shoal draft 285, performance

[Mystic51]

Anyone out there with a 28.5 shoal draft. I just bought a 28.5 and was led to believe it was the deep draft. We hauled it out last week and to my disappointment I found a shoal draft. I mainly cruse with a little racing. I plan to upgrade sails and more right away. I was told by a Hunter dealer who sold these boats when new that on the 28.5 the shoal draft performs very well and not as much difference as on the smaller and larger Hunters (ie 25.,31). I hope so because I just bought the boat and want to be happy with my purchase. the dealer said that the deep draft will point a litle higher but not that much on this particular boat. I did sail the boat old sails and all on a 20+ day. the boat healed to 20 degrees with full sails up and then stuck like a rock and tracked well in the gusty conditions. The pointing seemed very good. What are the experiences of other 28.5 owners. I want so much to feel good about my purchase but am feeling deflated right now.Jeff

 

[Steve O.]

misrepresented

If you were led to believe that it was a fin keel and in reality it is a shoal draft, then the seller was either ignorant or untruthful. Either way, you have grounds for compensation. I think I know the answer to this, but was there a broker or surveyor involved? If not, good luck getting the seller to compensate you. Your choices are legal action or bite the bullet. Having said that, a shoal keel isn't the end of the world, it's just not what you thought you were buying. You trade a little less pointing ability for a little more draft. Up here in the Great Lakes with low lake levels, people are looking for SD boats.

 

[Marc Honey]

Great boats

I owned a deep keel model for many years and fully believe the 28.5 is one of the BEST all around boats under 30 feet that Hunter ever built. My understanding is the shoal keel (4') vs deep keel (5'4") were very close in performance. If racing a lot, especially on a lake, consider a 140- 150 genoa. I didn't race mine and put a 130 on it and was very happy. Took the original main and cut a wedge out of the bottom to remove flattening pocket out of foot, had full battens installed and left it loose footed. Really powered up the original sail and added years to it's life. These boats like to be sailed fairly flat, 15-20 degrees or less and need to be gybed downwind. I single handed mine 95% of the time and it was truely a fantastic boat. SOOO much bang for the buck. There's a 28.5 group over on Yahoo I believe, one of them will probably respond here and I encourage you to talk to them.