Her lineage reaches back to the 1948 Olympic Games. The first Great Dane was essentially a Nordic Folkboat exported to the United States, while the prototype Great Dane 28 appeared in 1960 as a wooden yawl with mahogany planking. The fiberglass production boat that followed combined this Folkboat heritage with Utzon’s earlier double-ended spidsgatter, the Sisu.
Design and Construction
The production Great Dane 28 has a transom stern, heavily raked rudder, cutaway forefoot, and keel-hung rudder. The result is a beguiling blend of Folkboat and spidsgatter. Reviewers found that the hull shape also echoed Twisters and a broad family of long-keel yachts from the same era in this Great Dane 28 used-boat review.
She displaces 8,500 pounds, carries 3,968 pounds of iron ballast, and draws 4ft 6in. Conceived as a heavy-displacement cruising yacht, she has short ends and high freeboard, giving the impression of a large boat for her length. Yachting World likened her to a “modern Falmouth Quay Punt.”
Klaus Baess was responsible for the deck structure and much of the interior. Testers described the Great Dane 28 as a sound design built to a high standard, with a solid fiberglass hull and deck. Below, much of the finish is oiled teak.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Great Dane 28 is a masthead sloop with 358 square feet of sail area and a 21ft 4in waterline. She wasn’t built to break records, but she’s no slouch. In flat seas with a fresh Force 3, she proved responsive and at least as quick as a more-acclaimed yacht of the same vintage.
Her long keel, cutaway forefoot, and keel-hung rudder give her predictable tracking. Test sailors described her as the kind of boat tried and tested for comfort and safety rather than great speed.
Yachting World also credited the Great Dane 28 with an air of efficiency and general competence rarely found in a production boat. That assessment was borne out when a Great Dane 28, with Baess at the helm, won the 1969 One of a Kind Rally.
Accommodation
The original interior layout had a dinette to port that converted into a small double bunk. Opposite it was a six-foot galley to starboard. A wet locker and chart table sat aft, with the heads forward to port. In all, the original layout provided five berths.
Later Great Dane 28s adopted a more conventional arrangement, with a full-beam saloon and the galley aft. The change makes early dinette boats noticeably different from later versions for anyone shopping or planning a refit.
Testers were struck by the character of the 1960s décor. Curves appear throughout, from the large saloon windows and rounded table corners to the distinctive half-moon drawer handles. Abundant oiled teak completes the period interior.
Cockpit
The cockpit is thoughtfully arranged, with a raised helm seat aft, a central pedestal carrying the engine controls and mainsheet, and crew lockers forward. Its shortcoming is the seating: without full-length fore-and-aft benches, the crew has limited room to stretch out.
Maintenance and Ownership
The extensive varnish and oiled teak on deck and below make regular brightwork maintenance part of Great Dane 28 ownership. Her Folkboat-influenced profile, sweet lines, and exterior varnish give her a classic character that rewards careful upkeep.
Known Issues
The only documented shortcoming is the cockpit seating arrangement. The absence of full-length benches restricts the crew’s stretch-out space.
The Verdict
The Great Dane 28 is a thoroughly tested Danish cruiser that trades outright speed for reassuring stability, predictable long-keel manners, and a characterful, well-built interior. She should suit buyers who value traditional aesthetics and a teak-rich cabin more than racing performance. With some 300 boats built, examples can be found with either the early dinette layout or the later, more conventional saloon.
Pros
- Sound design and high build standard, with a solid fiberglass hull and deck
- Heavy-displacement, long-keel hull with a cutaway forefoot and predictable handling
- Characterful 1960s teak interior, curved details, and large saloon windows
- Folkboat-influenced lines and classic exterior varnish
Cons
- Cockpit lacks full-length fore-and-aft benches
- Prioritizes comfort and safety over great speed
