Design and Construction
The Liberty 28 has a solid fiberglass hull and solid fiberglass deck. Her iron ballast keel accounts for 4,800 pounds within a displacement of 12,000 pounds, giving her a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 40 percent.
With an overall length of 28 feet and a beam just under 9.6 feet, her length-to-beam ratio is 2.92. The result is a narrow, voluminous hull rather than a beamy modern design. Her displacement-length ratio of 372 places her in the ultra-heavy cruiser category.
A capsize screening value of 1.67 points to conservative, seakindly reserves, while a motion comfort ratio of 35.7 suggests the steady, slow-rolling behavior that owners of heavy boats often value in a chop. At about 812 pounds per inch of immersion, she sits deep and trims slowly as weight is added.
The long keel, transom-hung rudder, and 4-foot draft favor directional stability and a predictable, grounding-forgiving profile, though at the expense of upwind agility.
Rig and Performance
The Liberty 28 carries a cutter rig with 515 square feet of sail. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 15.72—modest by racing standards, but consistent with a cruiser intended to carry stores rather than sprint. The cutter rig also allows a solo or short-handed crew to reduce sail in manageable steps as conditions build.
Her theoretical hull speed is 6.6 knots, the natural limit for a displacement hull with this waterline. Together with the long keel and heavy displacement, that makes her better suited to steady tracking than bursts of speed.
Auxiliary power comes from a 15-horsepower Volvo Penta MD11 diesel driving a single propeller. Supplied by a 30-gallon fuel tank, it suits the boat’s 12,000-pound displacement for motoring in harbor and light winds.
Cruising Practicalities
The Liberty 28 carries 54 gallons of water and 30 gallons of fuel, a balance that favors extended time at anchor over long passages under power. Liberty Yachts built her as a practical coastal and offshore cruiser rather than a weekend racer.
Within a 28-foot hull, however, the narrow beam and heavy-displacement form don’t produce the wide-open interior found in many modern boats. Her priorities are stability, simplicity, and load-carrying capacity rather than speed or spaciousness per foot.
Verdict
The Liberty 28 is a purposeful little heavy cruiser. Fennell’s narrow, deeply immersed hull and conservative ballast plan give her the steady motion associated with heavier boats, while the cutter rig offers practical sail control.
She isn’t for sailors chasing exceptional speed or a broad, open interior. For a buyer who values a documented American cruiser, with around seventy built, and wants seakindly motion in a compact package, she rewards the right expectations.
Pros
- Ultra-heavy-displacement hull with a 40 percent ballast ratio for reassuring stability
- Cutter rig supports manageable, stepped sail reduction
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck provide simple, repairable construction
- Conservative capsize screening and motion comfort ratios for her size
Cons
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air performance
- Narrow beam and heavy displacement keep her close to theoretical hull speed
- With around seventy built, finding one may take patience
