Bristol Yachts 28

BoatsBristol Yachts 28

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 an 8.5-meter masthead sloop designed by Halsey C. Herreshoff and built by Bristol Yachts from 1972 to 1974. With a fin keel and rudder on skeg, the 2993 kg displacement vessel was an earlier, racing-oriented version of the Bristol 29.9, featuring less stern overhang and designed for IOR Half Ton competition. Aboard *Sailing Artha*, Nicole sails her Bristol Yachts 28, Artha, in North Carolina waters, noting the boat tracks well and is balanced, making 4.5 knots without tiller input.0:45 She plans to sail Artha offshore, including an ocean crossing to the Mediterranean, and has undertaken refit projects such as installing a freestanding bimini and dodger enclosure to add covered sleeping space in the cockpit.1:53 Nicole has also repositioned solar panels from the cabin top to the dodger to free up space for a life raft or dinghy.1:53 She has addressed persistent leaks by resealing stanchion bases after butyl tape failed, and replaced a raw water pump on the Yanmar 3GM30F engine, discovering a broken drive belt during the repair.1:50

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 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

Replacing Cloudy Dodger Windows for Under $200:01 from Atom Voyager

Jeanneau Rush 319.13 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA Ron Holland-designed IOR half-tonner that served as the official boat for the Tour de France à la Voile

⛵ Bad Weather in Las Palmas: This Is How Our Sailboat Trip Is Delayed4:44 from Piratas Aderiva

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 Sailing8:37 from 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 Høiden12:45 from SEILmagasinet

Newport 27S8.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 1974 masthead sloop with a 1.3-meter draft, offering a stable fin-keel platform for shoal-water coastal cruising

Live On A Cheap and Small Sailboat! The Newport 27 from Practical Sailor

Islander Yachts 288.51 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop with over 400 built, favored by the designer himself for her balanced performance

My Honest Advice for New Sailors (It’s Not What You Think)8:29 from Be The Captain

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

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Bristol Yachts 28, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Bristol Yachts 28

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analyzed. No noise.

Report an issue