Hi, after several years away from sailing I am dipping my toes into boat ownership once more. I have long admired Parkers, and this time around they are very much at the top of my shortlist (assuming I can find one).

My previous boat was a Feeling 720 with lifting keel, so I'm naturally a fan of moveable keels! A little more space would be great, hence moving up to 28' or so.

One question I wanted to ask is what are the differences between a 275 and 285(HS) ? From what I've read the hull is identical between the two, so was it all just a change in name for 'marketing' ?

Also, what is the standard main sheet position from the factory ? Ive heard of cockpit floor, cockpit roof and rails mounted across the companionway (which my old Feeling had). Any thoughts on the merits of these as mounted to the 275 / 285 would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I have a 275, I think the main changes made for the 285 are the double size transverse berth under the cockpit and the correspondingly smaller cockpit locker. I think the 285 may have had a good holding tank arrangement with gravity drainage. I think the 285 had the Dutton-Lainson electric keel hoist as standard [see lots of the threads on here about the electric winch and potential replacements]. My 275 has a mainsheet traveller forward of the companion-way hatch [mid-boom sheeting] - I'm very happy with this set-up, but the 285 brochure I have suggests that it may have used boom-end sheeting to a hard point in the cockpit floor.

In any case, both are super boats and are a delight to sail.

Hope you find a suitable one soon.

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Many thanks Dick, very useful.

It's a pity that there doesn't seem to be more technical / information available originally from Parker's (maybe there is ??).

The search continues !

Here's the 285 brochure I have:-

  Parker285.pdf (560kb) downloaded 115 time(s).

I'll see if I have anything else.

Regards

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Thanks again for the extra information Dick.

I am applying for membership and hope to make contact with other UK owners.

All the best

Rob

My understanding is that the Parker 275 evolved with each new boat that was built, in response to comments and suggestions from owners. There is a copy of the 275 brochure published some time after 1991 (since it makes reference to the 1991 article in Yachting World) on the PSSA website (http://www.parkerseal.org.uk/about/parker27.aspx). There's no mention of the electric winch to lift the keel and the specified engine is the Yanmar 1GM10, but when Delphine was built in 1995, no 41, she had the 18hp Yanmar 2GM20 and an electric winch for the keel lift. Sophia, still a 275, no. 53 has the double aft cabin that was typical of the subsequent 285s. There are other small differences between different 275s, such as the layout of the bridge deck and the depth of the rudder blade. When the name changed from 275 to 285, the numbering sequence continued, and I suspect that the name change marked a distinction from the early 275s but not necessarily the later ones.

I hope you find a 275 or 285 - from our experience with Delphine, we think they're great!

Gilliane

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Thanks for your reply Gillianne. Things are starting to fall into place. Your explanation that the development of the 275 to 285 was evolutionary explains a lot.

It seems as you say that the 285 name change was the point at which a distinction was drawn as the 285 boats had by then incorporated significant differences to the early 275's (albeit over time) that a name change was warranted?

I had noticed the 275 brochures on the website - but nothing listed for the 285, hence my curiosity.

I think I will draw up a list so can see the 275 development more clearly;

From sail number xx - added keel weight,

Sail number xx - electric winch, etc

Thanks again

Rob

Dear Rob

Your idea of identifying the changes happening as the 275 evolved is very interesting - but not all the changes would have been continued in subsequent boats. Despite Delphine's 2GM20 engine, for example, I think some of the later 275s had a smaller engine, and the calorifier on Delphine (very luxurious having hot water on tap!) certainly wan't standard on later boats. That might have been due to discovering that the calorifier made it very difficult to get to the oil filler - it's a two stage job, using mole grip long nose pliers to start the filler cap turning from behind the engine and then a heart-in-mouth process of removing the filler cap from in front. You then need a funnel attached to a long flexible hose to refill the oil.

Best wishes

Gilliane

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