hunter 26

[vvv]

Can anyone tell me about this yacht. Is it suitable for a first boat for a novice owner with day skipper practical and two with competant crew tickets? Do they hold their value (if well maintained) YM quotes them as lively but stable what is their GZ etc is there an owners association etc etc. I would be grateful for any information either positive or negative

 

[steve_cronin]

FROM A GOOD STABLE

Is the Hunter.

David Thomas (Sigma) designed and built by a very good outfit indeed. Any Hunter (UK at least) would make a fine first or second or even "last" boat.

A little slim by modern tastes which makes the forecabin a bit cramped but if you want good performance and a seakindly ride then you have to compromise somewhere. The fitting is a bit spartan except that some boats bought as sailaways or kits have been fitted out to a higher standard but it must be said that some of these boats are also amongst the worst fitted out.

See www.hunterboats.com for details of the whole range since they began plus details of the thriving owners club.

Steve Cronin

Owner of "Wild Horizon" Hunter30 from new in 1994 to sale in 2001

 

[Peter_the_Grate]

We sold our Horizon 26 earlier this year, with the intention of getting something bigger ... beginning to wonder if it was a mistake. We are still boatless!

We owned the H26 for 8 years and have no complaints at all. Well built, though as has been observed, kit boats can lack finish below. There's a limit to what you can fit into 26 feet, so a fridge and heating are possible but you'd sacrifice a lot of stowage space to fit them in. The only one thing that ever dissapointed me was the chart table. We never used it and always laid out charts on the saloon table. I'd have rather the space was used for a locker.

We went cross Channel a number of times - Cherbourg, Boulogne, Calais and the Somme Estuary, to the Channel Islands and to Dartmouth and Salcombe. We usually sailed as two but four is OK. If you sail as six, you must be good friends.

It sails well, especially in a blow, but be prepared to reef early: it'll still go but will be lighter on the helm and more comfortable. At two tons, it has limited ability to withstand a big sea, but that's the time to stay in the pub.

The mast is in a tabernacle so lowering without a crane is possible. My wife and I went to Paris via the French canals last year. We lowered the mast in Calais and raised it in Rouen without assistance.

Go for an inboard; the Yanmar is very economical. One year we used £6 woth of diesel in the whole season. Last year on the French canals we were getting 25-30 miles (nautical) to the gallon. On a flat calm day, it would just (only just) pull 7 knots, though the fuel consumption does go out of the window at that speed!. Normal running in a slight to moderate sea at 5 knots, it would do 3-4 hours to the gallon.

Our overall running costs were much lower than we expected and apart from anti-foul and a bit of teak oil at the beginning of each season, we had next to no other costs.

Send me a PM if you want to know more and see some photos (I can put them on my web site).

P.