BoatsHunter Marine 280

Hunter Marine 280

B&R · Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder · 1995–1999

A B&R rigged cruiser designed by Rob Mazza, featuring a spade rudder and an optional shoal-draft wing keel

Designed by Hunter Design Team, R. Mazza & Rob Mazza.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder

See her sail

The Hunter Marine 280, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K Sailing

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 moderate beam gives 20 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 20
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.07
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 221
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 15.6
TenderStiff

32% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 32%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Hunter Marine 280, 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 280 is a sailboat model built by Hunter Marine from 1995 to 1999, designed by the Hunter Design Team, R. Mazza, and Rob Mazza. It features a B&R rig and a fin hull with a bulb and spade rudder. The boat has an LOA of 8.5 meters, a beam of 2.9 meters, a draft of 1.5 meters, and a displacement of 2948 kg. A wing keel version was also offered, reducing the draft to 3.5 feet.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
32.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
B&R
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.6
Displacement / length
221.3
Comfort ratio
19.8
Capsize screening
2.07
Hull speed
6.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
811
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1995–1999
Designer
Hunter Design Team, R. Mazza, Rob Mazza
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.

Maxi Yachts 848.54 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 8.5-metre fin-keeler with a 45% ballast ratio, offering a stiff and stable platform for coastal sailing
Measuring sails for a Maxi 84 yacht0:42from practicalboatowner
Pearson Yachts 27 (Triton 27)8.23 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Doug Peterson-influenced masthead sloop built from US Yachts molds, offering a light-displacement take on IOR design
Is This Free Classic Pearson Triton 28 Worth Refitting?0:05from Atom Voyager
Bristol Yachts 288.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn IOR Half Ton racer with reduced stern overhang, serving as the performance-oriented predecessor to the Bristol 29.9
TOP 3 Small Sailboats You Can Sail AROUND THE WORLD! Ep 331 - Lady K sailing10:23from Lady K Sailing
Pearson Yachts 28-28.67 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA William Shaw-designed masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, built as a modern successor to the original Pearson
Acorn to Arabella - Journey of a Wooden Boat - Bonus Content: The Good, The Bad and The Bronze0:04from Acorn To Arabella
Aloha 288.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with a 44% ballast ratio, offering a stable, traditional cruising platform built over 16 years
Top 5 Small Sailboats You Can Live On! Ep 257 - Lady K Sailing8:04from Lady K Sailing
Newport 27S8.23 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 1974 masthead sloop with a 1.3-metre draft, offering a stable fin-keel platform for shoal-water coastal cruising
Live On A Cheap and Small Sailboat! The Newport 27from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Hunter Marine 28.5A nimble B&R rigged cruiser featuring a high ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for efficient coastal performanceHunter Marine 28A shoal-draft wing-keel cruiser updated from the 28.5, designed for stability and ease of access to shallow watersHunter Marine 290A fractional sloop with a bulb-keel and spade rudder, designed for stable, comfortable coastal cruisingHunter Marine 260A water-ballasted trailerable cruiser featuring a B&R rig designed for easy handling and shoal-water explorationHunter Marine 270A fractional sloop with a shallow-draft wing keel, designed for stable, easy-handling coastal cruisingHunter Marine 310A 9.4-metre cruiser featuring a backstayless B&R rig designed for simplified handling and ease of sail trim

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