Shannon Yachts 28

BoatsShannon Yachts 28

See her sail

The Shannon Yachts 28, 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 heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 29 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 29

CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.81

LightHeavy

345 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 345

EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.1

TenderStiff

39% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 39%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Shannon 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 Shannon Yachts 28 is a cutter-rigged cruising monohull designed by Walter Shultz and built by Shannon Boat Company from 1978 to 1985. It has an 8.5-meter LOA, a 2.9-meter beam, a 1.3-meter draft, and displaces 4218 kg. The hull features a fin keel with a transom-hung rudder. The Shannon Yachts 28 has a sail area to displacement ratio of 16.1 and a comfort ratio of 29.3. The Shannon Shoal Sailor 35, a related model, is designed for shallow-water navigation in areas like the Bahamas and Florida Keys, featuring a 30-inch draft and twin kick-up rudders for intentional beaching.2:34

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

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

38.7%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Cutter

Ratios

SA / displacement

16.1

Displacement / length

344.8

Comfort ratio

29.3

Capsize screening

1.81

Hull speed

6.4 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

778

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/transom hung rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

1978–1985

Units built

50

Designer

Walter Shultz

Builder

Shannon Boat Company

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.

Ericson Yachts 298.71 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 1970s masthead sloop with a 1.32-meter draft and a 45% ballast ratio, balancing coastal stability with shoal access

🔥2026 BOAT AUCTION ⛵️BUY CHEAP BOATS! 19:53 from Sailing Solé

Cal 2-298.84 mSame hull family0.3 m longerAn upgraded cruising variant of the standard 29, featuring enhanced equipment and a masthead rig

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 Chris2:02 from 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 Sailboat0:47 from Practical Sailor

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!)8:18 from Salt & Tar

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 Boat7:09 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.

Shannon Yachts 38 PHA long-keeled cutter designed by Stadel for offshore stability, offering a comfortable motion and steady passage-making Shannon Yachts 38The inaugural model from Shannon Yachts, this long-keeled cutter was produced with optional pilot house configurations Shannon Yachts 37A masthead ketch featuring a keel-centerboard hull, refined from the Shannon 38 for offshore versatility

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