Colvic Countess 28 Buyer's Guide
The Colvic Countess 28 is a 28-foot Ian Anderson design built by Colvic Craft in 1980, offered as a shallow-draft twin-keel cruiser that appeals to tidal and coastal sailors. Because Colvic sold these boats complete or as bare hulls finished by other yards, used Colvic Countess 28s show wide variation in interior execution and systems — a central theme for any shopper.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most Countess 28s on the market carry the bilge-keel hull with a draft near 1.17 meters light, rising to about 1.27 meters under load, which lets them sit upright on drying moorings anchor. Colvic's practice of delivering some boats finished and others as shells for completion means you will find factory-interior boats alongside heavily customized home-finishes. The 3.1-meter beam and 7.39-meter waterline give a broad, usable cabin footprint, with original water tankage around 76 liters and fuel near 42 liters — adequate for coastal use but not long passages.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Chartplotters and autopilots are commonly fitted, making modern navigation and short handed steering the norm rather than the exception. Lithium batteries are often seen, reflecting owners upgrading house power for longer stays aboard. Less common but present as owner upgrades are heating, solar panels, wind generators, bimini canvas, dinghy davits, and radar — a buyer should treat these as bonuses rather than expected equipment when comparing boats.
What to Inspect
Colvic's mixed delivery model means completion quality varies, so inspection should focus there. Verify whether a given boat left the factory finished or was completed by a third yard, and assess bulkhead bonding, wiring, and plumbing accordingly. The solid fiberglass hull and around 24-square-meter wetted surface are straightforward to survey, but the bilge-keel structure and any keel-to-hull interface deserve close attention given the drying-berth use these boats invite.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Countess 28 turns up most readily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Spain. For a shopper, the priorities are simple: confirm the completion route and its quality, check the keel structure for grounding or drying wear, and verify the autopilot and chartplotter are functional. Lithium house batteries are a frequent plus; heating and solar are nice-to-have rather than standard.
- Confirm factory-finished vs. yard-completed status
- Inspect bilge keels and hull-keel junctions closely
- Test navigation and steering electronics
- Treat solar, heating, radar as owner upgrades, not baseline
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Colvic Countess 28. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 11 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $14,567 | — |
| Sep 25 | 5 | $13,257 | -9.0% |
| Oct 25 | 3 | $7,478 | -43.6% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $25,637 | +242.8% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $13,529 | -47.2% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $14,074 | +4.0% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $9,905 | -29.6% |
| Apr 26 | 7 | $8,838 | -10.8% |
| May 26 | 1 | $16,309 | +84.5% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $8,695 | -46.7% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $10,840 | +24.7% |
Where they're listed
Colvic Countess 28 listings appear across 3 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 16 (69.6%), followed by Ireland and Spain.
Country view
23 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $8,767 | 16 | 3 | 69.6% |
| Ireland | $12,527 | 4 | 0 | 17.4% |
| Spain | $14,074 | 3 | 0 | 13.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Rogers 28 | 27.67' | $ 9,712 | 30 | 11 |
| Oday 28 | 28.25' | $ 9,900 | 27 | 4 |
| Colvic Countess 28You are here | — | $ 10,488 | 23 | 3 |
| Shannon 28 | 28' | $ 43,720 | 12 | 3 |