Design and Construction
The LM 28 carries a displacement of 3,629 kg against 1,134 kg of ballast, a ballast-to-displacement ratio that sources differ on — SailWiki records 31.25 percent while yachtdatabase expresses 36 percent depending on the keel fitted. The hull is solid hand-laid fiberglass with a long-keel hull of the same material, and the builder offered the boat with different keel alternatives — one iron, one lead. The deck is a fiberglass sandwich, a construction LM Glasfiber used across its range to stiffen the structure and check interior condensation. With a length-to-beam ratio of 3.02 and a displacement-length ratio near 241 (SailWiki) or 277 (yachtdatabase), she is beamy and moderately heavy for her length, and the 24.03 comfort ratio plus 27.4 motion comfort figure from the two reviews place her among the steadier small cruisers rather than the lively racers.
Rig and Performance
She is a masthead sloop carrying 32.98 square meters of sail area, yielding a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 14.24 with the standard sail and 13.5 with a 135 percent genoa per yachtdatabase, or 11.4 against the ISO reference sail. The wetted surface runs about 24 square meters. A Volvo Penta 2003 diesel of 28 horsepower turns a saildrive and drives her to 7.0 knots under power, just above the 6.6-knot theoretical displacement hull speed (SailWiki cites 6.64 knots max). The capsize screening figure sources differ on — logged as 1.91 by SailWiki and 1.81 by yachtdatabase — in either case a reassuring number for offshore-minded owners. Her immersion rate is about 145 kg per centimeter, or roughly 816 to 835 lbs per inch, so she settles predictably with load.
Accommodations
Below, the LM 28 is laid out with two cabins and five berths, a galley, and a toilet facility, the interior finished in teak like most Scandinavian boats of the era. The motorsailer brief means the accommodation is arranged around a sheltered pilot position rather than a pure saloon, and the 2.9-meter beam gives the belowdecks volume a roomy feel for a 28-footer. The 140-liter fuel and 140-liter water tanks (SailWiki) — the fuel carried in stainless steel per yachtdatabase — support extended coastal cruising without constant replenishment.
The Verdict
The LM 28 is a sensible, well-found Danish motorsailer whose long-keel hull, solid fiberglass construction, and sandwich deck deliver the steady, condensation-free interior that defined the marque. She is no light-air flyer, but the ballast ratio and comfort figures mark her as a stable platform for a couple or small family, and the Volvo diesel with saildrive gives a useful 7-knot motoring reserve. With only 325 built and production closed in 1991, she remains a tidy example of Andersen's work for LM Glasfiber.
Pros
- Long-keel solid fiberglass hull with iron or lead keel options
- Sandwich deck construction for stiffness and reduced condensation
- 28 hp Volvo Penta 2003 saildrive achieving 7.0 knots under power
- Two cabins, five berths, teak interior, generous 140 L tankage each for fuel and water
- Comfort and capsize ratios indicating a stable, seaworthy small cruiser
Cons
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratios limit light-air sailing performance
- Saildrive transmission carries the usual diaphragm-service considerations
- Shallow-ish 1.35–1.45 m draft still grounds in the thinnest estuaries
