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Review of the Hunter 26 by Pat Adam

Year built 1994  
Location of boat Philadelphia, PA  
The boat is sailed on Lakes  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength less than 10 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2004  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes. The main reason we purchased it was for ease of trailering, launching and set-up. Also, it is very spacious for it's size and offers good overnight comfort which was also a requirement.  
Gear that's been added The boat was converted to be as electrically independent as possible since we have no source of shore power between uses. An additional high capacity "house" battery was added to power all things 12V. An 18V solar panel was added to keep the new battery well charged. LED strip lights (400 LEDs in total) were added throughout the boat (cabin, head, cabinets, v berth, etc...) to provide very bright nightime lighting for the amperage total of 1 of the old light bulbs. A depth finder with water temp was added. New 12v panel with more breakers to replace the "fused" original. Doors were fabricated and installed for aft battery compartment. New 120v panel and wiring with outlets and GFCI throughout fot future use. PortaPottie converted to "pump out" with truhull fitting. Installed 12v fans to circulate air.  
Structural or complex improvements See above...  
The boat's best features Ease of trailering, onboard liveability and storage. Spacious and convenient layout.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The rudder assembly is by far the worse design of any boat I've ever sailed (I've sailed many)!! It is heavy, cumbersome, inefficient and generally very poor at the job it was meant to do. It basically does nothing well. A total refit with a higher performance design is in the works for me. I am truly amazed that Hunter never addressed this issue. We had a leak at the top of centerboard well where compression post plate meets top of well. This was fixed with new application of sealant in that area. Other than that boat has been dry.  
Sailing characterisitcs Boat sails well and can be kept under full sails to appx 15 knots wind speed. Beyond that, the height to length ratio of this design forces a reduction of sail area via a reef point. In light air the boat is heavy and very slow. A large asymetrical chute would help here and is a planned addition for me especially since I race in open class regattas. Boat will round up in heavier air, making knock downs unlikely (though I have not pushed this limit).  
Motoring characterisitcs Motoring for me is done via a Honda 9.9 and provides adequate speed (if you're not in a rush) for all required maneuvers. Boat speed at full throttle is @ 7MPH. A motor to rudder link as other owners have done would be helpful here and is a planned project.  
Liveability On board quarters are spacious and great for 3-4 people. More than that is a crowd below and makes getting around difficult. The boat does not comfortably sleep more than 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 kids. We are 3 so it's perfect. Large table rotates to allow more ppl to sit around it and provides excellent space for meals, reading and games for kids. Galley is convenient and ice chest has built in space which is useful. Aft berth is queen sized and is large enough to be comfortable for 2 adults though getting in and out of it at 2AM when half asleep can be a challenge. Head is fully enclosed and a "must" for most women on board (Wife would have it no other way...). We spend weekends on it and at anchor and find it very liveable.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Hunter has been great at answering all technical questions we've asked or providing resources to go to if they could not answer. They are generally timely in their responses and have provided solid info thus far.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any  
Other comments Like any boat purchase one considers, it is important to remember what the primary use will be and that no boat will fill every need. Thus, choosing one that fills the primary objectives should always be first consideration. In our case, the boat is excellent at doing the main things we expected, a liveable place away from home on the weekends, although somewhat short on sail performance. But, as most of us know, few cruisers are racers...  

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