Design and Construction
Paine's hull is solid fiberglass, but the decks are balsa cored to reduce topside weight, a meaningful choice on a 8,300-lb boat carrying 3,900 lbs of lead ballast cast and fastened to the keel stub. Below, the structure is traditional and warm: solid teak bulkheads, beautifully varnished pine slating, and dark mahogany trim define the interior architecture. On deck, teak non-skid surfaces are common in many specimens, and teak highlights may include the toerail, cockpit chairs, and companionway. The mast is stepped at the keel, anchoring the rig to the backbone rather than the cabin top.
Rig and Handling
With a sail area of 410 sq.ft. on a keel-stepped masthead arrangement, the Linda is described as seaworthy and swift, and the 4-foot 4-inch draft opens shoal seas and sailing spots such as the Bahamas and the Florida Keys that deeper 28-footers cannot reach. Auxiliary power is a 13HP Westerbeke or 18HP Volvo diesel, paired with 18 gallons of fuel, 60 of water, and 34 of holding — tankage that supports extended coastal use without the volume of a larger cruiser. The boat's 43-percent ballast-to-displacement ratio and modest waterline length keep her steady and manageable, though her character is built around accessible cruising grounds rather than offshore speed records.
Accommodations
Inside, the Linda reads as a custom-leaning day sailer and short cruiser. The varnished pine slating and dark mahogany trim give the cabin a finished, classic-yacht feel, while solid teak bulkheads carry load without the paneled look of lighter production boats. Teak non-skid and the named deck highlights — toerail, cockpit chairs, companionway — extend that warmth above. The 60-gallon water capacity is generous for the length and signals a boat meant to spend nights away from the dock, not merely days.
Known Issues
The one structural temperament worth knowing is that, when laden with cruising gear, the Linda can easily become stern heavy because the leading edge of the keel — and thus the ballast — sits far aft; this is a gremlin Chuck Paine has seen on occasion. Separately, some of the sixteen boats were completed by their owners, and the quality of those custom boats will vary, with some better than factory examples and others not. A buyer or reviewer should therefore distinguish a factory-finished Linda from an owner-completed one before judging fit and finish.
Refits and Ownership
Because a portion of the fleet was owner-completed, the used population is not uniform: factory boats set the baseline, but some custom finishes exceed it and some fall short. Teak surfaces and the balsa-cored deck are the visible maintenance items; the solid-fiberglass hull avoids core-decay risk below the waterline even if the deck demands vigilance. The short production run and 16-boat total mean any Linda is a scarce, purpose-built Paine design rather than a commonplace coastal racer.
The Verdict
The Morris 28 Linda is a rare, Paine-designed 28-footer that pairs a solid-fiberglass hull with a weight-saving balsa-cored deck and a keel-stubbed lead ballast, engineered for shoal-friendly coastal cruising with real blue-water range. Her teak-and-mahogany interior and keel-stepped mast give her the feel of a custom yacht, undercut only by a stern-heavy tendency under load and an inconsistent owner-completed subset.
Pros
- Only 16 built; a scarce Chuck Paine design with factory and owner-completed variants
- Solid fiberglass hull with balsa-cored decks for reduced topside weight
- 4-foot 4-inch draft opens Bahamas and Florida Keys shoal waters
- Generous 60-gallon water and 34-gallon holding for the length
Cons
- Stern-heavy when laden, due to aft-positioned ballast leading edge
- Owner-completed boats vary in quality against factory standard
