First cruiser 28' Grampian or Hunter 33 for Family

[CaptainJudson]

Hi Everybody,

I'm looking at buying my first cruiser and wanting some help between two older cruisers. Both the Grampian 28 and the Hunter 33 are from the 70's and appear to be in good condition.

I'll need a survey on whichever I decide on, but would like some help determining which is better for me and my family.

I've sailed day sailors in the past, but haven't sailed in years. I have a wife, 3 kids (2 young teenagers, and an 8 year old), plus a dog. We need the space so the 25/26' boats got dropped early in the search. Both the teenagers have been learning to sail as well.

This will primarily be a weekend boat, to be sailed in Lake Winnipeg with my family. It will be pulled from the water each fall and stored, but may be exposed to some cold weather.

I may do some racing for fun, but it's not a deciding factor in which boat I choose. Currently my list of concerns includes: Quality of the hull, maintenance costs, quality of the engine, space and livability for all of us on board.

The Hunter 33 has more space which is a big plus, it looks good for it's age, but shows many signs of its age as well. The Grampian 28 has been taken care of very well and doesn't show it's age as much, and it has a new larger engine with 40 hours on it.

The cost of both boats is within $3k.

Is there feedback about either boat I should be taking into consideration? Is there feedback on what I maybe should be looking for that I haven't considered? I would appreciate any advice from those with more experience.

[ValiantV]

We haven't moved aboard our boat yet.

Couple - no kids - and were looking at 33' Hunters. We found them to be "tight'.

Actually found a 30' Catalina with more useable interior room than the larger Hunter and a few other ~33" boats.

Take your wife, all the kids, AND the dog and see how the boat fits. If you can't get from the companionway to the galley to the head to the v-berth without stepping on a foot (or a paw) you may wanna look at other boats.

Even a weekend can get pretty long if the boat is too short. Wide and kids that are "OK" with the idea now can change their mind in a hurry.

You may want to try this out for a few weekends before you buy....

[Orion Jim]

Grampian 28 with a new engine would be my choice. Less cost of ownership will be a big bonus at this time as compared to a 33 footer. If you decide to move up in the future the new engine will be a big selling point.

[atlantical]

Don't know what everyone else said, but I have owned a Grampian 28, I its a very solid boat, and its fairly fast, I also liked the way the head was, it makes the boat feel bigger. I know the hunters, as I looked at one the same time that I bought the Grampian, they are flimsy, they are thrown together, and I wouldn't trust one in any kind of weather, but the grampian, people take them all over, they have even sailed them to europe. I felt it was a solid boat, and a lot faster than it looked.