With a board-up draft of just 1 foot 7 inches and a displacement of 3,750 pounds, it claims the mantle of the largest truly trailerable sailboat on the market. A single person with a full-size standard vehicle can transport, launch, rig, and recover it alone.
Design and Construction
According to the Perry design review, the hull is balsa cored and hand laid up. The boat carries 1,200 pounds of lead ballast against its 3,750-pound displacement, for a ballast-displacement ratio of 32 percent.
The keel/centerboard model draws 19 inches with the board up and 5 feet 6 inches with it down. An ultra-shoal-draft variant, aimed at sailors who prioritize ramp access and lightweight trailering, draws 9 inches and weighs 2,400 pounds.
Water ballast is available and is the standard ballast approach in the smaller Sea Pearl 21 lineage. On the 28, it’s offered as the most practical option for ultra-shoal or lightweight trailering configurations. Positive flotation is also available.
The free-standing carbon-fiber and “S” Glass masts each weigh only 37 pounds but have an 11,000-pound breaking strength. That gives them the extreme strength-to-weight ratio needed for the unstayed rig.
Rig and Handling
The unstayed cat-ketch rig uses short, tabernacle-stepped masts. The rig provides hands-off tacking, and one person can raise the masts using a mechanical strut and winch. The innovative mast tabernacle provides lateral support during raising and lowering, and the rig can be set up in less than 15 minutes out of the water.
Because the free-standing masts work with the tabernacles, there are no restrictions on boom travel. A fixed gooseneck and masts that rotate in their sockets allow each mast and boom to turn through a full 360 degrees. When running, the booms can swing more than ninety degrees from the centerline. This geometry provides better than 180 degrees of steering latitude, greatly reducing the chance of an accidental jibe.
Full battens and lazy-jacks help the boat get under way quickly. To drop the sails with some dignity, the crew simply releases the halyard. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is a surprising 19.2, which the reviewer assumed was calculated without water ballast. It points to a lively rig on a light hull.
Accommodations
Below, the Sea Pearl 28 sleeps four in full-sized berths. The head is tucked under the V-berth, but there are no staterooms and no privacy. Headroom is 5 feet 1 inch.
The sliding galley stows under the starboard cockpit seat and rolls out over the starboard berth. It includes a large draining sink with optional pressure water, a two-burner stove, and a three-door cabinet with usable storage. When the galley is stowed, it frees an 80-inch single berth and space for two more adults in the cockpit. A matching port cabinet can be added for appliances or storage.
Large opening ports, a large companionway, and a forward two-way hatch ventilate the spacious cabin. The boat carries 50 gallons of fresh water. An optional set of connecting panels can enclose the cockpit with screens and weather flaps between the dodger and bimini.
The Verdict
The Sea Pearl 28 is a purpose-built trailerable cruiser for sailors who value ramp launching, shallow draft, and fast solo rigging more than cabin privacy or a bluewater hull form. Its rotating, unstayed cat-ketch rig is genuinely clever, while the sliding galley makes smart use of the available space.
Writing in boats.com’s Perry Design Review, the reviewer noted that the double-ended hull does little for performance, but that some boats need to be double-enders. The low headroom and open layout likewise suit a particular kind of cruising.
Pros
- One-person trailering, launching, rigging, and recovery with a standard vehicle
- Free-standing rig that can be set up in less than 15 minutes, with 360-degree mast rotation and resistance to accidental jibes
- Ultra-shoal 9-inch-draft and water-ballast options for lightweight trailering
- Sliding galley that frees berth space and adds cockpit seating
Cons
- 5-foot 1-inch headroom, with no privacy or staterooms
- Double-ended hull form limits performance, according to the design review
- Open-plan cabin won’t suit sailors who need enclosed accommodations
