OLD HUNTER 23 HORIZON VERSUS HUNTER RANGER 245?

rinkerrhoda

rinkerrhoda

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Hi all, Im presently searching for a small family day weekend cruising boat. I seem to have narrowed down to Hunter ranger or horizon.
The Hunter looks a little more solid and slightly more volume, but then its price tag is £12000 more.
Does anybody have experience of these boats ..any views?
My cruising ground will be the Clyde.
Cheers
 
Wonderful small cruiser, whichever you choose depending upon your budget. Having previously owned a medina and then a 27ood, both well maintained kept their values when it came to selling. If you can afford the 245, well and good, if not the 23 will give you lots of fun on the clyde equally.
PS. Both my hunters were sailed on the clyde - fab time; good luck for whichever you decide.
 
Where do you intend to sail out of?
As I understand it Kip Cruising Club have quite a good deal for new boats to the marina under 27'. Membership apparently costs the pricely sum of a tenner and the berthing saving can be excellent. The number is limited to 50 I believe. Not sure of contact details or if there are spaces or a waiting list, but I could find out for you if you wish.
 
I had exactly the same dilema this time last year. We started looking at Hunter Horizon 23 / 232's, then 26 / 27/ 272 / 273 and finally bought a 245. How did we get there? It goes like this ... Had a chat to a mate in the sailing club who built a 23 then a 273 in the 1990's. He was full of praise for the 23, especially it's coastal cruising capabilities ... He traded up mainly because the 23 was an embarracement in marinas. (The outboard doesn't push water over the rudder and so won't steer until moving at a reasonable rate)

We looked at numerous 26 / 27s and would have bought if we had found a good one. The older ones were tatty and a proportion of the newer Hunters (1994 and 2000) have hull problems (PM me if you want to know more)

So, hows my ownership experience? The self taking jib provides insufficient drive upwind in light airs (Go for one with the optional genoa and associated winches if possible) The CCS reefing system has too much resistance to work properly (It's easy to convert to a standard reefing system) and I wish it had two guard rails. Great to sail, fantastic accomadation. Buy one!! (Then again, they are a lot more £££ than a 23 .. and I still bump into things /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)
 
I have had 3 Hunters & they are good seaboats.The 245 is much better than the 23 but you are talking circa twice the price.There is the odd 23 with an inboard engine but they are quite rare.
You need to be aware that a proportion of Hunters built around the mid nineties had a problem with the gel coat which gives high moisture readings,so a survey is advisable.
There is a good owners association www.hunterassociation.org.uk
 
Look at a Horizon 26, cost more than a 23 but will generally have an inboard engine, and as much internal space as the 24
 
The 245 has very clever use of the internal space. It is amazing what they pack into a 24' boat. We needed something bigger (a door to shut the children in the forward cabin!!) but I was very impressed when we looked at them at the boat shows. If you need the clever packaging (berths etc) then that could swing the decision.
 
Thanks again some really usefull replies, one of the 23s I have my eye on has an inboard i still need to see it..but sounds promising.
The 245 looks ideal but again a lot more money..il just have to try them both and way up the pros and cons...but it sounds like they are both good boats for me as a newcomer.
 
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