This later iteration of the original Cal 28, built by Jensen Marine between 1963 and 1969, was reworked for better performance and stability, along with accommodations suited to couples or small families. Roughly 50 to 100 boats left the mold during its brief production run, making the Mk II a comparatively scarce member of the Cal lineage.
Design and Construction
The Cal 28 Mk II has a solid fiberglass hull, a fixed fin keel with lead ballast, and a spade rudder. Buyers could choose between standard and optional shoal-draft keels.
She measures 28 feet overall, with a 23.33-foot waterline and a beam of 10.67 feet. Displacement is near 7,200 pounds, including 2,825 pounds of ballast, for a ballast-to-displacement ratio of about 39 percent. These figures place her among moderate-displacement cruiser-racers rather than featherweight flyers.
The motion comfort ratio is 19.1, and the immersion rate is about 866 pounds per inch. Those figures describe a hull that resists being pushed around by short seas while remaining responsive to sail trim.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Cal 28 Mk II is a masthead sloop. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 17.2 using the ISO reference sail, rising to 20.6 with a 135-percent genoa. That range supports the boat’s club-racing intent without requiring an expert crew.
The I dimension is 39.75 feet and the J is 11.33 feet. Mainsail area is about 180 square feet, while a 115-percent jib measures around 215 square feet. Owners could carry genoas up to roughly 150 percent LP, with an area near 334 square feet. For downwind sailing, the available inventory included a 550-square-foot asymmetrical rig or a 681-square-foot spinnaker.
Standing and running rigging dimensions are thoroughly cataloged. The mainsail, jib-genoa, and spinnaker halyards are all 89.6 feet long and 5/16 inch in diameter. Sheets are 3/8 inch, with a 70.6-foot mainsheet.
The boat’s capsize screening value is 2.21, which means she wouldn’t meet the threshold for ocean-race acceptance. That result helps frame the Cal 28 Mk II as a coastal boat rather than an offshore passage-maker.
Performance
Designed for coastal cruising and club racing under PHRF, the Cal 28 Mk II typically rates near 177 to 192. She is suited to daysailing, weekend trips, and short coastal voyages.
Her theoretical maximum speed as a displacement boat is about 6.5 knots. A DL ratio of 254 places her among moderate racers. The 2.65 length-to-beam ratio and wetted profile contribute to the balanced behavior that the original Cal 28 didn’t necessarily deliver—the central aim of the Hunt revision.
Accommodations and Intended Use
The design brief focused on couples and small families, with improved accommodations compared with the 1960s predecessor. Stability and modest draft make the Cal 28 Mk II a practical coastal cruiser, while its rig and available sail inventory also suit club racing.
Tankage reinforces that intended use. The boat carries 40 gallons of water and 17 gallons of fuel, capacities better suited to weekends than extended cruising in remote areas. Its capsize screening value also confirms that it was never intended for offshore passage work.
Verdict
The Cal 28 Mk II is a thoughtful update of the Cal concept, replacing the original 1960s hull with a Hunt-designed coastal cruiser-racer. It combines genuine club-racing potential with family-friendly stability and improved accommodations. The rig supports a broad sail inventory, while the short production run gives the model a certain rarity within the Cal lineage.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with a lead-ballasted fin keel and spade rudder
- Standard and optional shoal-draft keel choices
- Masthead rig with a broad sail inventory, including a spinnaker of up to 681 square feet
- Comfortable motion and stability figures for coastal cruising
- PHRF-rated club racer with moderate displacement and a good sail-area-to-displacement ratio
- Accommodations intended for couples or small families
Cons
- A capsize screening value of 2.21 excludes ocean-race acceptance
- Tankage is better suited to weekends than extended remote cruising
- Only about 50 to 100 were built, limiting the number of available examples
