Good Old Boat Issue 142: Jan/Feb 2022

There is a little passage to the short swim step at the stern. The built-in folding ladder can be accessed from the water, safely away from the outboard motor, at left.

two sleepers athwartship.

The galley is quite usable for a 26-foot boat. The cook can stand at the counter without bending and prepare the meal on the one-burner butane stove (alcohol two-burner on the 26) and has easy access to the ice chest below a hinged section of the counter. On the 26, drains lead to simple above-the-water- line through-hulls, while the 260 has below-waterline through-hulls with valves. Personally, as

Underway Our August test sail, with local sailing legend Ralph Immell aboard to lend a hand, found us with perfect conditions on lovely Lake Mendota. Shortly after hopping off my pontoon/photo boat onto Blown Away , I was at the helm and astonished at the delicious feel of her wheel, despite it moving the outboard as well. As we bore off on a beam reach in winds of 6-8 knots, she barely needed any attention. When the wheel did need attention, it was only the lightest of touches. Consequently, one could steer from about anywhere. Sitting directly behind the wheel was quite comfortable with the Lifesling pack serving as a cushion. One can even sit up in the stern pulpit seats and still reach the wheel with a foot to give it the occasional nudge. Tiller-steered Hunter 260s and 26s are often steered from these optional seats. Visibility was good. The mainsheet tackle is attached to the cockpit floor, a leftover arrangement from the tiller-steered boats. This is all but inaccessible

a trailer-sailor, I am in love with the head on both of these models. Located to port at the bottom of the companionway steps, the head provides room to stand inside with the handsome curved door closed. Most will be found with a portable toilet, however Bill upgraded Blown Away to a marine head. In the back corner of the head is a fair-sized hanging locker and access to plumbing.

The sliding hatch is a translu- cent smoked acrylic that on the 260 is protected by a sea hood. Two steps down and you are in a spacious cabin with the head immediately to port. Under the bottom step is access to the valve and vent for the 2,000-pound water ballast tank that runs the length of the boat. There is near-standing headroom for a 5-foot 10-inch person throughout the cabin except at the galley and head, where there is a bit more. The saloon is exceptionally generous for lounging and entertaining. The table mounted on the mast compression post can be spun around to make a longer V-berth. It appears that the table could be lowered to form a very large berth, but the owner’s manual does not indicate this is possible, although there are receiving

notches in the furniture pan. As have many owners, Bill cut a foot off the table to help in moving about the cabin; it is still a large table. Aft, under the cockpit, is an extra-large berth that looks like it could sleep four if one could resolve the problem of humans getting in and out of it; it is meant to accommodate

Hunter 26

Hunter 260

Designer

Rob Mazza

Rob Mazza/Glen Henderson

LOA LWL

25'9"

26'3" 23'3" 8'11"

23'1.5"

Beam

9'0"

Draft down/up Displacement Ballast (water)

6'0"/1’9" 4,600 lb 2,000 lb

6'0"/1'9" 5,000 lb 2,000 lb

Displ./LWL Sail Area SA/Displ.

165 290 16.8

178 298

16.28

LINE DRAWINGS BY ROB MAZZA

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January/February 2022

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