I plan on adding a stero pretty soon and another battery bank. I wish I had added wind instrument as well as delivery. We are still getting into the sailing life and have yet to overnight in it on the water. If you would like to email me with any questions, please feel free to. Darren dmayes@iwon.com
I have only had my 260 for about 4 months. Here is what we got on it at time of delivery: wheel steering, jib roller furler, upgraded interior cushions to fabric, stern rail seats (a must IMO), bimini (I live in FL), bottom paint (I am on the brackish St. John's River and boat stays in water), 9.9 Merc, raymarine ST40 separate knot and depth instruments mounted on bulkhead, and compass mounted on the wheel binnacle. We opted not to get the trailer right now but I still wanted to have the option of trailering in the future. I have added the stern rail seat cushions, and the stern rail pads from the chandlery here. I plan on adding a stero pretty soon and another battery bank. I wish I had added wind instrument as well as delivery. We are still getting into the sailing life and have yet to overnight in it on the water. If you would like to email me with any questions, please feel free to. Darren dmayes@iwon.com
H260 is a great choice
I actually prefer the water ballast for trailerability and the swing keel provides performance and flexibility to cruise thin water. The H260 is the largest sailboat you can reasonably trailer and launch on your own and Hunter provides great customer service after the sale. I previuosly had an old Macgregor 26 Water ballast (1990 model) and it was a great boat from the trailerabilty and low cost of ownership perspectives. I wanted more room in the cockpit and below. The H260 is just the right size for my needs. Also looked at the Catalina 250 WB and just didn't like it as much, and it didn't seem to offer as much value overall. The older Catalina fin keel boats are great and you could probably find a selection of used ones in the 25 or 27 foot range that would fit your needs if you don't need to trailer. Fair winds, Tom
I actually prefer the water ballast for trailerability and the swing keel provides performance and flexibility to cruise thin water. The H260 is the largest sailboat you can reasonably trailer and launch on your own and Hunter provides great customer service after the sale. I previuosly had an old Macgregor 26 Water ballast (1990 model) and it was a great boat from the trailerabilty and low cost of ownership perspectives. I wanted more room in the cockpit and below. The H260 is just the right size for my needs. Also looked at the Catalina 250 WB and just didn't like it as much, and it didn't seem to offer as much value overall. The older Catalina fin keel boats are great and you could probably find a selection of used ones in the 25 or 27 foot range that would fit your needs if you don't need to trailer. Fair winds, Tom
Go For It
My wife and I bought our H260 about 1 1/2 years ago and have never regretted it. It is easy to trailer from one lack to another (next summer Lake Michigan here we come). We keep our boat on the trailer in a dry dock and launch it each time we sail. It is easy to walk it off and on the trailer if there is sufficient dock. It is also very little trouble to motor it onto the trailer. Get the roller furler, it works great. We also added a compass, depth finder/knot meter. Ours also came with the cockpit cushions and get the Honda 9.9. We plan to add a bimini and extra battery sometime soon. I'm in the process of replacing the faucets (they only worked the first season), only real negative, since it appears Hunter solved the rudder problem with the addition of a mallon pin. Good luck from Water Lily in Indy.
My wife and I bought our H260 about 1 1/2 years ago and have never regretted it. It is easy to trailer from one lack to another (next summer Lake Michigan here we come). We keep our boat on the trailer in a dry dock and launch it each time we sail. It is easy to walk it off and on the trailer if there is sufficient dock. It is also very little trouble to motor it onto the trailer. Get the roller furler, it works great. We also added a compass, depth finder/knot meter. Ours also came with the cockpit cushions and get the Honda 9.9. We plan to add a bimini and extra battery sometime soon. I'm in the process of replacing the faucets (they only worked the first season), only real negative, since it appears Hunter solved the rudder problem with the addition of a mallon pin. Good luck from Water Lily in Indy.
Get the stuff that tough to add later
I don't think you'll find too may people on this message board recommending against models like the 260. Upgrades are great - its tough to have too many, but I am of the opinion that you should get the things that will be tough to add later. Cloth interior, for example, or a larger engine. If you're handy at all, the boat is fairly easy to work on, so you can add things later. I preferred to choose my own electronics and do the installation myself. Helps keep costs under control. Good luck!
