BoatsBristol Yachts 28

Bristol Yachts 28

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1972–1974

An IOR Half Ton racer with reduced stern overhang, serving as the performance-oriented predecessor to the Bristol 29.9

Designed by Halsey C. Herreshoff.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Bristol Yachts 28, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Artha

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a beamy beam gives 19 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 19
CoastalBluewater

2.14 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.14
LightHeavy

213 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 213
EasygoingPowered-up

16.9 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.9
TenderStiff

45% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 45%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

What the fleet has seen

The Bristol Yachts 28, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Bristol Yachts 28 is a 8.5-meter Masthead Sloop designed by Halsey C. Herreshoff and built by Bristol Yachts Inc. from 1972 to 1974. It features a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg, displaces 2993 kg, and has a 1.6-meter draft. This model is an earlier, racing version of the Bristol 29.9, distinguished by less stern overhang, and was designed to IOR Half Ton class specifications. Aboard *Sailing Artha*, Nicole sails her Bristol Yachts 28, *Artha*, in North Carolina, where she has repositioned solar panels from the cabin top to the dodger to free space for a life raft or dinghy.1:04:14 She has also replaced the raw water pump on *Artha*'s Yanmar 3GM30F engine due to a shaft seal leak and a broken drive belt.1:50 Nicole is refitting *Artha* with a new freestanding bimini frame and dodger, addressing persistent stanchion leaks by replacing butyl tape, and plans for an ocean crossing after deciding against selling the boat.2:00

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

The channels sailing this model, and where they were last seen.

Sailing ArthaNicole documents the ongoing maintenance, custom fabrication, and technical upgrades required to prepare her Bristol Channel Cutter, Artha, for continued ocean sailing.

Seen 9 times across 5 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Bristol Yachts 28 on video

Also on YouTube

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
45.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.9
Displacement / length
213.1
Comfort ratio
18.9
Capsize screening
2.14
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
858
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1972–1974
Units built
8
Designer
Halsey C. Herreshoff
Builder
Bristol Yachts Inc

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Pearson Yachts 28-28.67 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA William Shaw-designed masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, built as a modern successor to the original 28
Acorn to Arabella - Journey of a Wooden Boat - Bonus Content: The Good, The Bad and The Bronze0:04from Acorn To Arabella
Pearson Yachts 27 (Triton 27)8.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Doug Peterson-influenced masthead sloop built from US Yachts molds, offering a light-displacement cruiser profile
5 Overbuilt Hulls Proving You Don't Need a $500,000 Yacht4:53from Knot Your Average Boat
Ranger Yachts 29 (Mull)8.71 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 1970s masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, offering a balanced 1.98 capsize screening for coastal cruising
EP#328 San Diego Sailing with Justin14:43from Sailing Into Oblivion
Maxi Yachts Fenix 8.58.50 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1980s cruiser with a 1.5-metre bulb keel and spade rudder, designed for a balanced, stable coastal experience
Tone 2.0: Sailing towards the roots in the north for a new start | Bearing on Sailing8:37from SEILmagasinet
Jeanneau Aquila 278.70 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop offered in both standard and deep-keel Regatta configurations
Sailing Savvy: How to Build a Winning Team with Jon Sverre Høiden12:45from SEILmagasinet
San Juan 288.74 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 1977 masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for balanced performance in a compact 28-foot hull
A little bonus episode14:04from Sailing Magic Carpet

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Bristol Yachts 29A 1966-1971 masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and early Graymarine gas engine powerBristol Yachts 30A versatile masthead sloop offered with both fixed keel and centerboard configurations to suit varying draft needsBristol Yachts 27.7A Halsey C. Herreshoff masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder designed for stable coastal cruisingBristol Yachts 27A Carl Alberg-designed masthead sloop with a long keel, built for over a decade as a stable, traditional cruiserBristol Yachts 29.9A 1977-1986 masthead sloop featuring a tall rig option and a choice between fixed keel or keel-centerboard configurationsBristol Yachts 33A 1968-1971 production masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for a stable, coastal-focused displacement

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