# 28' Newport mkII VERSA Islander 28'



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Since I can't afford my top preference (Islander Freeport 36') I'm considering a 28' boat. I'm offered a '86 Newport 28' for $15K. The boat is nice with all the electronics with a lot of very nice teak but...needs new paint and probably a new/rebuilt engine and sails. I wonder how much all this may cost me

About the Islander 28', I still have to find one newer then 1975 .

The I28 was discontinued in 1984 (I think) while the Newports are still made.

I read somewhere that the Newport has a leaking problem thru the connection between the hull and the deck(!?!?!?). Is this a known problem??

Thanks for your opinions

Yoji


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## BarryL (Aug 21, 2003)

Hello Yoji,

I owned a 1986 Newport 28 from 2004 to 2007. I enjoyed the boat very much. I can't comment on Islander boats, so I can't help you there.

A few things for you to know:
Capital Yachts, the maker of Newport, Gulf, and Neptune yachts, went out of business in the early 90's. 
There are no design problems in the Newport 28 hull to deck joint. That doesn't mean that any particular boat is OK, just that the design and manufacture of the hull / deck joint is in line with other boat builders.

As a data point for you, I sold my boat for $14K. It had a brand new sails (1 year old UK dacron main, 1 year old UK tape drive laminate roller furling 140 genoa), good diesel engine, and was in good condition. It had a good autopilot, Lowrance GPS / SONAR, and a number of other things including cruising spinnaker in dousing sock.

I enjoyed the Newport. It was a little tender, but sailed well. Compared to other boats, like Catalina and O'day, the interior was nicer, with more teak, and nicer cabinetry. The boat came standard with self tailing winches, nice traveler, and lines led aft.

Bad things were the location of the ice box thru hull, leaks around the chainplates (common to many boats), and small head (what do you expect on a 28').

You can learn more about Newport boats here:
Newport, Neptune, Gulf sailboats built by Capital Yachts

Good luck,
Barry


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

My first boat was an Islander 28. It was well a made West Coast boat. It had oversized equipement and was best in medium to heavier winds. Lots of them on SF Bay area. She (Island Majic) was a fairly shoal keel with good weight and interior joinery and mahogany of the quality of the older Tartans. The trick to her was to reef the headsail befiore the main to maintain balance once the winds were 20 or so. Small head....good atomic 4 which can easily be replaced by a universal diesel which I did. Great small cruiser which was not at all slow. She turned many a head as there were not a lot made. robert Perry design. The quality of the Islander compared to a newport is like comparing a Tartan to a Hunter. Always wanted the Islander 36...till I saw the 35 C&C I have now. Different type boats aimed at different markets. Newport 28 was a light air boat.

Dave


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## serenity4u2 (Aug 1, 2008)

*congrats*

The islander is a great boat... I would not even compare it to a newport.. That would be like comparing a hunter and a C&C to a Caliber or a Tartan. Obviously the hunter and C&C have thier markets- niether are are a tartan, caliber and certainly not a islander... The newpoprters, Hunters and C&C's have there place...


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

We had an Islander 28 and liked it very much. We had quite a bit of crazing in the deck gel coat though and we had some warping of the floor under the head door to due not enough support under the compression post. I beefed up the support under the compression post but never did deal with the deck gel coat problem.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*money, money, money........*



serenity4u2 said:


> The islander is a great boat... I would not even compare it to a newport.. That would be like comparing a hunter and a C&C to a Caliber or a Tartan. Obviously the hunter and C&C have thier markets- niether are are a tartan, caliber and certainly not a islander... The newpoprters, Hunters and C&C's have there place...


First, thanks for all the responds so far.
Unfortunately I can't afford a $50K+ boat and $600 slip / insurance monthly expenses.


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## KeelHaulin (Mar 7, 2006)

serenity4u2 said:


> The islander is a great boat... I would not even compare it to a newport.. That would be like comparing a hunter and a C&C to a Caliber or a Tartan. Obviously the hunter and C&C have thier markets- niether are are a tartan, caliber and certainly not a islander... The newpoprters, Hunters and C&C's have there place...


