The first 285 is nice sailing yacht with a traditional aft cockpit with excellent room and a hefty sail locker to starboard. The fractional rig is tall for a 29-footer, but easily handled with a Furlex roller furler and all halyards and sheets lead aft. The winged keel and skeg rudder are nicely balanced to give additional lift to windward, where this boat outshines most others. Downwind the shallow bilges and light weight delivers thoroughbred performance. Her coach roof and foredeck are clear and clean, including a sensible self-draining anchor locker, a Stainless Steel bow pulpit with anchor roller, and sturdy life lines leading all the way aft to the Stainless Steel stern pulpits. An innovation you do not often see on smaller sailing yachts, but just as you would expect from Beneteau, there is a convenient swim platform molded into the transom, with, of course, a swim ladder.

Below is where the French influence is most prevalent. In this 29-foot boat there is 6 2 headroom and comfortable sleeping accommodation for two in the forward cabin and two in the very spacious after stateroom. An additional two adults can sleep on the very adequate salon settees. Beautifully paneled in a light wood with two cabin hatches as well as opening ports, the interior is light and airy. The galley is to port with a proper sink, pressure hot and cold water, a manual raw water pump, open counter space, top loading icebox, and a propane stove and oven (not installed as the owners prefer to use their portable butane cooktop). Opposite to starboard is a navigation center with the traditional chart top. The drop leaf table is centerline with comfortable settee/berths to either side. Aft to starboard is the compact head with a marine head and a telephone shower head. Opposite is a good sized hanging locker. The forward v-berths fills in for a traditional double berth, two cabin hatches and opening ports provide plenty of ventilation.

The engine is a 2002B Volvo 18 hp diesel mounted under the bridge deck and enjoys easy access to all sides and ends through removable panels.

KATES KABOOSE is in really excellent condition, a true testament to the owners who have had her since new. She boasts a full cockpit enclosure, custom winter cover, still crispy sails from 2013, a furling jib and a full-battened loose-footed main. She was refitted in 2016 by The Custom Yacht Builder in Whitby, Ontario. They removed all fittings and Awlgripped her hull and decks, epoxy barrier coated her undersides and replaced the liners in her head, v-berth and aft cabin.