Sterling 28 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Sterling 28 means chasing one of nineteen wooden sloops that Kim Holman drew and Uphams built in Britain between 1963 and 1965. These are rare boats, and the used market is thin by definition — any example you find will be a long-keel, masthead-rigged wooden cruiser with an iron keel and a shallow draft around 1.45 meters.
Layouts on the Used Market
A buyer should expect a single configuration: a 28-foot wood hull on a long keel with transom-hung rudder, beam of 2.59 meters, and the enclosed accommodation that a 1960s Holman cruiser typically enclosed. Treat each hull as an individual restoration story rather than a choice between trim levels.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The only documented rigging data comes from period specifications credited to Yachtdatabase: a mainsheet running 21.3 meters and jib or genoa sheets at 8.5 meters, all in 3/8-inch line specs from Yachtdatabase. A buyer should verify that running rigging matches these lengths and diameters, since a short mainsheet on a masthead sloop is a real handling liability. Beyond that, expect owner-fitted windlasses, stoves, and electronics to vary hull to hull, with no standard inventory to benchmark against.
What to Inspect
The defining inspection risk on a Sterling 28 is the junction of her iron keel with the wooden hull. Probe the keel-bolt pockets and the garboard region for rust staining, soft wood, or crystalline deposits that signal electrolytic attack between iron and timber. The transom-hung rudder should be checked for play at the stock and rot in the surrounding wood where the pintles load the stern.
Wooden hull demands a sounding survey: tap the topsides and sole for hollow notes, and smell for damp in lockers and behind joinery where ventilation is poor. The wetted surface of about 20 square meters means a full long-keel bottom — inspect the entire antifouling envelope for unrepaired blistering or wasted planking at the keel root.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Availability of a Sterling 28 is a matter of watchful waiting rather than geography.
- Sound the hull and deck for rot with a mallet
- Check keel bolts and garboard for iron-timber corrosion
- Test transom rudder stock for free play
- Verify mainsheet length is 21.3 m, not shortened
- Budget for full 20 m² bottom maintenance annually
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twister 28 | 28.25' | $ 14,821 | 25 | 2 |
| Cape Dory 28 | 28.1' | $ 18,750 | 20 | 3 |
| Shannon 28 | 28' | $ 43,565 | 12 | 3 |