Design and Construction
The hull is made of hand-laid fibreglass — a material choice that demands relatively little maintenance through a sailing season. The deck goes a step further: a sandwich construction that improves the indoor climate, providing meaningful insulation when cold northern waters meet warmer cabin air and helping keep condensation at bay below decks. The hull type is long keel, a configuration that contributes to the directional stability and seakindly motion for which the design is known. With a beam of 2.9 metres and a length-to-beam ratio that makes it more spacious than 58% of similar sailboat designs, the LM 28 manages to feel open aboard despite its modest overall length.
Rig and Sailing Characteristics
The LM 28 carries a masthead sloop rig, whose principal virtue is simplicity. A masthead rig carries a given sail area lower and therefore with less heeling moment than a fractional rig — a sensible trade-off for a boat intended for family coastal work. The total working sail area of 32.98 square metres is deliberately modest, reflecting the motorsailer brief: the boat is slightly underrigged relative to similar sailboats, which is the natural consequence of the design combining sailing and motorboat characteristics. In light air, the SA/D ratio means the diesel will earn its keep; the Volvo Penta 2003 diesel at 28 horsepower can push the boat to 7.0 knots through a saildrive transmission. A theoretical hull speed of 6.6 knots puts that motoring figure in useful perspective — under power the LM 28 is effectively at its displacement ceiling.
Motion Comfort and Seakeeping
Where the LM 28 genuinely distinguishes itself is in ride quality. The Motion Comfort Ratio is 27.4, which is more comfortable than 79% of all similar sailboat designs — a figure well above average for this size class. This stems directly from a displacement-length ratio that categorises the boat among heavy cruisers, where the combination of heavier displacement and smaller waterplane area damps acceleration and produces a steadier motion. The capsize screening value of 1.81 falls below the commonly cited offshore threshold of 2.0, suggesting capability beyond sheltered waters for a boat of its type. It is worth remembering that the comfort advantage comes with a trade-off: a heavy displacement hull is slower to accelerate and requires more power to reach hull speed.
Accommodations
Below decks, the interior provides two cabins and five berths, together with a galley and toilet facility — respectable volume for a 28-footer. 140 litres of fresh water capacity and a matching 140-litre fuel tank give the LM 28 genuine range without frequent reprovisioning. The interior joinery is teak, a material the source notes is naturally oily and therefore water-repellent — appropriate for an environment that sees regular moisture. The two-cabin layout is a meaningful privacy consideration for couple or family use that many boats of this length cannot offer.
Keel Variants and Draft
The LM 28 was built with different keel alternatives over its production run. Earlier boats often carried an iron keel, while later examples used a lead keel — the heavier lead allows a smaller, lower-drag appendage. Both configurations produce a draft of approximately 1.35 to 1.45 metres depending on load, which means the LM 28 can enter shallow marinas without difficulty. Buyers should verify keel material when evaluating individual hulls, as iron keels require closer monitoring for corrosion, particularly where the keel meets the hull.
The Verdict
The LM 28 is an honest, purposefully designed coastal cruiser-motorsailer from a respected Danish builder. It does not pretend to be a racing machine — its relative speed performance ranks it faster than just 10% of similar sailboat designs — but that was never the intention. Its strengths lie in comfort, range, shallow draft, and the durability of hand-laid fibreglass construction from LM Glasfiber, a yard with extensive composite expertise. With 325 hulls built over a nine-year production run, parts, knowledge, and community support exist in meaningful quantity. The correct buyer is someone planning sustained coastal and near-offshore passages in variable conditions who values a settled motion and a reliable diesel over sail-area exuberance.
Pros
- Motion comfort ratio significantly above average for its size class
- Capsize screening figure supports near-offshore use
- Masthead rig is simple to maintain and reduces heeling moment
- Two-cabin layout with five berths in a compact 28-foot package
- Shallow draft opens shallow harbours and anchorages
- Large fuel and water tankage for genuine range
- Hand-laid fibreglass hull requires minimal seasonal maintenance
Cons
- Deliberately underrigged: light-air sailing depends heavily on the engine
- Iron-keel variants require vigilant corrosion monitoring
- Heavy displacement limits acceleration and top sailing speed
- Ballast ratio below average reduces righting moment compared to stiffer designs
