Hunter Horizon 26

Caer Urfa

Caer Urfa

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If you were going to look at a Hunter Horizon 26 for sale other than the usual checks is there anything special to check?

Just how reliable is the Yanmar 1GM10 diesel engine again anything particular to check.

Are they a good offshore sail and as comfortable inside as they look. full headroom??

Or is the Hunter Horizon 27 a better boat?? where's the difference

Thanks
 
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As with any boat one is considering, try laying down on all the bunks; I test sailed a Horizon 27 with Peter Poland doing the demo' and found in the aft cabin my head was lower than feet and the rudder tube between occupants would be a bit of a passion killer.

Check the internal moulding in the saloon where the vertical bunk sides meet the floor ( sole ) - there was a problem, a duff batch I believe, where the floor dropped off into the bilges, which would be a sod to repair.

I thought she sailed well in a breeze but was a bit bland, lacking character.

I was told the reason for the 27 and sugar scoop was because the 26 suffered transom drag, but a perfectly fine boat really, bearing in mind the above.
 
Strange, I remember it being a bother; maybe for foot tangling then, it was a while ago.

Other people have said their feet aren't higher than head but that was the case when dad and I tried it; the bunks in my previous Carter 30 were so misleading we knew to try this - maybe it was an early boat, but definitely always try laying on the bunks of any boat one is considering.
 
we had a 272 and previously a delta 25 - I think the 26 has transom hung rudder - the 272 sugarscoop stern has a fixed rudder (ie not transom hung) 1gm seemed to us a super little engine - reliable - adequate and easy to look after - we had both the selftacking jib and a conventional genoa - enjoyed it we thought typical hunter - solid, simple - sailed well (our 3 rd hunter)
 
Seajet said:
As with any boat one is considering, try laying down on all the bunks; I test sailed a Horizon 27 with Peter Poland doing the demo' and found in the aft cabin my head was lower than feet and the rudder tube between occupants would be a bit of a passion killer.
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Every time these boats are mentioned you come out with the same thing and every time I feel compelled to correct you.

The aft bunk is level and the rudder tube does not go through between the occupants of the bunk, it is aft of the foot of the bed.

I know this to be fact having owned a 273 for five years I think I might have noticed if it got in the way.

To the OP they are great boats and great fun to sail, probably a bit light for serious offshore sailing but fine for channel hopping and general cruising.
 
On the 1GM10 check the oil pipe below the water pump. The pump tends to develop a leak, easily fixed with a couple of new seals but when I did mine I did the bearings at the same time for not much more. When the pump leaks it drips onto the oil pipe which then rusts away reasonably quickly.
 
Scillypete said:
Every time these boats are mentioned you come out with the same thing and every time I feel compelled to correct you.

The aft bunk is level and the rudder tube does not go through between the occupants of the bunk, it is aft of the foot of the bed.

I know this to be fact having owned a 273 for five years I think I might have noticed if it got in the way.

To the OP they are great boats and great fun to sail, probably a bit light for serious offshore sailing but fine for channel hopping and general cruising.
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And as I said it may have been an early boat but was definitely the case when WE tried it; the rudder tube, OK may have just been a foot issue but definitely noted, and I'm not over-tall at 5'9".

Depends on what one has tried whether they are ' great boats and great fun to sail ' - some people are apparently easily pleased, but one could do worse.. :)
 
Seajet said:
Depends on what one has tried whether they are ' great boats and great fun to sail ' - some people are apparently easily pleased, but one could do worse.. :)
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Anything that wasn't designed by Oliver Lee you either condemn outright or damn with faint praise as here. Can get a bit sameish :)
 
JimC said:
Anything that wasn't designed by Oliver Lee you either condemn outright or damn with faint praise as here. Can get a bit sameish :)
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You are obviously selective or seriously unlucky in not having seen more of my musing on designs then :) - I rate Chuck Paine, Sparkman and Stephens, Alan Buchanan, David Sadler, Taprel Dorling, and many more, very highly indeed; I make a point of sailing any boat no matter if it seems likely to be a dog, if I haven't tried it before. How about you ?
 
Seajet said:
You are obviously selective or seriously unlucky in not having seen more of my musing on designs then :) - I rate Chuck Paine, Sparkman and Stephens, Alan Buchanan, David Sadler, Taprel Dorling, and many more, very highly indeed; I make a point of sailing any boat no matter if it seems likely to be a dog, if I haven't tried it before. How about you ?
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I merely observe that there is a certain partiality that runs very consistently through your offerings :)
 
JimC said:
I merely observe that there is a certain partiality that runs very consistently through your offerings :)
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Sailors' boats rather than ' Boat Show Boats ' ? Guilty as charged; I'd rather have an Anderson 22, IF Boat, Falmouth Working Boat,She 36 or Aphrodite 101 than a lardarse with treble aft cabins, as I rather thought the point was to enjoy sailing, not to carry a house along; I remember a friend being very embarassed when I caught him installing a dishwasher on a 30 something boat as his wife likes ' entertaining ' - and I asked if it was on a slave shaft with the radar. :)
 
A good number of 1994 - 1999 Hunters had hull material issues. Most, if not all, will have been repaired by now to various standards. Perhaps a reason to opt for Horizon 26 or later Ranger 245/265. Check the long acrylic windows. The expansion co-efficient of the windows if different to the GRP so they are on the move. Again, most will have been 'fixed' to various standards. And finally, the 245 is masterpiece of space utilization / sailing ability if your budget will stretch.
 
fastjedi,

a good explanation of the window snag afflicting these and a lot of 1970's boats such as the Mirages.

I tried the later Hunter boats and they were still disappointly bland, a far cry from the original Hunter creed - but still better than the average French mass production job.
 
fastjedi said:
A good number of 1994 - 1999 Hunters had hull material issues. Most, if not all, will have been repaired by now to various standards. Perhaps a reason to opt for Horizon 26 or later Ranger 245/265. Check the long acrylic windows. The expansion co-efficient of the windows if different to the GRP so they are on the move. Again, most will have been 'fixed' to various standards. And finally, the 245 is masterpiece of space utilization / sailing ability if your budget will stretch.
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My 1994 Ranger 265 suffered from Hunter's issue with gel coat and was fixed a the second change of ownership. Fortunately the broker was able to convince them to make a contribution to the costs.

Agreed on the 245, if I was looking to downsize then it would be definitely on the list!
 
I'm happy with my 1987 Horizon 26, bought about 5 years ago.

The hull has a few blisters, but not bad enough to warrant attention at this stage. No sign of any window leaks currently, although I think they might have been rebidded by the previous owner. The fore hatch leaks occasionally, but being kept at bay by Captain Tolleys for now.

Sails nicely - big enough for comfortable cruising but still small enough to single hand.
 
PatrickB02 said:
I'm happy with my 1987 Horizon 26, bought about 5 years ago.

The hull has a few blisters, but not bad enough to warrant attention at this stage. No sign of any window leaks currently, although I think they might have been rebidded by the previous owner. The fore hatch leaks occasionally, but being kept at bay by Captain Tolleys for now.

Sails nicely - big enough for comfortable cruising but still small enough to single hand.
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Hi Patrick Have you had any issues with the engine? how do you get at the stern gear through the port cockpit locker??
 
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