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Review of the Hunter 260 by Frank Sears

Year built 2001  
Location of boat Flag Harbor, St. Leonards, MD  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Day sailing  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2001  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes, I wanted the largest trailerable sailboat I could get and we felt the Hunter 260 was the best one on the market. After a summer of sailing her, she does have weaknesses but overall a very nice boat. I still feel we got the best.  
Gear that's been added Nothing big. A depth sounder- running the lines was not easy. A fan and cigarette lighter type connection. A rudder-motor connection. Solar panel Wood racks for storage Another reef line in the main sail and a UV cover for jib sail.  
Structural or complex improvements No, nothing needed.  
The boat's best features She's easy to sail in light to moderate winds! She's a lot of fun to sail in 10-15 knots of wind. Let her heel over to 20 degree and she flys. In heavy weather she's temperamental, but controllable. In high winds and 4 foot waves, she's unmanageable. Time to motor in and that's not easy, because the motor prop keeps popping out of the water.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. *The rudder is junk. It's held in place by a bolt. The rudder is designed to kick up if hit. The rudder floats! So you have to stand on it to get it down into place, and if it's not tied down with the pull down rope, it will come lose in a strong wind and pop to the surface. Not good, no control! And, if you have it tied down, you lose the kick-up protection. So whats the point? The back side of my rudder split apart and is being replaced. The rudder appears to be an expanded foam covered by fiberglass. I question it's strenght. *The hold down for the front hatch is a bad design and hard to operate.  
Sailing characterisitcs We sail the Chesapeake Bay, so we see everything from a dead calm to 40 k winds with a 5 ft chop. And the weather can change quickly. Gusts are common. Some days we sail in constant gusts. I have spent the afternoon manning the mainsheet, letting her out and bringing her in depending on the moment.  
Motoring characterisitcs I have a 9.9 Honda. I consider it my most important piece of safety equipment. It has safed our butts more than once. The 9.9 pushes the boat at a good speed, easily. I have the long shaft, but on choppy days it's not long enough. The gas mileage is excellent.  
Liveability A couple of days are fun and easy. With a marina to pull into and get a real meal, a week would be enjoyable. The boat wouldn't be the factor why you got tired of cruising. I'm seriously thinking of trailering her to Florida and spending a month in the Islands. A deam anyway.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) I'm having the rudder replaced, but still waiting for the new one. I've had no other equipment problems.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any I bought my boat from American Marine in N. Carolina. I was happy with their service and help. They sail their boats in Kerr Lake and we made some good friends there. We'll see our dealer every year at the Annapolis Boat Show, so he won't get away free.  
Other comments A fun, affordable sailboat. We are spending more money on her... but that's because of our "want" for more stuff. I like more stuff. She looks good. She sails well. She's easy to be proud of.  

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