BoatsHunter Marine 28.5

Hunter Marine 28.5

B&R · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1985–1988

A nimble B&R rigged cruiser featuring a high ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for efficient coastal performance

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a beamy beam gives 19 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 19
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.20
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 233
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.4
TenderStiff

43% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 43%

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

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
42.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
B&R
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.4
Displacement / length
233.3
Comfort ratio
18.8
Capsize screening
2.20
Hull speed
6.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
891
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1985–1988
Designer
Hunter Design
Builder
Hunter Marine

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

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.

Islander Yachts 288.51 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop with over 400 built, favored by the designer himself for her balanced performance
Watkins Yachts 278.23 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, offered in rare pilot house and keel-centerboard configurations
Pearson Yachts 27 (Triton 27)8.23 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA Doug Peterson-influenced masthead sloop built from US Yachts molds, offering a light-displacement cruiser profile
Newport 27S8.23 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 1974 masthead sloop with a 1.3-meter draft, offering a stable fin-keel platform for shoal-water coastal cruising
Catalina Yachts 278.18 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA masthead sloop with 6,662 hulls produced over two decades, serving as a staple of coastal cruising since 1971
Jeanneau Rush 319.13 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA Ron Holland-designed IOR half-tonner that served as the official boat for the Tour de France à la Voile

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.

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