In article .com,
says...
I have recently been looking up the Hartley site and the photographs of
the Hartley 28, as well as its size appealed to me. I am from Goa,
India, and build boats with a friend. So far, we have built two
eight-footers (ply on frame), a 12-footer and two 18-footers (all three
clinker planked).

We would like to build a boat for coastal sailing and open sea
crossings, and the Hartley 28 looked like a good candidate.
Unfortunately, the site has very little information about it. In any
case, the designer isn't the best person to give an objective view
about his or her own boat. So I was hoping someone could tell me:

(1) How does the boat handle big seas and high winds?

Well. They are well designed (but of course a lot depends on the
*builder*!

(2) Does she sail well upwind? Does she tack/gybe well?

No - not in my experience. They are good designs as said, but not
performance designs. Again, a lot will depend on the build - but in
short, no-one buys or builds from Hartley plans to race.

(3) Can she be fitted with a spinnaker - is a spinnaker sail provided
for in the plans?

I would have thought so.

(4) Do the plans have a rig and sail plan as well? What is the mast
height?

(5) Can she be fitted to carry a small dinghy tender at the back?

(6) How much headroom does the cabin provide?

(7) What is the configuration of the bunks (a vee, two setees and a
double OR two singles)?

(8) How far has she been sailed by you or anyone you know?

(9) Is she easy or difficult to build?

(10) Did your friends like to sail in the boat while you had it?

Much of the configuration inside can be altered to suit you - isn't that
the idea of building your own? They most certainly can take a tender.
The folks I know that have owned a Hartley have owned theirs for a long
time. They are not into performance sailing, just like to head out and
have a good time. Most certainly, they've enjoyed, and still do enjoy,
their Hartley 28.

All round, they are a safe and dependable boat (given a good build) and
will take a heavy sea and weather for their size. The folk I know have
just done coastal sailing - however in New Zealand, that can take is
some very rough weather and seas. They are pretty popular over here.

eg. just one broker of many - probably lists a few of them:
http://www.vinings.co.nz

--
Duncan
http:\\hitime.no-ip.info