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 Hunter 260		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts
Initially Posted - 09/06/2004 :  16:48:30  Show Profile
One of our customers bought a new Hunter 260 waterballast. I have been involved in rigging and painting the bottom and have now sailed it. I will say that the factory rigging and sails are not nearly as good as I am used to. No jib sheet tracks, no Cunningham, the jib cam cleats are very difficult to use, no main traveler, The sails in particular are just not up to 20 k winds. That aside the boat is a good sailer. Its not real powerful but it sails fast and goes where it is pointed with little leeway. Today wind 15 to 20 officially at our local aiport, the boat was going 6.5K by GPS on a reach with only the main. Friday 7K+ reaching in 12 to 15 knots of wind (estimated) with the jib and main. Today 4.5 to 5 to windward on main only with probably 2 foot waves. The main should have been reefed and then we could have carried the jib. The reefing gear is a mess too. The boat will sail under main only or jib only and is controlable with fair precision under either sail and steers very well. No serious helm pressure under any conditions so far. My opinion is that this boat would out sail our Cat 25 if it had some better running rigging and a good set of sails. With the extra 10 feet of mast height I think it would be much faster in light air. It launches and loads without any special fuss and the mast raising gear works well. I will be upgrading the rigging and I think we will be ordering a new set of sails so more to come. Dave
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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts
Response Posted - 09/06/2004 :  18:10:25  Show Profile  Visit aeckhart's Homepage
Dave,

Mast raising is always a hot topic on this site. It seems that manufacturers are now offering systems to assist in this daunting task. Can you describe the system Hunter has included with this boat?

I originally checked out Hunters before buying my Catalina in 1988. The whole thing was of lesser quality in my opinion so I went with Calalina. The deck-to-hull seal was particularly pitifull, if not downright dangerous.

Al
GALLIVNT #5801
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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts
Response Posted - 09/06/2004 :  19:29:47  Show Profile
On Hunters web site they have a photo series on mast raising. It works as shown in the pics. Its a definite one person job with no excitement. The main sheet which is used to hoist the rig is long enough to reach the sheet winches as well so those that need help in the early stages could still do the job (could use a bulls eye at the top of the windshield though). The hull to deck joint looks to me to be well engineered with much more strength than required. Its bonded all along and appears to have about 1 square inch of bond per inch of length. Thats about 10,000 lbs / inch or about 7,000,000 lbs to failure. Seems like enough. I have not been on a Cat 250 but the diference in head room would take the 250 out of contention for me. Dave
Edited by - Dave Laux on 09/06/2004 19:31:43
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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts
Response Posted - 09/06/2004 :  20:30:00  Show Profile
Friday I was sailing down the Rappahannock with a Hunter 280 from my marina. He could point higher than I could, but I passed him twice before tacking. I don't think of myself as a particularly fast sailor, so I was rather astonished. Maybe he was just a lousy sailor, but I was crediting Catalina.

Brooke
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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts
Response Posted - 09/06/2004 :  22:02:53  Show Profile  Visit Frank Hopper's Homepage
The 260s at our lake walk away from me. It has been odd to me that in a recent thread people were comparing 250s to 240s, the 240 is a 22 beater, the 260 is the 250 competition. The quarter berth seems impossible to get to but a nice size once there. I think the 250 is a better laid out boat but the Hunter pushes a lot of buttons. Its the bow eyes for chain plates that bothers me.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.