Bente 28 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Bente 28 is built in GRP sandwich construction using E-glass and a foam core. She has a wide, flat stern and a full, buoyant bow. Test sailors credited the wide, flat stern and full, buoyant bow with driving her to windward at more than six knots under a beamy hull generating large amounts of power during the test sail.

The twin-rudder arrangement uses double Jefa steering with a single tiller. Together with a 31 percent ballast ratio and the standard cast-iron torpedo keel, it gives the boat stable upwind performance and exceptional maneuverability both at sea and in port. A performance lead keel is optional. Buyers can also specify a T-keel drawing 1.95 meters, compared with the standard draught of 1.60 meter.

The flush deck has wide sidedecks, obstructed only by the lower shrouds and bordered by moulded bulwarks. This makes foredeck work straightforward. A deep cockpit with high coamings, tucked behind the coachroof arch, feels secure.

Rig and Handling

The fractional sloop rig carries a square-top mainsail. The mast is stepped well aft, and the boom reaches the transom. A standard 72-square-meter gennaker flies from a retractable carbon bowsprit on a top-down furler.

There’s no backstay, and all halyards and sheets lead to the cockpit, making the boat comfortable to sail single- or short-handed. A second single-line reefing line is fitted, while the traveller runs across the stern.

Testers noted that the forestay can sag to leeward when the boat is overcanvased in gusts, a consequence of having no backstay. They also found that the wide chines begin to lift the keel when the boat heels beyond 30 degrees. Feathering the main helps keep her planted.

On the test boat, the 16 hp Vetus engine and folding two-blade propeller produced five knots at 2,200 rpm.

Accommodation

Thanks to its transparent Perspex coachroof and large windows, the Bente 28 effectively has a deck-saloon interior. Daylight fills the open-plan space, and the lack of a closed wall at the bow gives it the feel of a loft apartment.

Headroom reaches 1.98 meters in the main living spaces and 2 meters at the companionway. There are 200 centimeters in the galley and heads, and 185 centimeters at the aft end of the saloon table.

The layout includes two cabins, a saloon, a galley, and a heads compartment. The galley has a top-opening fridge and a single sink. The heads includes generous lockers and a hanging rail for wet gear. Forward, the vee-berth measures 200 by 197 centimeters. A long double berth in the port quarter suits two children or two adults who don’t mind close quarters.

There’s no cabin sole abaft the keel frames; here, the crew stands directly on the foam-covered inner hull. Below the keyhole-shaped companionway, a fold-up panel maintains 40 centimeters of freeboard above the cockpit sole, providing downflooding protection in accordance with RCD Category B.

Practical Drawbacks

Practical Boat Owner observed that the glazed deckhouse can make the interior hot in Mediterranean conditions.

Engine access on the test boat was mixed. Lifting the companionway steps gave adequate access to the alternator, but access to the water strainer, primary fuel filter, and saildrive was poor. The strainer, located aft of the engine, could be checked only by feel.

The fuel tank and primary filter sit in a separate compartment beneath the cockpit sole. Reaching them requires emptying the locker and climbing inside. The anchor locker was deep, but the boat evaluated didn’t have a bow roller.

Equipment and Ownership

The basic package gives buyers a choice between a Volvo Penta D1-13 with saildrive and folding propeller or an electric Torqeedo pod motor. The builder also offers custom colours for the dodger and waterline.

Standard water and fuel capacities are both 60 litres, which is modest for extended cruising. A deck shower and telescopic transom ladder are fitted.

Below, oak trim complements the open, bright interior, and a standing chart table sits aft of the saloon. Keeping the glazed coachroof and separated engine compartments in good condition will reward careful upkeep.

The Verdict

The Bente 28 puts the volume and heavy-weather character of a larger yacht into a trailerable-length hull. Its rig is set up for short-handed offshore sailing, while the bright, open interior feels like a sunlit loft. Engine-compartment access and heat beneath the glazed coachroof require attention, but the boat’s construction and handling are thoroughly modern.

Pros