BoatsSabre Yachts 28-1

Sabre Yachts 28-1

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1971–1976

A Roger Hewson-designed masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a stiff 42% ballast ratio for coastal cruising

Designed by Roger Hewson & Sabre.

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

See her sail

The Sabre Yachts 28-1, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K Sailing

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 moderate beam gives 23 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 23
CoastalBluewater

1.89 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.89
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 259
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.4
TenderStiff

42% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 42%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

What the fleet has seen

The Sabre Yachts 28-1, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Sabre Yachts 28-1 is a masthead sloop designed by Roger Hewson and built by Sabre Yachts from 1971 to 1976, with 212 hulls produced. This 8.5-meter sailboat has a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg, a beam of 2.7 meters, a draft of 1.3 meters, and a displacement of 3129 kg. A small number of Sabre Yachts 28-1s were delivered with a ketch rig. The Sabre Yachts 38, also designed by Roger Hewson, shares a reputation for balanced sailing and quality fiberglass construction, though its balsa-cored hull and deck require inspection for delamination or moisture, especially around chain plates, port lights, and the mast step.2:10

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
42.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.4
Displacement / length
258.9
Comfort ratio
23.4
Capsize screening
1.89
Hull speed
6.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
734
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1971–1976
Units built
199
Designer
Roger Hewson, Sabre
Builder
Sabre Yachts

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.

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
The ONE Question That Changes Everything About Buying a Boat7:09from Be The Captain
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
Watkins Yachts 278.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, offered in rare pilot house and keel-centerboard configurations
Bahamas for $5000? The Watkins 27 foot Sailboat0:47from Practical Sailor
Catalina Yachts 278.18 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA masthead sloop with 6,662 hulls produced over two decades, serving as a staple of coastal cruising since 1971
Ep# 27 Interview with Chris2:02from Sailing Into Oblivion
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
Cascade Yachts 278.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by Robert A. Smith for balanced coastal cruising
Salt & Tar: Ep.235- Buddy Boating to the Islands (We have Friends!)8:18from Salt & Tar

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.

Sabre Yachts 28-3A short-run production of 48 hulls, offering a compact 8.66-metre footprint with a stable 40% ballast ratioSabre Yachts 30-1A limited 100-hull production run featuring a 1.52-metre draft and a 3900-kilogram displacement for coastal stabilitySabre Yachts 28-2A masthead sloop featuring a fin keel with a skeg-mounted rudder, designed by Roger Hewson for coastal cruisingSabre Yachts 36A 1985-1990 production cruiser with a 41% ballast ratio and a 1.93-metre draft for deep-water coastal performanceSabre Yachts 32A masthead sloop with a skeg-mounted rudder, designed for balanced performance and stability in a mid-sized cruiserSabre Yachts 30-2A short-run masthead sloop from the Sabre design team, featuring a skeg-mounted rudder for stability and control

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Sabre Yachts 28-1, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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