A Proven Design, This Sailboat Stands the Test of Time

Sailors in the market for a traditionally styled, sturdily built cruising boat under 30 feet in length have two options. They can spend $150,000 or more for a new custom or semi–custom boat from one of several manufacturers, or they can spend a lot less for a good used boat from one of several production builders. The Cape Dory 28, offered by Cape Dory Yachts from 1975 to 1988, is among the latter.

Carl Alberg designed this model, and his conservative style seldom wavered regardless of size. I suspect he didn't like tinkering much with a proven formula. The Cape Dory 28 features a full–length keel with attached rudder, relatively low freeboard, a handsome sheer and a well–proportioned traditional trunk cabin. The bow and stern are nicely balanced, and overhangs are a bit shorter, relative to the overall length, than Alberg's earlier designs. The overall length of this model is 28 feet, 1-¼ inches, not including the 20–inch teak bowsprit. Beam is 8 feet, 10-½ inches, draft is 4 feet and displacement is a husky 9,000 pounds.

Hulls are constructed of a solid–fiberglass laminate and are most often trouble–free, with the possible exception of some osmotic blistering below the waterline. Blistering is usually not severe, and I've not seen the flaw compromise the boat's safety. Decks, on the other hand, are constructed with a center core of plywood or balsa. Stress cracking is common and if left unattended allows water into the core and eventually weakens the structure. If this happens where chain plates and other deck hardware is attached, it can result in a serious problem.

The fuel tanks are another potential problem area. Cylindrical steel tanks used on some Cape Dory 28s may be badly rusted. In addition, the welded aluminum tanks used on most models are mounted on a plywood base and held in place by wood cleats around the tank bottom. When wood comes in direct contact with aluminum, it causes pitting and eventual failure. The good news is that these tanks are easily accessed through the port seat locker, and replacement, if necessary, is not difficult.

The deck arrangement is well balanced. The foredeck is large enough for sail handling and ground tackle, side decks are wide enough for safe passage and the cockpit is large enough to accommodate four adults. Most 28s have tiller steering that is easily put out of the way at anchor, and the mainsheet attaches aft of the cockpit and therefore does not interfere with passengers.

The interior features a V–berth forward followed by a port head and a starboard hanging locker. Originally the main salon had a small pilot berth behind the port settee and a starboard settee separated by a drop–leaf table. After the first year or so of production, the port pilot berth was eliminated in favor of a larger settee that slides towards the centerline. The change made room for what was promoted as a double berth, though the berth is a bit narrow for two adults. The galley is aft with an alcohol stove to port and sink and ice box to starboard.

Two opening deck hatches and eight opening bronze ports combine for the best ventilation to be found on a boat of this size.

Most Cape Dory 28s were powered by two–cylinder, 15–hp Volvo diesels. They are loud and will shake your fillings loose, but properly maintained they will last a long, long time. I have seen at least one 28 powered by a 10–hp Farymann diesel, and later models used the lighter and quieter 14–hp Universal diesels. This boat is quiteunderpowered with a 10–hp Farymann engine, but both Volvo Penta and Universal engines provide acceptable power. The engine is reasonably accessible for service from the cabin and cockpit lockers, though the shaft–packing gland is nearly impossible for a normal–sized person to reach.

Originally, Cape Dory 28s were rigged as sloops with a self–tending club–footed jib, and anyone who has ever beat up a narrow channel in a stiff breeze will appreciate the benefits of this sail arrangement. However, some owners opted for a roller furling genoa and passed on the club–footed jib. Still others have a cutter–type arrangement, leaving the small jib and adding a genoa. This is a good arrangement for some sailors, but tacking the genoa will require going forward to pull the sail through the slot or furling the genoa and unfurling it on the new tack. The displacement length ratio of the Cape Dory 28 is 369, and the sail area to displacement ratio is only 14.9, with the club–footed jib, so a 150–percent genoa is a must for sailing in winds under 10 knots apparent.

Nearly 500 Cape Dory 28s were built over the years, and finding used models is not difficult, though finding the old molds is another story. The company's molds were scattered when it closed up shop, and members of the Cape Dory Sailboat Owners Association believe the mold for the 28 was lost. Robinhood Marine Center in Georgetown, Maine, is building semi–custom 36–foot and 40–foot sailboats from the original Cape Dory molds, but if you're looking for a small cruiser with offshore cruising potential, classic style, and won't mind limited interior elbowroom, the Cape Dory 28 may just be your ticket to sailing happiness.

Jack Hornor, NA is the principal surveyor and senior designer for the Annapolis-based Marine Survey & Design Co. Hornor writes for BoatU.S. Magazine and other marine publications.

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