I don't think you'll find too may people on this message board recommending against models like the 260. Upgrades are great - its tough to have too many, but I am of the opinion that you should get the things that will be tough to add later. Cloth interior, for example, or a larger engine. If you're handy at all, the boat is fairly easy to work on, so you can add things later. I preferred to choose my own electronics and do the installation myself. Helps keep costs under control. Good luck!
best boat in the size range
We just got a 2003 260 and love it. We compared all the boats in this size at the Annapolis Boat Show. Turn the table around and there is more room then larger boats. We bought all the options and liked them all. We added shore power and electric cooler to replace the ice cooler. The water ballast has been no problem. Only the boats plumbing, but Hunter is easy to work with on warranty. Good Luck
We just got a 2003 260 and love it. We compared all the boats in this size at the Annapolis Boat Show. Turn the table around and there is more room then larger boats. We bought all the options and liked them all. We added shore power and electric cooler to replace the ice cooler. The water ballast has been no problem. Only the boats plumbing, but Hunter is easy to work with on warranty. Good Luck
Mast raising C-250 vs H-260
The mast can be raised and lowered on the trailer or on the water on a Hunter 260. The trailer is part of the mast raising system on the Catalina 250. This comes into play if there are bridges between the launch ramp and where you want to go, ie the marina or open water.
The mast can be raised and lowered on the trailer or on the water on a Hunter 260. The trailer is part of the mast raising system on the Catalina 250. This comes into play if there are bridges between the launch ramp and where you want to go, ie the marina or open water.
Valve leak not common
I don't think that the valve leak post that you may have seen on HOW are a common problem. It can happen on older boats boat its not that hard to fix. Markdb
I don't think that the valve leak post that you may have seen on HOW are a common problem. It can happen on older boats boat its not that hard to fix. Markdb
Say what?
Could we be talking about a "Marelon" pin? Marelon is a high quality glass reinforced plastic, used to make marine fittings and valves. Marelon thru hulls are tough enough to replace bronze, even beolw the waterline, and can not corrode.
Could we be talking about a "Marelon" pin? Marelon is a high quality glass reinforced plastic, used to make marine fittings and valves. Marelon thru hulls are tough enough to replace bronze, even beolw the waterline, and can not corrode.
We like our 270
We like our 270 which is the same boat as the 260 with a fixed keel. You gain some stability which is nice on Lake Michigan and if you plan to keep her in the water and not move her around there is no downside. We had a few small issues but our dealer, who is Sailing World in Fox Lake, has been great to work with and I would recommend them for either boat. They also sell Catalinas and some other brands and have a large indoor showroom.
We like our 270 which is the same boat as the 260 with a fixed keel. You gain some stability which is nice on Lake Michigan and if you plan to keep her in the water and not move her around there is no downside. We had a few small issues but our dealer, who is Sailing World in Fox Lake, has been great to work with and I would recommend them for either boat. They also sell Catalinas and some other brands and have a large indoor showroom.
Mallon pin.
I don't know if this is the exact name for it. But they introduced a breakaway pin (amybe it would be classifed as a dowel?) for the rudder. It is just strong enough to keep the rudder from floating up, while still being the right strength to break away (allowing the rudder to pop up) to prevent rudder damage if you hit something. Mine was originally delivered without this pin. Darren
I don't know if this is the exact name for it. But they introduced a breakaway pin (amybe it would be classifed as a dowel?) for the rudder. It is just strong enough to keep the rudder from floating up, while still being the right strength to break away (allowing the rudder to pop up) to prevent rudder damage if you hit something. Mine was originally delivered without this pin. Darren
The pin in question.
I think this is what we are calling a "Mallon Pin". I visited my hunter dealer today and took this picture of a new pin (see picture). It's just to the left of the steel pin used to hold the rudder in the up position. I asked what was the purpose of the new pin and as usual no one knew. Since we could not swing the keel down (the boat was on the trailer) I could not see if there was a second hole drilled through the rudder for the down position. However, I think that is the case. Has anyone else seen or even used this pin? It sounds like something I want. I've wondered if a good sturdy dowell would work just as well? Also is there a chance drilling a new hole would open the core to water? How about using a sleeve glued into the rudder? Over Memorial Day weekend I tried just using the bolt and nut with the handle to hold the rudder down and not tie it down with the black line. This is how Hunter says it should work, but I had repeated trouble with the rudder floating up. If you break the "plastic" pin how do you get a new one? My dealer said there were no spairs on the boat. Questions, questions, who's got the answers? Brigg
I think this is what we are calling a "Mallon Pin". I visited my hunter dealer today and took this picture of a new pin (see picture). It's just to the left of the steel pin used to hold the rudder in the up position. I asked what was the purpose of the new pin and as usual no one knew. Since we could not swing the keel down (the boat was on the trailer) I could not see if there was a second hole drilled through the rudder for the down position. However, I think that is the case. Has anyone else seen or even used this pin? It sounds like something I want. I've wondered if a good sturdy dowell would work just as well? Also is there a chance drilling a new hole would open the core to water? How about using a sleeve glued into the rudder? Over Memorial Day weekend I tried just using the bolt and nut with the handle to hold the rudder down and not tie it down with the black line. This is how Hunter says it should work, but I had repeated trouble with the rudder floating up. If you break the "plastic" pin how do you get a new one? My dealer said there were no spairs on the boat. Questions, questions, who's got the answers? Brigg
Attachments
Yes Brigg...
As I stated in my previous post, I now have this pin. There is another hole in my rudder to keep it in the down position. It will break away under pressure to prevent damage to the rudder (which will not be the case if you have your rudder cleated down.
As I stated in my previous post, I now have this pin. There is another hole in my rudder to keep it in the down position. It will break away under pressure to prevent damage to the rudder (which will not be the case if you have your rudder cleated down.
Bungee solution
The Mallon Pin sounds like a pretty good idea - here's another possibility. I helped a friend recently with a 240 (similar rudder config, I believe) add a bungee loop to help keep the rudder down, but let it swing up if you hit anything. (I employed a similar idea on my 26). Basically, we used a length of 1/2 inch bungee hog-ringed into a triple-loop about 6 inches in diameter. We tied this in series with the line that holds down the rudder. Acutally had to adjust so that the bolt that goes through the rudder post went right through the middle of the triple-loop. Anyway, it seems to work like a charm, as the Barnegat Bay is pretty shallow, and its only a matter of time before you hit. Once you clear the area where you hit, the bungee snaps the rudder back down. Nothing breaks, and you don't have to put in a new pin to keep going.
The Mallon Pin sounds like a pretty good idea - here's another possibility. I helped a friend recently with a 240 (similar rudder config, I believe) add a bungee loop to help keep the rudder down, but let it swing up if you hit anything. (I employed a similar idea on my 26). Basically, we used a length of 1/2 inch bungee hog-ringed into a triple-loop about 6 inches in diameter. We tied this in series with the line that holds down the rudder. Acutally had to adjust so that the bolt that goes through the rudder post went right through the middle of the triple-loop. Anyway, it seems to work like a charm, as the Barnegat Bay is pretty shallow, and its only a matter of time before you hit. Once you clear the area where you hit, the bungee snaps the rudder back down. Nothing breaks, and you don't have to put in a new pin to keep going.
Break away Vs Springy return
There seems to be both positive and negative aspects to both the spring/bungee and break away pin solutions. With the bungee/spring if you hit bottom the rudder will stay in the sand or mud and drag thereby sanding off the bottom of the rudder. (See my other post about my rudder splitting.) However you don't need to carry spare pins. With the pin solution the rudder breaks away and floats, there by saving the paint and fiberglass shell. But, you do need replacement pins. I would hope someone at Hunter measured the amount of force to break the pin and the amount of force to break the rudder and made the first less than the second. How much force does it take to streach the bungee/spring? The third solution, the Hunter way, of clamping the rudder down seems to have it's own problems. If you tighten the nut on the through bolt-clamp hard enough to hold the rudder down it might not give way when you hit something. However, it still seems to loosen when you need it the most, and up floats the rudder. I still vote for the pin and lots of replacements. Has anybody tried to get a replacement and what is the cost?
There seems to be both positive and negative aspects to both the spring/bungee and break away pin solutions. With the bungee/spring if you hit bottom the rudder will stay in the sand or mud and drag thereby sanding off the bottom of the rudder. (See my other post about my rudder splitting.) However you don't need to carry spare pins. With the pin solution the rudder breaks away and floats, there by saving the paint and fiberglass shell. But, you do need replacement pins. I would hope someone at Hunter measured the amount of force to break the pin and the amount of force to break the rudder and made the first less than the second. How much force does it take to streach the bungee/spring? The third solution, the Hunter way, of clamping the rudder down seems to have it's own problems. If you tighten the nut on the through bolt-clamp hard enough to hold the rudder down it might not give way when you hit something. However, it still seems to loosen when you need it the most, and up floats the rudder. I still vote for the pin and lots of replacements. Has anybody tried to get a replacement and what is the cost?
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