Design and Construction
The Cal 28 Mk II carries a solid fiberglass hull with a fixed fin keel — offered in standard or optional shoal draft — and a spade rudder. At 28 feet overall with a 23.33-foot waterline, the hull traces to a beam of 10.67 feet and a displacement near 7,200 pounds, with 2,825 pounds of lead ballast for a ballast-displacement ratio of about 39 percent. Those numbers place her among moderate-displacement cruiser-racers rather than featherweight flyers. The motion comfort ratio sits at 19.1 and the immersion rate is about 866 pounds per inch, figures that describe a hull that resists being pushed around by short seas yet remains responsive to sail trim.
Rig and Sail Plan
She is a masthead sloop with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.2 on the ISO reference sail, rising to 20.6 with a 135-percent genoa — a range that supports the boat's club-racing intent without demanding a expert crew. The I dimension is 39.75 feet and the J is 11.33, with a mainsail area of about 180 square feet and a 115-percent jib around 215 square feet. Owners could carry genoas up to roughly 150 percent LP for a sail area near 334 square feet, and an asymmetrical rig of 550 square feet or a spinnaker of 681 square feet was offered for downwind work. Standing and running rigging dimensions are thoroughly cataloged: mainsail, jib-genoa, and spinnaker halyards all run 89.6 feet at 5/16 inch, while sheets are 3/8 inch with the mainsheet at 70.6 feet. The capsize screening value of 2.21 means she would not meet the threshold for ocean-race acceptance, a point that frames her properly as a coastal vessel.
Performance Profile
Developed for coastal cruising and club racing under PHRF with a typical rating near 177 to 192, the Cal 28 Mk II is suited to day sailing, weekend trips, and short coastal voyages. Her theoretical displacement-boat maximum speed is about 6.5 knots, and the DL-ratio of 254 categorizes her among moderate racers. The length-to-beam ratio of 2.65 and the wetted profile give her the kind of balanced behavior that the original Cal 28 did not necessarily deliver, which is the point of the Hunt revision.
Accommodations and Intended Use
The design brief centered on small families or couples, with improved accommodations over the 1960s predecessor. The boat's stability and modest draft make her a practical coastal cruiser, though the capsize screening and rigging inventory confirm she was never intended for offshore passage work. Her 40-gallon water and 17-gallon fuel capacity support weekend use rather than extended remote cruising.
The Verdict
The Cal 28 Mk II is a thoughtfully updated Cal that trades the original 1960s hull for a Hunt-designed coastal cruiser-racer with real club-racing potential and family-friendly stability. She is well-equipped in her rigging and sail inventory, and her short production run gives her a certain rarity among Cal models.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with lead-ballasted fin keel and spade rudder
- Masthead rig with deep sail inventory up to 681 sq ft spinnaker
- Comfortable motion and stability figures for coastal cruising
- PHRF-rated club racer with moderate displacement and good sail-area ratio
Cons
- Capsize screening of 2.21 excludes ocean-race acceptance
- Only about 50–100 built, limiting available examples
