Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the yard gave her a lead ballast of 1,823 pounds carried at a 44 percent ballast ratio, all within a 4,200-pound displacement. The length-to-beam ratio sits at 2.96 against an 8.2-foot beam, while the displacement-length ratio of 168 places her among light racers. Her wetted surface runs about 247 square feet, and the immersion rate of 715 pounds per inch tells you how little she settles under load. The capsize screening value of 2.28 means she would not be accepted to participate in ocean races, and the motion comfort ratio of 14.1 reinforces that she is tuned for speed over long-passage softness.
Rig and Handling
The Formula 28 is built with a fractional rig, and the rig itself is the headline: she carries more sail plan than 90 percent of similar sailboats, which the review describes as significantly overrigged anchor. With the ISO reference sail her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 21.5, rising to 24.6 with a 135 percent genoa, so she is quick to fill and quick to lean. The running rig is generously specified — mainsail, genoa, and spinnaker halyards all run 86.8 feet at 5/16 inch, while sheets and the 68-foot mainsheet are 3/8 inch — dimensions that matter when you re-rig or replace worn line. Her draft runs 5.58 to 5.88 feet depending on load, shallow enough to tuck into most marinas, and the theoretical hull speed of 6.3 knots is the natural ceiling for a displacement hull of this length.
Accommodations
Below, the Formula 28 is equipped with six berths, a count that speaks to her cruiser side without pretending at luxury volume. The cabin plan serves a small crew or a family weekend, and the beam of just over eight feet keeps the interior intimate rather than expansive.
Equipment and Power
The boat may be equipped with an inboard Yanmar 1GM10 diesel engine, a modest single-cylinder unit suited to dock exits and short hops rather than sustained motoring. Tankage is not specified by the builder.
The Verdict
The Formula 28 is a scarce, purpose-bent light racer with cruiser amenities bolted on. Her overrigged fractional sloop and low displacement make her a lively day sailor and club racer, while six berths and a fin-keel draft that respects marinas widen her appeal. She is not a bluewater boat by her own capsize screen, and her comfort numbers admit as much.
Pros
- Significantly overrigged fractional rig for pace in light air
- Light-displacement hull (DL 168) that accelerates easily
- Draft near 5.6 feet keeps most marinas reachable
- Six berths in a 28-foot package
Cons
- Capsize screening of 2.28 bars her from ocean racing
- Low motion comfort ratio (14.1) limits passage-making softness
- Fewer than 100 built, so spares and comparable boats are scarce
