Windy 28 Ghibli

With a production cycle running from 1999 to 2011, the Windy 28 Ghibli was, and remains, a truly classic sports boat. Her cabin has a small galley with a diesel-fired hob, a convertible double berth, a separate heads, and her cockpit can be fully enclosed, so she is a true weekender; although many Owners have enjoyed her versatility as a performance day boat first & foremost. The Ghibli’s purposeful lines are instantly recognisable, and her sharp, elegant bow, gentle sheer and raked screen are what a proper powerboat should look like.

Finish really is second-to-none on the 28 Ghibli, and Windy had superb craftsmen building these boats, with superior materials, all meaning they were never going to be the cheapest to buy. The engine bay is neatly-installed, interior joinery (usually mahogany) is lush and deeply-lacquered, all cabin sides are fully-trimmed, and a number of choices were available at build for internal and external upholstery, hull colours and other options such as bowthruster, shore power and navigational packages. The design was instantly popular, with press reactions such as “this has to be very close to the perfect dayboat” and “built to Windy’s exacting standard, the Ghibli has a fantastic hull that can take the rough stuff in its stride.” from Jack Haines, being testament to how well this boat performs in the hands of a professional. Marine surveyors comment: “The Windy 28 Ghibli stands out for sheer quality in this size of boat. The hull is so robust and well constructed that it is solid in the chop at speed. Everything about this boat is top quality…It’s not easy to find a bad one.”

Hans Jørgen Johnsen’s hull design is athletic; deeply vee’d, and was Divinycell-cored during a robust construction at Windy’s flagship Norwegian shipyard at Arendal – ensuring that her long-legged and muscular performance was backed by a stiff, responsive hull, with knife-sharp handling and excellent longevity. The Windy 28 Ghibli offers sea-keeping that competitors can only dream of, and the model was available in a number of power options from original KAD42/230HP diesel, through a meaty V8 petrol, to a twin Volvo D3/190hp diesel powertrain. The balance with the single later D6 diesel option was a perfect blend of power versus efficiency, and these examples are highly sought-after. With a 22 degree deadrise aft and three full spray rails to provide lift to her hull, she is a true sea-boat (with a Category B RCD rating to match) and with diesel top speeds of 40 knots with the large options, can make some very rapid passages, even in more challenging conditions.

Her long, near full-beam cockpit is protected by a wrap-round screen and has plenty of seating for a family, with a smart solution aft on the sunpad, which can be configured to face forward or aft – depending on the sun. Driver and navigator have their own adjustable forward bolster seats, and the helm is near perfect in its ergonomics – quite typically of Windy and their resolve to build, quite simply, the best driver’s boats. A fridge fits neatly beneath the cockpit sole, there is stowage underneath her side seating, her foredeck is safely accessed via the central teak-laid forward steps, and there is a reassuringly solid grab rail around her inner screen framing – so she does pack a huge amount into a 28’ hull.

Incredibly usable, eminently versatile and now justifiably in the classic powerboat category, the 28 Ghibli from Windy really is the first among equals.

Windy 28 Ghibli Specifications