Which is the best small Hunter

Status
Not open for further replies.
F

Frank

I have a 235 and I love it. I think a 260 would be great if it was just as easy to set up and sail. I'd especially like a 260 tiller model. I like my 235 because it is so easy to sail now that I have a proper tiller extension and have worked on the refing and sheeting systems. It is also very easy to motor. It seams to really impress folks when I can back into a slip single handed and step off with the lines. Which small Hunter do you like best and why.
 
R

Ray Bowles

Frank, We have a 95 H26 and it does all you

asked for and does it very well. The mast set up, boat rigging, loading and launch take 1 hour after you've done it a couple of times and 1 1/2 hr alone. The dual axle trailer tows nicely with a 93 Ford 1/2 ton 4x4. Ours is the tiller model and the stern rail seats realy make the boat. They are a must in my opinion. Ours has a marine head and 20 gallon tank and we regulary spend 7 to 10 days aboard before landing for supplies and pump out. We also keep it in a slip most of the summer so we are able to take the 1/2 hr drive and then sail without set-up. Many other sailers leave their boats on the trailer fully rigged and launch and retrieve and this policy works out very well and is much cheaper. The Honda 9.9 is all the motor it can use and also charges the battery. Enjoy your shopping trip. Ray S/V Speedy
 
J

John Revenboer

H260

I have a 2001 H260 with the tiller. It has the tiller extention. I always back into the slip single handed and secure the warps single handed. It is such an easy boat to sail, great for introducing beginners to sailing. The interior room is excellent and I even have a marine head with 91/2 Gal holding tank, a TV and a Microwave, and electric Igloo cooler. The ease of sailing and trailering are the Highlights.
 
F

Fred Feagin

I like my 235 also !!

My 23.5 is great for a beginner and I,ve seen alot of 260;s on Lake Hefner also. 260's are great but seem to have a harder time getting into the cement slips due too their width. But other than that they seem like good boats like the 235 only slightly larger.
 
D

David Foster

'77 h27

Really! Classic plastic with a design by Cherubini. Great lines. Easy to single-hand if the kunes are led back to the cockpit. Joanne (the Admiral) and I just returned from 8 days cruising Lake Erie on her - the first three with our daughter, Jane. And the price is right - 9 to 12 thousand. David Lady Lillie
 
M

monte brown

23.5 vs 26

Frank, My wife and I purchased a used 26' this spring and sold our 23.5. Both were tiller models and both handle similarly (the 23.5 seems a bit more responsive). One of my favorite things about the 26' is the extra headroom in the cabin. Surprisingly there is slightly less room on the benches in the cockpit of the 26. We found this out when we tried to move the bench cushions from the 23.5 to the 26. Our boat has a 9.9 hp sailmaster outboard and it does a great job,(it also recharges the battery when running. Tandem trailer much better for pulling boat long distances. Hope this helps. Sincerely, Monte Brown
 
J

Joe Boyette

The best small Hunter is the 25.5

because of the all-around excellence of design and construction. She sails very well. Handling is very easy and maintenance is simple. The cockpit has plenty of room, and the rounded seatbacks and angled coamings are very comfortable. The ride is great with easy motion in a chop, with none of the pounding that I've noticed in other small boat hulls. This is not an easily trailerable boat, with a deep, fixed fin keel. The cabin is cozy for a couple or a small family, and the pop-top gives air and headroom when at anchor or tied up. The 9.9 Honda 4 stroke kicker is just fine.
 
Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
The H25.5 gets my vote

I'd vote for the wing-keel H23 but lack of room is a drawback. The H25.5 is the same boat in a slightly larger package. I actually like the way the 23.5 sails and motors, but it's too plasticky below deck for my taste and I'm not real big on the metal tiller either. Peter H23 "Raven"
 
C

Crazy Dave Condon

My love

Frank; My vote is of course the 23.5. It took some talking and convincing to get Hunter to do the project but it paid off in the long run. I remember the very first 23.5 leaving Hunter being towed behind my car. The trailer though was not too swift as it was painted. Ugh! Crazy Dave Condon
 
Status
Not open for further replies.