Design and Construction
The Endeavour 28 is built of solid fiberglass for both hull and deck, with an iron fin keel bolted beneath. At a beam of 9 feet 4 inches and a length-to-beam ratio of 2.98, the yacht is roomier than 58 percent of comparable designs, a proportion that gives the interior a sense of volume unusual for a boat under 28 feet on deck. The 42 percent ballast ratio — higher than 58 percent of similar sailboats — and a displacement-length ratio of 241 place her among what one design summary calls "moderate racers," a categorization at odds with the gentle cruiser her berth count might suggest but consistent with a relatively light, beamy hull. The wetted surface runs about 258 square feet, and the immersion rate is 768 pounds per inch, meaning she settles noticeably under load but still draws only 5.15 to 5.45 feet depending on stowage.
Rig and Handling
The Endeavour 28 carries a masthead sloop rig with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.05, a figure that supports decent performance under canvas for a boat of her weight. Standing and running rigging dimensions show jib and genoa sheets running 27.9 feet at 3/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet 69.8 feet of the same diameter, and spinnaker sheets 61.4 feet. Under power, a Volvo Penta MD7A with shaft drive gives a calculated maximum of about 4.9 knots, while the theoretical hull-speed maximum is 6.5 knots. Her capsize screening value of 1.96 meets the ocean-race formula threshold, and the Motion Comfort Ratio of 22.0 is creditable seakeeping for a 28-foot cruiser.
Accommodations
Below, the Endeavour 28 is fitted with six berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. The beamy hull that makes her roomier than the majority of peers translates directly into a cabin plan able to sleep a small crew or family without the cramped transverse settees typical of narrower boats of the era.
The Verdict
The Endeavour 28 is a product of mid-1970s Australian design sensibility: beamy, moderately light, and better mannered in a seaway than her size implies. Her stability and comfort ratios, paired with a rig that is generously proportioned for her displacement, make her a credible coastal and moderate-offshore candidate, while the six-berth interior answers the practical needs of a weekend or holiday crew.
Pros
- Roomier than 58 percent of similar designs by length-to-beam ratio
- Ballast ratio of 42 percent exceeds 58 percent of comparable sailboats
- Capsize screening value of 1.96 qualifies her for ocean-race consideration by formula
- Motion Comfort Ratio of 22.0 for a 28-foot cruiser
- Six berths with galley and toilet in a sub-28-foot hull
Cons
- Immersion rate of 768 pounds per inch means noticeable sinkage under load
- Theoretical 6.5-knot hull speed limits outright pace under sail
