Hunter 280

Description

The Hunter 280 (built 1995–2000) is an American fractional-rig coastal cruiser designed by the Hunter Design Team as a direct, slightly smaller evolution of the popular Hunter 290, with roughly 300 hulls produced. At 27 feet 9 inches LOA (about 29 feet with the reverse transom) and a generous 9-foot 7-inch beam, it has a light-to-moderate displacement of 6,600 lbs (2,600 lbs ballast) and was offered with either a shoal-draft wing keel (3 ft 9 in) or deeper bulb fin (5 ft). It carries Hunter’s signature backstay-less B&R rig with swept spreaders, a roachy fully battened mainsail (~195 sq ft), and a roller-furling 110–135% genoa for roughly 380–400 sq ft upwind, plus an optional asymmetrical spinnaker on a retractable bowsprit—giving lively performance (PHRF around 180–195) and very easy handling. Key features include wheel steering, a large T-shaped cockpit with full walk-through reverse transom and swim platform, and a surprisingly bright, open interior: huge aft cabin with an athwartships double berth, private forward V-berth, full galley with two-burner stove and large icebox, enclosed head with shower, nav station, and a dinette that converts to another double—genuinely sleeping six with over 6 feet of headroom. Fast, stiff, and genuinely comfortable for week-long family cruising, the Hunter 280 is still widely sailed on the Great Lakes, Chesapeake, and Florida coasts, where owners praise its blend of modern looks, solid construction, and excellent value on the used market today.