28 or 280 ?

[Dick1505]

After 6 years with a H26 I'm moving up the 2'. I'm looking at a 1993 H28 and a 1996 H280 comprably equiped. The 280 is a couple of thousand more. Is it worth the extra money? Were the 28's built better than the 280's? The 28 has inside side stays and a much larger head sail than the 280. The 28 is a wing keel while the 280 is a fin. Will the 280 point that much better? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Landsend]

The H28 is a foot beamer.

and displaces more. How about a 28.5?

 

[Dick]

What's available

Those are the two boats that are available in my area. Traveling to look is getting expensive and very time consuming and the latter I don't have much of.

 

[Bruce Grant]

I had a 28

and really enjoyed it, it was a fun boat to sail!

I never sailed on a 280 so can't comment on that, but the main thing I noticed was that the 280 seemed very "plastic" down below while the 28 (mine was a '91) had a lot of wood and felt warmer.

I ended up buying a 2001 H320 when my 2ftitis kicked in.

Regards.
Bruce
Neon Moon

 

[Dennis]

Go with the 93

Don't think the 280 is worth the extra cash. The 93 is a nice boat - the best years for Hunter.

 

[Mary]

Just got a 280

I had a 26' for about 7 years. Just got a 1996 280 a few weeks ago. Wish I had done it years ago. She is so much fun to sail, easier to dock - and so roomy inside too. Sailing upwind she steers herself so well, I can actually sit in the stern rail seats and just watch.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Jim]

28 is a nicer boat

hands down. It does have dwsign problems. They didn't build her cheap just some poor design decision.

 

[Dick]

Design Problems?

Could you be a little more specific? The owner on the boat I'm looking at changed from the supporting pads on the trailer because it was dimpling. He, also, has rigged a removable support under the area where the engine is because he observed sagging while it was on the trailer.