Design and Construction
Dehler’s classic production method laminated the deck and hull together inside the mould. The 28 reflects that disciplined approach: Yachting Monthly found the build quality high, with particularly fair GRP mouldings.
The principal dimensions are a 24-foot-3-inch waterline, 9-foot-2-inch beam, and 5,720-pound displacement. A 4-foot-3-inch fin keel carries 2,205 pounds of lead, giving a ballast-displacement ratio of around 40 percent. Despite that modest draught, Yachting Monthly credited the boat with commendable stiffness under sail. A spade rudder and conventional monohull form complete a design that feels purposeful rather than compromised.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Dehler 28 earns its reputation on the water. Yachting Monthly judged its performance and handling outstanding, while the fractional rig is weatherly and efficient.
An easily handled self-tacking jib came as standard. The 28 was also one of the first production boats to feature a fully battened mainsail with a self-stacking cover system as standard. Together, these details reduce the work involved in short-handed sailing.
Its stiffness and shallow keel allow the boat to carry full canvas up to Force 5. That gives a small crew a forgiving sailing envelope without the anxiety of constant reefing.
Accommodation
Below deck, the priorities lean more toward sailing than lounging. Yachting Monthly was blunt about the lack of headroom, rudimentary galley, and cramped chart table.
Even so, the layout is coherent. There’s a double aft cabin, with the heads to starboard abaft the companionway. A semicircular dinette wraps around a table supported by the mast compression post, while the forepeak contains a vee-berth. The boat sleeps four comfortably, or six at a push—a notable achievement in a 27-foot hull, even if the quarters are tight. This is a cruiser-racer’s interior, with every berth earning its footprint.
Refits and Ownership
The self-stacking mainsail and self-tacking jib make worn cover systems and tired jib tracks obvious wear points for an owner to inherit. The fair original mouldings, however, suggest that cosmetic refits should be straightforward.
A 6.33-knot hull speed from the 22.31-foot waterline keeps passage expectations realistic.
Verdict
The Dehler 28 is a sailor’s small boat: stiff, quick, and genuinely easy for a tiny crew to drive hard. It combines fair glassfibre work with a clever standard rig. In return, buyers must accept low headroom and a bare-bones galley. For the right owner, it remains one of the more rewarding 28-footers of its generation.
Pros
- Outstanding performance and handling for its size
- Stiff under sail despite the shallow 4-foot-3-inch draught
- Self-tacking jib and self-stacking, fully battened mainsail as standard
- Fair, high-quality GRP mouldings
- Coherent layout that sleeps four comfortably
Cons
- Limited headroom below
- Rudimentary galley
- Cramped chart table
