Design and Construction
The Countess 28 measures 8.53 meters overall and 7.39 meters on the waterline, with a beam of 3.1 meters. Colvic Craft built her in fiberglass, with a solid FG hull and a wetted surface of roughly 24 square meters.
Although Colvic offered either a twin or single fixed keel, the bilge-keel configuration is the one most commonly described. Its draft ranges from 1.17 meters light to 1.27 meters under load, allowing access to shallow marinas and drying berths.
Colvic sold the Countess 28 either complete or for finishing by other yards, reflecting the builder’s long practice of supplying hulls and decks for a range of completions. That variation is important when assessing the interior execution of any individual boat.
Displacement, Stability, and Performance
SailWiki records a displacement of 3629 kg and a displacement-to-length ratio of 250.60. YachtDatabase gives a DL-ratio of 251 and places it in a band labeled “moderate racers”—a curious description for a boat whose 6.6-knot hull speed and 22.19 comfort ratio suggest settled cruising rather than racecourse performance.
The Countess 28 has a length-to-beam ratio of 2.75. One figure puts her immersion rate near 859 lbs per inch, while another gives pounds-per-inch immersion of around 881. Either way, she’s no featherweight: the figures describe a boat that sits stably and sinks little under the weight of crew or stores. The DL-ratio in the 250 range likewise points to a hull that favors steadiness over acceleration.
Depending on the source, her capsize screening value is 2.03 to 2.04. YachtDatabase notes that this figure would bar her from ocean-race acceptance. For coastal and estuary cruising, however, the same low-2.0s figure contributes to a stable, forgiving profile.
Rig and Handling
The Countess 28 carries a masthead sloop rig. The masthead rig and moderate-displacement hull suit relaxed coastal cruising more than performance sailing.
Accommodation and Tankage
The available record says little about the interior arrangement beyond the fact that Colvic offered the boat complete or as a bare hull for finishing elsewhere. Her 3.1-meter beam and 7.39-meter waterline provide a roomy footprint for the length, but individual layouts and standards of finish may vary.
Tankage comprises 76 liters of water and 42 liters of fuel. Those capacities suit weekends and coastal passages better than long, self-sufficient voyaging.
Refits and Ownership
Because some Countess 28s were completed by Colvic while others were finished by different yards, the interiors, systems, and rigging can vary widely. Buyers should therefore assess each boat on its own merits and trace its completion and ownership history where possible.
The builder was a prolific British GRP yard, but the Countess 28 itself is anchored to the 1980 manufacturing year. An active owners association at countessowners.com provides a useful point of contact for researching fit-out variations across completed hulls, comparing completion standards, and tracing the provenance of a particular hull.
Verdict
The Countess 28 is a straightforward, stable coastal cruiser. Her shallow twin-keel draft and solid fiberglass hull make her a practical option for tidal waters, shallow marinas, and drying harbors. The moderate-displacement hull and masthead rig favor relaxed cruising over lively performance, while the active owners’ network is a genuine benefit.
The main caveat is variation between boats. Colvic’s complete-or-finished-by-others sales model means buyers need to consider the standard of each individual boat’s interior, systems, and rigging.
Pros
- Shallow twin-keel draft of 1.17–1.27 m, suitable for marinas and drying berths
- Solid fiberglass hull and stable, forgiving seakeeping figures
- Active owners’ association offering support and historical information
Cons
- Capsize screening figure bars ocean-race acceptance
- Completion quality can vary because boats followed several finishing routes
- Modest tankage for extended off-grid cruising