I don't think you can compare either a Newport or a C&C's build quality to a Hunter. Sorry; but the Newports and C&C's of that era were built way better from a structural standpoint than the newer Hunters. I think the Islander line was roughly equivalent in build quality to the same era of C&C, Newport or Tartan; based on some of the boats I've seen.

The Newport 28 and 41 were C&C designed; while the 30/33 was designed to fit in-between by Gary Mull. The 30/33 were built a bit lighter (for racing performance) and updated in terms of hull form than the earlier designed 28 and 41. The 30 and 33 are closer to the popular Ranger series of hull designs by Mull. I think all of the Newport hulls were well built; they have stood up well to the tests of time. I can't comment directly between interior design/appointments of the N-28 vs. the I-28 but I would consider them to both be somewhere in the same realm as they are both coastal/inshore boats.


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## monteh (Jan 5, 2008)

I had an '83 Newport 28'. The hull to deck leaked big time on mine. And the way the boat is designed, it's pretty easy to drop that toe rail in the water. I had the windows under water at one point. They didn't leak though.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Specific info, please?.*



Yoji said:


> The boat is nice with all the electronics with a lot of very nice teak but...needs new paint and probably a new/rebuilt engine and sails. I wonder how much all this may cost me
> 
> Thanks for your opinions
> 
> Yoji


Thanks again, but I would like some specific info, please?.

How much will cost me.....(more or less)

Rebuilding a 2 cyl. Universal engine + labor.

Paintig the bottom; basic job or the worst case scenario (Is it true that the procedure takes a few months?!?! even in southern California?!?!?.

Yoji


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## sailhagg (Feb 19, 2007)

Humm...we have a Newport 30 and had the bottom painted about a year ago. We spent about $900 with haul out paint and re-splash. In our area this will run us about 3 years. For what it's worth...love our Newport.

P.S. We've done lots to our engine but then it did work sort of.... we've found a good book, a good yacht club and lots of questions goes a long ways


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

New engine-and prop 10-12 thousand. Rebuild is hard to price but proably 1/2 of that. Also probably work needs redone on engine mouonts,,bedding

Bottom paint- 3 days..worst case soda blast..best case scrape/ sand paint. No more than 1000 for second options

Sails new- 1800 a piece depending on hardware. Many usedoptions from bacons etc

These are very much approx prices without you giving specifics hard to quantify

Dave


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## serenity4u2 (Aug 1, 2008)

*My Goodness*

My My,, First Congrats... You have a boat... Glad its not a C&C and so should you... Enjoy your islander.. Its a good boat for the era. Remember the era has technology that parralells... The C&C owner who bashes hunters knows He can Not sail along side hunters... The newer hunters or any of the big four sail circles around that old C&C boat.. The comfort of the boats need not even be mentioned... That goes wothout saying... I am laughiung how some defend thier OLD outdated boat as if it is superior to the newer boats say HUNTER... Your 1980 tech is out lived and newer laminates and hardware have arrived and yes - it has surpassed you boat snobs who want to hang onto your C&C and bash the newer lines... I am looking at ALL thye recent races (crossing oceans) I see Hunter and Bennes-- wooopsss where is the C7C... Its dockside bashing Hunters- lol... Get over yourself... If you could spend 200K for a hunter 44DS you know you would...

PS... I am NO Mono hull sailor.... I be for the Gemini's.... Now I know thats a better boat then some old C&C... Face it, the C&C owners are the hunter owners of the old... Can the C&C company defend its rep? show me your new stuff- do you have it? I would take any class of hunter over any C&C and sail faster as well as live better dockside.. You know it... So just be quiet and except the fact...


