[1] The design was built by Hunter Marine in the United States between 1985 and 1988, but it is now out of production.

[2][3][4] The Hunter 28.5 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim.

It is a B&R rigged sloop with a split backstay, with a raked stem, a reverse transom, an internally-mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a wheel and a fixed fin keel or shoal draft wing keel.

[2][3] The factory-supplied standard equipment included a 110% genoa, two self-tailing two-speed jib sheet winches, double lifelines, a teak and holly cabin sole, dinette table, navigation table, stainless steel sink, hot and cold pressurized water system, a two-burner stove, an icebox, an anchor and life jackets.

The wing keel version has a PHRF racing average handicap of 180 with a high of 192 and low of 171.