A boat for our time?

The ‘less is more’ philosophy is beautifully encapsulated in the Hunter Ranger 245, which later became the Channel 245. David Harding reports

- David Harding

Back in 2012, I went for a spin on the Hunter Channel 245 – a robust and chunky little cruiser that punched above her weight in lots of ways.

Here was a boat with a hull length of just 23ft (7m) that offered up to six berths, an enclosed heads, a separate aft cabin, a chart table (often not found on much larger boats these days), full standing headroom for a six-footer, a respectable galley, an inboard engine, a choice of fin or twin keels and, despite so much accommodation, a remarkably good sailing performance. What’s more, she met the requirements for Category B under the RCD (Recreational Craft Directive). While it might be debatable just what a boat’s RCD classification actually means in practical terms, Category B signifies that it’s deemed to be an offshore cruiser. In the case of the Hunter, this status is backed up by qualities that undoubtedly do mean something, such as her impressive AVS (Angle of Vanishing Stability) of 140° with either keel configuration.

There was a lot to like about this spirited little ship back in 1996 when she had just been launched as the Ranger 245. Andrew Simpson, PBO’s associate editor at the time and not one to lavish praise on a boat unless it was well earned, concluded his test in 1997 with the words ‘a cracking little winner if ever I saw one.’ And a cracking little winner she still was 15 years later when, having been out of production for a while, she returned as the Channel 245 with a new builder and a new look.

Ranging freely