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Review of the Hunter 260 by Simon Hatfield

Year built 2001  
Location of boat British Columbia  
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 2002  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes, it is a great family fun boat. We live in Alberta and British Columbia and trailer the boat between the lake in Alberta in the summer and the coast of BC for the remainder of the year. It trailers very well on the factory two axle trailer and launching and retrieving has been relatively easy unless there is a strong cross wind blowing. I wanted to buy a used boat but couldn't find one in reasonable condition. This boat is great for internal and cockpit space. I bought it because it was the largest easily trailerable boat I could find with the most interior space. I have a tiller which I like just fine but it takes up a lot of space in the cockpit. The stern rail seat are brilliant.  
Gear that's been added Has a Yamaha 9.9 with EZ steer linkage (docking is a bear without it), twist-grip engine controls are mounted on top of the tiller so it easy to control the boat from a standing position, Garmin Blue Charts capable GPS/Sounder, Quad CD-radio stereo, an extra battery, sheet bags. I plan to add a wooden tiller as the metal one is too cold to hold for spring / fall sailing. Have hesitated adding a dodger because of additional windage (this boat has enough as it is).  
Structural or complex improvements None, unless you count the EZ linkage and mounting the twist grip motor controls on top of the tiller, both of which are a must.  
The boat's best features Internal cabin space and cockpit space. I looked at other similar sized boats and all were cramped in comparison. Lots of stowage space. Easy to sail. Water ballast makes trailering such a large boat easy. The drop fin keel allows access to very shallow water. Raising and lowering the mast is pretty easy once practised a few times. My wife likes the fact the head is spacious and has a closing door. I am 6ft 2ins and my son is 6ft 4 ins and although we cannot stand upright in the cabin without the hatch open, it is pretty roomy around the table.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Difficulty with flaking and tying the mainsail, it is a royal pain and I am determined to get lazy jacks. My foresail furler plastic track was slightly too short for the foresail so never could get the leading edge tight enough with the internal loop halyard. Main sail battens were slightly too long. Manoevering on the outboard motor in tight spaces is almost impossible without the EZ steer linkage between outboard and rudder post so you can steer the outboard with the tiller. Also if the engine controls are mounted too low you cannot see where you are going while you adjust them, so I mounted them on top of the tiller. The only breakage I've had were both the mast support struts had cracked welds after one particularly fierce wind. Easy to get rewelded but then took a while to adjust the length properly to get the mast back up (bent the ginpole in the process). The jam cleats at the front of the boom didn't seat properly and are a poor design. Better if all these lines ran back to the cockpit. Needs midship docking line cleats also. The large cabin space also gives the hull alot of windage which can prove challenging when docking/loading on trailer in strong winds. The mast head light wiring also bangs inside the mast a lot, next time I have the mast down I intend to fix this by putting wire ties along it.  
Sailing characterisitcs The boat is quite tender but settles into position with approx 10 deg of heel. Have sailed in lakes and coastal waters. Have been out in 35 knot winds and 6 ft waves and surfed along at 7 knots with just the 100% jib - that was exciting - couldnt use the motor as it was out of the water most of the time when over the wave crests. Have raced but not done well, its not a racer. Haven't tried an assymetric yet, but want to. Because of the reefing lines coming out of the front of the boom, it is not easy to reef in any kind of waves standing on top of the cabin.  
Motoring characterisitcs Boat was very tough to steer at low speeds in strong winds without the EZ steer linkage. With the EZ steer it is easy. I get about 5 - 6 knots on the 9.9 hp motor. The Yamaha 9.9 long leg is great, but would recommend an electric tilt in addition to electric starter, it is a little precarious leaning out to raise and lower the motor and disconnect the EZ steer in any kind of wave action.  
Liveability We mostly have been day sailors and it is fine for this. My wife and I have completed a 5 day trip last summer, its a little cramped but we slept fine with a little extra cushioning under the mattresses. The butane stove doesn't do well in cold Canadian west coast winter conditions as the cylinders tend to ice up and they don't last long. But in warmer weather they work fine.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) Never have, but heard other people say they have had problems.  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any The dealer I bought the boat from knew next to nothing about Hunters or any other cruising boats and there were alot of issues, late delivery, poor installation of GPS wiring and transducer wiring, stereo wiring etc. If I bought from them again I wouldn't get them to do any installations, I'd take it elsewhere. If anyone is considering buying a Hunter in Alberta or British Columbia I would be happy to share my experience, just e-mail me.  
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