Cape Dory 28 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The Cape Dory 28 is a sloop-rigged, tiller-steered boat with a deck-stepped mast and a self-tending club-footed jib on original models. Below, the layout is consistent across the class: a bow V-berth, head to port with a wet locker, and a saloon with a starboard single and a port double settee. The galley aft is split by the companionway, with icebox and sink to starboard and stove to port. Later boats from about 1978 onward gained a cockpit bridgedeck that keeps boarding water out of the cabin, while earlier hulls lack this feature. Sleeps five, with teak throughout and 60 gallons of water in tanks under the settees.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, autopilots, chartplotters, and dodgers are commonly fitted, making most boats ready for assisted steering and basic navigation without immediate expense. Air conditioning is often seen, a useful addition for southern cruising. Less common owner upgrades include solar panels, self-tacking jibs, and AIS, along with short-handed setups for singlehanded sailing. A frequent refit among owners is replacing the original Volvo diesel with a Beta Marine or Kubota for quieter running, and many swap the club-footed jib for a roller-furling genoa to improve trim.

What to Inspect

The sandwich-cored decks mean deck delamination is a real risk on any older example and should be tapped and surveyed. Internally fastened chainplates are cast iron and prone to rust and corrosion, though they are accessible from the interior for examination. A bronze cast fitting on the stem at the jib stay warrants close attention for problems. Plastic portals fitted between 1974 and 1978 were of inferior quality and may have been replaced. Fuel tanks are steel or aluminum: steel can rust and weaken, while aluminum in contact with a plywood base can pit, so tank condition is a key check. The head sink drains into a fiberglass trough then the bilge, and the toilet sits below the waterline—inspect these paths for odor or backup.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

Used Cape Dory 28s are typically found in the United States. For a buyer, the checklist is straightforward: confirm bridgedeck presence on later hulls, survey deck core and chainplate rust, verify fuel tank material and condition, check early portals, and budget for a possible engine swap. With those reviewed, the boat remains a rugged, sea-kindly Alberg cruiser.

• Prefer 1978+ hulls for bridgedeck and better portals
• Survey sandwich deck for delamination
• Inspect cast-iron chainplates and stem bronze fitting
• Test steel or aluminum fuel tanks for corrosion
• Note head drains to bilge; toilet below waterline