Good Old Boat Issue 142: Jan/Feb 2022

ReviewBoat

A Low-Priced, Water-Ballasted Trailer-Sailer BYALLENPENTICOFF Hunter 260

B ill and Marianne so blown away by the Hunter 260 that they’ve kept theirs for 12 years—and even named it that, Blown Away. Previous boats in their fleet include an O’Day 20, Hobie 16, and Balboa 26—all trailerable. When Bill retired from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, he started a day charter business called Sail Blaschka of Madison, Wisconsin, have been

Madison on Lake Mendota. Bill estimates he’s taken a thousand folks sailing, but has closed the business after 11 incident-free years. History and Design Starting in 1969, Warren Luhrs, with his father, Henry, and brother, John, built Henry Luhrs Sea Skiffs and Silverton Sea Skiffs before producing the first John Cherubini-designed Hunter 25 sailboat in 1973. Ninety-four models of Hunters followed. In 2012, David E. Marlow acquired Hunter, with current boats sold under the Marlow- Hunter name. Hunters have long been known as a good

value thanks to efficient production methods and judicious choice of materials. Warren Luhrs set records and won singlehanded ocean races on his Paul Lindenberg- designed Open 60 Thursday’s Child. With this boat he developed innovations such as the swept-back B&R rig and water ballast, both featured on the 260. The Rob Mazza-designed (yes, Good Old Boat’s technical editor), water-ballasted Hunter 23.5 came along in 1992 at a time when modestly sized trailerable sailboats were having something of a market surge. This trend was led by MacGregor, the low-price

leader, which had introduced the water-ballasted 26D in 1986. Santana came out with the water-ballasted 2023 in 1993. All shared the concept of draining water ballast for lighter on-the-road towing (there is also construction savings in water ballast). The Hunter 26, again a Mazza design, was added to the Hunter lineup in 1994 as a larger version of the 23.5. In 1997, Hunter made several changes to the 26, altering the windows and forehatch, adding the B&R rig, a swim platform, and a new rudder, as well as some minor dimensional changes to length and beam. This became the Hunter 260,

The Hunter 260 looks a bit pudgy due to its 9-foot beam, flush deck, and high freeboard, perhaps creating doubt about her handling and motions, but she sails sweetly.

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