Cal 28 Buyer's Guide
The Cal 28 on the used market is a 1963–1969 Lapworth-designed monohull from Cal Yachts, with 347 built and a further licence-built run in North Vancouver under Calgan Marine. For a shopper, she represents a small fiberglass sloop of defined vintage and known dimensions rather than a continuously evolved model, so the boat you inspect is what it is: a 28-foot fin-keel coastal cruiser with a spade rudder and a masthead rig.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Cal 28 shares the same core geometry: 28.00 feet overall, 22.50 feet on the waterline, a 9.00-foot beam, and a 4.50-foot draft under the standard fixed fin keel. The solid fiberglass hull carries 2,200 pounds of lead ballast against a 6,000-pound displacement, and the internally mounted spade rudder is consistent across the class. Because the design was built only to this one specification in the production window, buyers are not choosing between generations or hull variants — the differences among boats will be in retained factory equipment and owner refit history rather than in fundamental layout.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The one factory propulsion option of consequence is the Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine with a "V" drive, which some boats will carry and others will lack. Beyond that, the factory tankage is 18 U.S. gallons of fuel and 28 U.S. gallons of water, figures that bound any cruising range discussion. A buyer should confirm which boats have the Atomic 4 fitted, as its presence or absence materially changes the value and the immediate upgrade path.
What to Inspect
The solid fiberglass hull and the fixed fin keel with internally mounted spade rudder define the structure. A buyer should verify the integrity of the fiberglass hull and keel attachment as the primary structural check. The factory option Atomic 4 engine installation warrants a close look where fitted, given the age of the gasoline drivetrain and the "V" drive configuration specific to this model.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Cal 28 is a defined-production boat whose used examples trace to either Cal Yachts' U.S. build or the Canadian licence run by Calgan Marine in North Vancouver. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm hull and keel integrity, confirm whether the Universal Atomic 4 is fitted, and verify the 18-gallon fuel and 28-gallon water tanks are intact. She is a small, well-documented Lapworth sloop best suited to a coastal sailor who values a known build count over model-year variety.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 28 | 28.5' | $ 25,000 | 38 | 8 |
| Jeremy Rogers 28 | 27.67' | $ 9,476 | 27 | 9 |
| Pearson 28 (1975-80) | 28' | $ 15,500 | 17 | 5 |
| One-Off 28 | 28.18' | $ 40,484 | 13 | 2 |
| Jeanneau First 28 | 28.21' | $ 26,509 | 12 | 3 |