Period comparisons found the 28.5 more spacious below than 86 percent of similar sailboats. Its ballast-to-displacement ratio, near 43 percent, also ranked above two-thirds of comparable designs. The broad beam and substantial ballast help the boat feel secure when first put on her ear.
Design and Construction
The Hunter 28.5 measures 28 feet 5 inches overall, with a waterline length of 23 feet 9 inches and a beam of 10 feet 6 inches. Deep-keel displacement is 7,000 pounds, including 3,000 pounds of lead ballast.
The hull is solid fiberglass with wood trim, a raked stem, and a reverse transom. Hunter Marine’s construction during this period used solid fiberglass below the waterline. The boat has an internally mounted, wheel-steered spade rudder.
Buyers could choose a fixed fin keel or shoal-draft wing keel. The deep fin draws 5 feet 2 inches, while the wing keel draws 4 feet. The shoal version adds 100 pounds of displacement and increases ballast to 3,100 pounds.
Wetted surface is about 279 square feet, and the immersion rate is 866 pounds per inch, so the boat loads predictably. Water capacity is 27 gallons, while the diesel tank holds 11.5 gallons.
The relatively high ballast ratio and beamy hull allow the 28.5 to carry its masthead B&R rig without feeling tender.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
What sets the 28.5 apart from a conventional sloop is its B&R rig with swept-back spreaders and no backstay. This patented system uses a split backstay to manage forestay sag instead of a traditional running backstay.
The 28.5 is a masthead sloop with a 171.9-square-foot mainsail and a 225.5-square-foot foretriangle, for a total sail area of 397.4 square feet. One comparison judged it slightly over-rigged relative to two-thirds of similar boats. The standard 110 percent genoa was handled by two self-tailing, two-speed jib winches, and a spinnaker was available as a factory option.
A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.5 and a displacement-length ratio of 233 place the boat firmly in the moderate-displacement cruiser category. Theoretical hull speed is about 6.5 knots. The wheel-steered spade rudder provides good control in the marina drafts permitted by the fin keel.
The wing-keel version has a PHRF average of 180. Its reduced draft suits shallower water, although the combination of shoal draft and added weight makes grounding damage a more likely encounter in shallow cruising.
Accommodations and Equipment
Below, the 10 foot 6 inch beam gives the Hunter 28.5 its roomy reputation among comparable boats. The interior uses a fore-and-aft arrangement for the aft berth, preserving usable stowage on the opposite side.
Factory-standard equipment included:
- Teak-and-holly cabin sole
- Dinette table
- Navigation table
- Stainless-steel sink
- Two-burner stove
- Icebox
- Hot-and-cold pressurized water system
- Double lifelines
- Anchor
- Life jackets
- Genoa
One review noted a traditional transom, distinguishing the 28.5 from later Hunter revisions that adopted a reverse-transom styling language.
Engine and Cruising Role
The boat has a modest 13-horsepower diesel inboard and a simple systems list that ages gracefully. The factory spinnaker option and self-tailing winches suggest an original brief centered on family cruising with occasional club racing.
With 27 gallons of water and 11.5 gallons of fuel, the 28.5 is better suited to weekend cruising than long-range voyaging.
Known Issues
Because the B&R rig has swept-back spreaders and no backstay, mast stability depends entirely on the split backstay and the integrity of the chainplates. If the sealant around the deck-level chainplate covers deteriorates, water can track onto structural bulkheads.
A careful survey should also include the keel joint.
Parts and Ownership
Production ended in 1988, and Hunter developed the design into the Hunter 28 the following year. Later parts and familiarity flow from that sibling, although the 28.5’s B&R masthead rig remains its own animal.
The Verdict
The Hunter 28.5 is a beamy, high-ballast cruiser whose B&R rig and roomy cabin made it stand out in the mid-eighties 28-foot class. It offers more below-deck space than most rivals and a predictable, stable helm, but rewards a careful survey of the chainplate sealing and keel joint.
Pros
- Ballast ratio higher than that of 66 percent of similar designs, with 3,000 pounds of lead ballast on the deep-fin version
- Beam of 10 feet 6 inches provides more cabin room than 86 percent of comparable boats
- B&R rig with split backstay simplifies the rigging aft
- Shoal wing-keel option suits shallow marinas
Cons
- No traditional backstay; rig integrity depends on the split backstay and chainplates
- Wing-keel version adds weight and is more prone to grounding in thin water
- Out of production since 1988; familiarity with spares leans on the succeeding Hunter 28
