Cruising With a Crowd Is Possible on Trailerable Sailboat

There is something to be said for a "cruising" sailboat that can cruise down the highway at 60 mph. If any of us were to sit down and add up the cost of hauling, launching, slip rental and maintenance associated with keeping a small cruiser at a marina, we may look at trailer boating from a whole new perspective.

The Hunter 260 was introduced with the 1995 model year, remained in production through 2005 and offers accommodations not typically found on trailerable sailboats. Standard features include a small galley, enclosed head and sleeping accommodations for as many as six people (assuming four are small children).

To package all this and still keep weight to a level that can be managed by most full-sized automobiles and SUVs, Hunter uses a water ballast system rather than fixed ballast. Length overall is 26 feet, 3 inches, beam is 9 feet, draft is 1 foot, 9 inches with the centerboard fully raised and 6 feet even with it lowered. Weight, with no ballast and no gear, is an even 3,000 pounds.

CONSTRUCTION

The hull is a solid-fiberglass laminate, decks are balsa and fiberglass composite and fiberglass liners are used for interior components, structural support and rigidity. The 260 is intended for use in near-coastal and protected waters, and construction is suitable for this. The most notable, and potentially serious, problems with 260s have been rudders splitting at the seam and outboard motor mounts that have distorted under load. Minor stress cracks in the cockpit are fairly common, although typically not structurally significant.

From all reports, Hunter has done a good job devising a one-man system for raising and lowering the mast that works well.

To maximize interior accommodations, Hunter's design team has extended the deckhouse to the full width of the hull, eliminating side decks. This makes it necessary to climb up and over the cabin to get to the foredeck. There are no handholds on the cabin top and only a single lifeline. On the foredeck, there is a good-sized anchor locker and fiberglass deck hatch.

The cockpit is large and comfortable and open at the stern for easy boarding as well as quick access to the outboard rudder and motor. Hunter offers wheel steering as an option, and a surprising number of buyers have opted for this, even though it takes up valuable cockpit space and looks a little out of place on a boat this size.

ACCOMODATIONS

The main cabin features quite comfortable accommodations for a 26-footer, with 5 feet, 7 inches of standing headroom. There is a U-shaped dinette on centerline that seats four adults comfortably and converts to a double berth. To the port side aft, there is an enclosed head with Porta Potti and washbasin. The galley is opposite and has a single-burner butane stove, small sink and storage for an Igloo ice chest.

Forward of the dinette, there is a V-berth suitable for one or two small children. There is an athwartship double berth beneath the cockpit, although limited overhead clearance restricts its use to children or a single adult. There is decent storage below both settees in the main cabin and below the forward berth.

An outboard engine mounted on a bracket at the starboard stern provides auxiliary power. Most owners seem to choose 8- or 9.9-horsepower motors, either of which will provide adequate power under most conditions. Due to the tendency of outboard motors to pop out of the water in choppy conditions, on small sailboats, extra-long shaft models are a must.

The 260 has lots of freeboard and little draft with the centerboard and rudder raised. Optional cockpit controls for shift and throttle and Hunter's "EZ steer" option, which connects the outboard motor so that it turns when the rudder is turned, are also definite pluses for ease of docking or maneuvering in tight spaces.

PERFORMANCE

The 260 has a relatively modest sail area displacement ratio of 17.5, even using Hunter's specified 320-sqare-foot sail area, which likely includes the full area of the 110-percent genoa and mainsail including the roach. The 260 is no sportboat, but performance is good, particularly in light to moderate wind conditions. In wind conditions exceeding 15 knots, the 260 is a bit tender, with a disturbing tendency to round up in a gust. This is not unusual or unexpected for a boat of this type, and the trick to maintaining control is to reef early.

One other potential handling problem is the tendency of the kick-up rudder downhaul to come loose at the most inopportune moment, allowing the rudder to raise and resulting in loss of control. The rudder can be fixed, with a pin, in the down position, but this increases the likelihood of damaging the rudder by grounding in shallow water.

Given it was in production for more than 10 years, there is a good supply of used boats available. While the Hunter 260 may have a few shortcomings, her strengths certainly outweigh them for a loyal group of enthusiastic owners. If you're looking for the most accommodations you can get and reasonable value in a trailerable boat, your search should lead you to the Hunter 260.

Jack Hornor, NA is the principal surveyor and senior designer for the Annapolis-based Marine Survey & Design Co. Hornor writes for BoatU.S. Magazine and other marine publications.

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