BoatsHunter Marine 28

Hunter Marine 28

Fractional Sloop · Wing Keel · 1989–1994

A shoal-draft wing-keel cruiser updated from the 28.5, designed for stability and ease of access to shallow waters

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Wing Keel

See her sail

The Hunter Marine 28, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from All About Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

Shoal draftDraws 1.14 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a beamy beam gives 20 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 20
CoastalBluewater

2.16 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.16
LightHeavy

234 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 234
EasygoingPowered-up

16.9 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.9
TenderStiff

38% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 38%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

  • Draws less than ~86% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2120 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Hunter Marine 28, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Hunter Marine 28 is a fractional sloop with a wing keel, built by Hunter Marine from 1989 to 1994, measuring 8.5 meters LOA with a 3.2-meter beam and 1.1-meter draft. It displaces 3356 kg and updates the earlier Hunter 28.5 design. Hunter Marine, founded in 1973, became the second-largest American sailboat manufacturer, known for applying high-volume production to cruising boats and later adopting the B&R rig to prioritize interior volume and ease of handling.0:08 The brand received multiple Cruising World Boat of the Year awards but faced criticism for structural hardware issues, particularly chain plate corrosion, and sluggish performance in heavy seas.6:19

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
37.8%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.9
Displacement / length
234.0
Comfort ratio
19.7
Capsize screening
2.16
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
907
Hull
Hull type
Wing Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1989–1994
Builder
Hunter Marine

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Watkins Yachts 278.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, offered in rare pilot house and keel-centerboard configurations
Bahamas for $5000? The Watkins 27 foot Sailboat0:47from Practical Sailor
Islander Yachts 288.51 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop with over 400 built, favored by the designer himself for her balanced performance
My Honest Advice for New Sailors (It’s Not What You Think)8:29from Be The Captain
Pearson Yachts 27 (Triton 27)8.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Doug Peterson-influenced masthead sloop built from US Yachts molds, offering a light-displacement cruiser profile
Replacing Cloudy Dodger Windows for Under $200:01from Atom Voyager
Newport 27S8.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 1974 masthead sloop with a 1.3-meter draft, offering a stable fin-keel platform for shoal-water coastal cruising
Live On A Cheap and Small Sailboat! The Newport 27from Practical Sailor
Catalina Yachts 278.18 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA masthead sloop with 6,662 hulls produced over two decades, serving as a staple of coastal cruising since 1971
Be The Captain — Chapter One: Think Like a Captain (Audiobook)8:33from Be The Captain
Puma 277.95 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA Ron Holland-designed masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for performance-oriented coastal cruising
Living on a BOAT0:11from navegandoporelglobo

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Hunter Marine 28.5A nimble B&R rigged cruiser featuring a high ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for efficient coastal performanceHunter Marine 30-2A 9.17-metre fractional sloop featuring a wing keel, built between 1988 and 1992 for coastal cruisingHunter Marine 280A B&R rigged cruiser designed by Rob Mazza, featuring a spade rudder and an optional shoal-draft wing keelHunter Marine 27-2A 27-foot fractional sloop with a 40% ballast ratio, offering a stiff and stable platform for coastal cruisingHunter Marine 26.5A fractional sloop with a shallow-draft wing keel designed for stability and easy handling in coastal waters

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