Design and Construction
Fennell's design sits on a solid fiberglass hull married to a solid fiberglass deck, with an iron ballast keel of 4,800 pounds locked into a 12,000-pound displacement. The displacement-length ratio of 372 earns her the categorical label of an ultra-heavy cruiser, and the beam of just under 9.6 feet against a 28-foot overall length gives a length-to-beam ratio of 2.92 — a narrow, voluminous hull form rather than a beamy modern plan. Her ballast-to-displacement figure of 40 percent and a capsize screening value of 1.67 describe a hull with a conservative, seakindly reserve, while the motion comfort ratio of 35.7 suggests the sort of steady, slow-rolling behavior owners of heavy boats prize in a chop. At about 812 pounds per inch of immersion, she sits deep and trims slowly under added load.
Rig and Performance
The Liberty 28 carries a cutter rig and a sail area of 515 square feet, returning a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.72 — modest by racing standards but consistent with a boat built to carry cruising weight rather than sprint. The theoretical hull speed of 6.6 knots is the natural limit for a displacement hull of her waterline, and with a long keel and transom-hung rudder she is built for directional stability over bursts of speed. The 15-horsepower Volvo Penta MD11 diesel, fed from a 30-gallon tank, drives a single propeller and suits her 12,000-pound mass for auxiliary motoring in harbor and light wind.
Accommodations
Below, the 28-foot hull provides a 54-gallon water capacity against the 30-gallon fuel load, a proportion that favors extended time at anchor over long motor passages. The long-keel configuration and 4-foot draft trade upwind agility for a predictable, grounding-forgiving profile. Liberty Yachts built her as a practical coastal and offshore cruiser rather than a weekend racer, and the cutter rig lets a solo or short-handed crew reduce sail in steps as conditions build.
The Verdict
The Liberty 28 is a purposeful little heavy cruiser whose design priorities are stability, simplicity, and load-carrying rather than speed or spaciousness per foot. Fennell's narrow, deeply immersed hull and conservative ballast plan make her a steady companion in unsettled water, and the cutter rig gives practical control. She is not a boat for those chasing hull-speed exceptions or wide-open interiors, but for a buyer who values a documented, around seventy built American cruiser with a seakindly motion, she rewards the right expectations.
Pros
- Ultra-heavy displacement form with 40 percent ballast ratio for reassuring stability
- Cutter rig supports manageable, stepped sail reduction
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with simple, repairable construction
- Conservative capsize screening and comfort ratios for her size
Cons
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air performance
- Narrow beam and heavy displacement keep her near theoretical hull speed
- Around seventy built, so finding one takes patience