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## serenity4u2 (Aug 1, 2008)

I am glad you compared hunter to C&C since both have racing charateristices. C&C markets itself as a racing brand... Hunter markets itself as a weekender. If you look at the latest races you will see C&C did not even compete with the the hunters and benes.... So can we safely say that C&C markets itself as a racer where neither hunter and benne do while hunter and benne taje the racing circuits (no C&C to found)... This would not make think about buying a hunter or benne over a valient or tayana... It does make me looki real hard at a C&C or even a J boat for the money.. Think nither valieny or tayana or embarrassed about a hunter or benne beating a C&C but the C&C should be real embarrassed... We all know who's boat we'd rather be on at anchor off of henry island (a hunter- no C&C).. OK the tayana wins..


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

I do not bash any other brand of boat nor will I bash the Hunters or Bennes. They are god boats for what they are intended for and all boats have their markets. To rail against C&Cs shows a certain lack of sense though.

No doubt their are many more creature comforts and niceties in a newer design boat. Some of us see value in the older style. Just like some like new art forms..it does not mean the older art forms have no value...quite the contrary.

When comparing the value of boats look at the resale value of Hunter/ Bene compared over time to a C&C or Tartan. Does a 35 hunter frrom 1985 compare to that of a CC of the same area in resale. Obviously not. Interesting there are more C&C still available in the resale market from that era than Hunters. Is that because the owners still have their Hunters. I doubt it.

The righting moment, seaworthyness, sail to ballast ratio, ease of handling, and quality of workmanship are more imprtant to me than the bling. 

Quality is quality its hard to argue that. You sound foolish trying to compare the two boats. I have many friends with the newer production boats and it is what they like and I NEVER dennigrate their choice, after all we all love to sail and that is the main thing which makes us commrades.

Go ahead buy your new Hunter/ Benne. I prefer for the same money to buy an older more traditional boat with warm woods, oversized chainplates, well made support and frame, good gelcoat and laminate, heavy duty compression posts. in 20 years your boat will not be worth reselling. My C&C will still command value. By the way they still do make C&C dont they

I would never put down another manufacturer to make mine better. Thats why they make new Chevys and classic Mercedes. Those who by Chevy like disposable every few years. The rest of us see the well built features and hang on to them.

I could go on and on

Dave


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

You could probably find new dacron sails for the low 1000 to even below $1000 for the main, and mid to upper 1000-2000 for a larger 150'ish genoa. My 29.5 Jeanneau was coming in at those prices. On the other hand, I ended up with a UK Tape drive main, in the 2700 range! low end vs high end. Genoa's for TDS or equal can run into the low $4000 range. Used are also a way to go as mentioned. Jib/genoa's are probably easier and a reasonable way to go. The main......not sure a used on unless you find one for your boat. 

Bottom paint, couple of grand at most for my rig, which is similar in stature to either the Newport or Islander 28's. On the other hand, if you need more, it can add up fast! like me last yr having to grind down the iron keel to bare metal and re-epoxy etc. 

Engine wise, not sure on pricing.

Which boat. I believe an islander will be a bit faster. Otherwise, both will do. I personally like the islander lines over the Newport's. Otherwise, a well taken care of boat of either will do just fine!

While some of what he says may be true, generally speaking, senrinity4u2 seems to be flaming more than giving out actual info. I would take that info, with everyone else to a degree, including mine with a grain of salt, but some have bigger better grains than others!

Marty


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## serenity4u2 (Aug 1, 2008)

*More Traditional*

Very glad, You prefer the more traditonal... Old tech vse newntech... Its alL GOOD..... New tech usally beats old tech- we know that much.... Keep sailing old tech and tell us about it... At least allow me to laugh at you all riding old tech.... I do... Talk to us hun ters or the big four about our boats... wE will be nice...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*What is life without his little surprises...*



Yoji said:


> Since I can't afford my top preference..........
> 
> Thanks for your opinions
> 
> Yoji


Apparently I can't afford anything. The one thing I had no worries is finance.
Three days ago I applied for a loan thru SCOTT FINANCIAL SERVICES. Today she called me and said that I'm denied....New in the US (4 years)..... No major purchases....The banks became very cautious in the last few weeks and so.....

Now what??? I feel like a flat tyre.........


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