Hunter 26.5 Buyer's Guide
The Hunter 26.5 is an American recreational keelboat built by Hunter Marine in the United States between 1985 and 1987, now out of production. On the brokerage market it presents as a compact fractional sloop with tiller steering and a wing keel, typically delivered with a manufacturer's Cruise Pac that shapes what you should expect to find aboard a surviving example.
Layouts on the Used Market
The as-delivered cabin was finished in holly and teak with a dinette table, a portable toilet, and a galley equipped with a stainless steel sink, a stove, and an ice chest. These are the baseline interiors you will encounter; the walk-through reverse transom and 9-foot beam give the 26.58-foot hull a practical stern access and modest cabin width. A 23-gallon fresh water tank supports weekend use, and the 4,400-pound displacement with 1,800-pound ballast defines the boat's stability envelope regardless of how a given seller has refitted the galley.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The original Cruise Pac included a 110% genoa foresail, mast head wind indicator, stainless steel front and rear pulpits, lifelines and stanchions, a stainless steel re-boarding ladder, an outboard motor bracket, anchor and anchor line, and life jackets, with a 9.9 hp outboard as factory standard. On the used market, boats often carry a self tacking jib, a spinnaker, a chartplotter, or solar—these are frequently seen rather than universal. A small outboard remains the normal docking and maneuvering propulsion, so confirm the bracket and its fastenings.
What to Inspect
The documented configuration places the steering on an internally-mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a laminated wooden tiller, so the rudder trunk and tiller laminations are the points to examine for wear or water ingress. The walk-through reverse transom is a hull termination at the stern where boarding loads land, and the boat was delivered with a portable toilet rather than a fixed head, meaning sanitation is owner-managed. No source records structural defects, osmotic damage, or rigging failures for this model, so inspection should confirm the as-documented gear.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Hunter 26.5 are the United States and the United Kingdom. For a shopper, the checklist is straightforward: verify the fractional sloop rig and aluminum mast, confirm the 3.50-foot wing keel or the 4.25-foot optional deep draft, check the tiller and spade rudder, and expect the Cruise Pac interior as the baseline. Boats often seen with solar, self tacking jib, spinnaker, or chartplotter may already carry those; the absence of documented defects keeps the model a low-surprise candidate.
- Confirm outboard bracket and 9.9 hp outboard provisioning
- Inspect laminated wooden tiller and internally-mounted spade rudder
- Verify wing keel draft and walk-through reverse transom integrity
- Expect portable toilet and ice chest as original sanitation and cooling
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Hunter 26.5. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25 | 1 | $ 5,250 | — |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $ 5,000 | -4.8% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $ 16,811 | +236.2% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $ 8,000 | -52.4% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $ 4,600 | -42.5% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $ 8,950 | +94.6% |
Where they're listed
Hunter 26.5 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 3 (75.0%), followed by United Kingdom.
Country view
4 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 8,000 | 3 | 1 | 75.0% |
| United Kingdom | $ 16,811 | 1 | 0 | 25.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
10 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter 28.5 | 28.42' | $ 12,500 | 25 | 5 |
| Sadler 26 | 25.75' | $ 10,087 | 23 | 6 |
| Marlow-Hunter 28 | 28.01' | $ 17,751 | 15 | 7 |
| Ranger Ranger 265 | 25' | $ 20,510 | 12 | 3 |
| Hunter 26 | 25.75' | $ 12,500 | 11 | 8 |
| Pearson 26 | 26.12' | $ 4,500 | 11 | 5 |
| Hunter Boats 27-2 | 26.58' | $ 11,000 | 11 | 4 |
| Hunter Boats Horizon 26 | 26.34' | $ 11,731 | 10 | 0 |
| Hunter Marine 26.5You are here | — | $ 8,475 | 4 | 1 |
| Hunter 25 | 25' | $ 4,000 | 1 | 1 |