Ericson 28+ Buyer's Guide
The Ericson 28+ is a Bruce King-designed, Ericson Yachts-built fractional-sloop racer-cruiser produced from 1983 to 1985 in roughly 90 examples. As a buyer scanning the used market, you are looking at a scarce but coherent coastal design: an upgraded 28-foot-six-inch hull with more interior space than the earlier Ericson 28, a solid fiberglass body with balsa-cored deck, and the builder's Tri-Axial Force Grid for stiffness. Knowing what the boat is—and what it is not—keeps a purchase focused on condition rather than speculation.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 28+ shares the same King arrangement: a bow V-berth sleeping two, an aft starboard quarter berth for one, and a main saloon with twin settees that convert to singles around a folding table, for a stated capacity of six. The port galley runs with sink, stove, icebox, and storage; the starboard head carries sink, toilet, and shower with about six feet of headroom throughout. The 5-foot fin keel is standard, though a 4-foot shoal version exists and is worth noting if you favor shallow coves. The 11-horsepower Yanmar diesel, 25-gallon fuel, and 25-gallon water tank are uniform across the class.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats will carry the standard sail wardrobe—a roughly 200-square-foot main and a 150 percent genoa—but the meaningful buyer distinctions lie in downwind and overlapping inventory. A 568-square-foot asymmetrical spinnaker is the principal reaching upgrade, and a second near-96 percent jib broadens light-air options. Beyond sails, the only consequential equipment theme is energy: the small 11-horsepower diesel and twin 25-gallon tanks argue for a solar or battery upgrade if you plan extended anchorages, since nothing in the base spec addresses house power.
What to Inspect
The light-wind performance trait is a design characteristic rather than a defect anchor. More usefully, confirm the balsa-cored deck for soft spots or moisture intrusion, since a compromised core is a known maintenance area on this construction type. The solid fiberglass hull and TAFG grid are otherwise straightforward, and the keel-stepped mast should be examined at the step for compression or rot in surrounding structure.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Production ran only three years with about 90 units, so expect a slow search rather than a crowded field. When you find one, walk through this short list:
- Verify deck core soundness and mast-step condition
- Confirm shoal versus standard 5-foot keel for your waters
- Check for asymmetrical spinnaker and second jib as value additions
- Assess house-power needs against the bare 11 HP diesel and 25-gallon tanks The 28+ rewards a patient buyer with a stiff, quick coastal sailboat whose only real caveat is its light-air lethargy.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westerly Merlin 28 | 27.06' | $ 17,483 | 30 | 5 |
| Ericson 35-3 | 35.5' | $ 21,900 | 21 | 8 |
| Pearson 28 (1975-80) | 28' | $ 15,200 | 16 | 3 |
| One-Off 28 | 28.18' | $ 40,756 | 14 | 2 |
| Ericson 30+ | 29.92' | $ 19,442 | 12 | 1 |
| Jeanneau First 28 | 28.21' | $ 26,586 | 12 | 3 |
| Ericson 28-2 | 28' | $ 16,800 | 9 | 2 |
| Ericson 29 | 28.58' | $ 12,500 | 7 | 3 |