BOAT TEST
Windy’s latest entry-level sportsboat promises the same world-class driving dynamics as its big sisters in a smaller, more affordable package
Windy may be best known for its sleek, sterndrive-powered sportscruisers but it has also been building a handful of smaller outboard-powered sportsboats much longer than most people give it credit for. The first Windy Oceancraft 760 was launched way back in 1999 followed by the Draco 27RS in 2014. Both were well received by journalists at the time for their terrific hull dynamics and robust build quality, but the former was arguably ahead of its time and hampered by old-tech outboard engines while the latter was overshadowed by the arrival of another equally capable but more affordable newcomer – the original Axopar 28.
Ten years on and the balance has shifted once again. Not only has Windy launched this much more versatile SR28 CC model but Axopar prices have been steadily creeping up to the point where there is no longer a vast gulf between them.
Prices for the Windy start at £162,952 inc VAT with a state-of-the-art Yamaha F300 outboard, while a similarly specced Axopar 28 is only around £10-15k less.
HULL DESIGN
It would take a proper boat geek to spot it but the new SR28 CC actually uses the same hull as the old Draco 27RS. There’s no shame in that as it’s a particularly good example of what Windy has always done best; designing sweet-running, stepless hulls with relatively deep vees and slender beams for a soft, agile ride matched to fast, fuel-efficient cruising. The SR28’s beam of 8ft 2in is almost 18in narrower than an Axopar 28’s, for example, and features a 20° deadrise angle at the stern to help it cut through the waves.
That’s pretty much the only thing it shares with the Draco, though, as from the deck upwards it’s an all-new boat. Out goes the old bow rider design, with its low slung walk-through windscreen and rather exposed helm and seating layout, and in comes a much more practical walkaround layout with a centre console helm, sociable dinette seating at both ends, a surprisingly decent cuddy cabin and an optional T-Top. It’s so much better than the original, you can’t help wondering how they managed to squander all that space the first time around. The really clever thing is that it looks prettier too, giving that edgy snub-nosed bow and long, low sheerline the dynamic profile and more sophisticated finish it deserves.
It’s not just the looks Windy has got right, it��
