Design and Construction
The J/28C's hull is solid fiberglass, a material that keeps in-season maintenance to a minimum, and the boat carries lead ballast at a 38 percent ratio. That figure sits above only 38 percent of similar sailboats, and the modest ballast relative to displacement is reflected in practice: the design shows an ability to resist heeling that is below average for its class. The wetted surface runs about 269 square feet, and the theoretical hull speed for a displacement boat of this length is 6.6 knots. Immersion rate is roughly 837 pounds per inch, a useful number for judging how she sits as crew and gear load her. The centerboard draws about five feet, shallow enough to clear most marina entrances, and the spade rudder completes a modern fin-and-spade underwater profile.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig is slightly overrigged—carrying more sail area relative to similar boats than most of them—which gives the J/28C a lively turn of speed but demands an attentive hand. The fin keel provides splendid maneuverability, though it gives up some directional stability compared with a long-keel arrangement splendid maneuverability. The halyard and sheet inventory is generous for a 28-footer: mainsail, jib, genoa, and spinnaker halyards each run 94.2 feet at 5/16-inch diameter, while jib and genoa sheets are 28.4 feet of 3/8-inch line, the mainsheet 71 feet of 3/8, and the spinnaker sheets 62.5 feet of 3/8. A cunningham and kicking strap of 13 and 26 feet respectively, both 5/16 inch, plus a 26-foot 5/16-inch clew outhaul, round out the control lines a buyer will find led aft.
Accommodations
The designer chose a significantly more spacious hull form, and the 2.84 length-to-beam ratio is the numerical expression of that intent. Against peers of the mid-eighties, the J/28C offered more room than most of them, a consequence of the beam carried well aft and the compact rig leaving the cabin uncluttered. The hull's stated spaciousness is the headline accommodation fact for the design.
The Verdict
The J/28C is a thoughtfully proportioned small sloop: beamy and roomy for her length, quick to maneuver, and lightly rigged enough to be handled short-handed yet slightly overcanvased for her ballast. She asks the owner to stay engaged on the helm given the fin keel's directional manners, and to accept modest stiffness when the breeze builds.
Pros
- Beamier and more spacious than most comparable designs
- Fiberglass hull needing minimal in-season maintenance
- Fin keel gives splendid close-quarters maneuverability
- Generous, well-sized control-line inventory for the size
Cons
- Below-average ability to resist heeling from a 38 percent ballast ratio
- Fin keel less directionally stable than a long keel
- Slightly overrigged relative to most similar boats
