Merit 28
Description
The Merit 28 is a versatile, high-performance fiberglass sailboat designed by Paul Yates and built by Merit Marine Inc. from 1983 to 1988, with approximately 50–100 units produced. As an evolution of the Merit 25, it features a fin keel, spade rudder, raked stem, and reverse transom, balancing club racing capabilities under MORC and PHRF rules (~150–170) with coastal cruising comfort. Powered by an outboard auxiliary (typically 6–9.9 hp in a well) or optional inboard diesel, with tiller steering, it’s agile, stable, and trailerable with modifications. Its wider beam and increased interior volume make it suitable for families or racers seeking a step up from smaller models.
Construction Details
| Designer | Paul M. Yates |
|---|---|
| Builder | Merit Marine Inc. |
| Length | 28.000 ft |
| LOA | 27.920 ft |
| LWL | 24.250 ft |
| Beam | 9.000 ft |
| Displacement | 4000 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.330 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 37.83 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 11 ft |
| p | 32.75 ft |
| e | 12 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37.83 ft | 11 ft | 32.75 ft | 12 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 32.75 ft - (9982 mm) |
| Foot | * 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
| Leech | * 34.33 ft - (10464 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.98 ° |
| Diagonal | * 34.48 ft - (10510 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | 196.27 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 31.52 ft - (9607 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.36 ft - (4377 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.78 ft - (8467 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.65 ft - (3856 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 199.42 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 37.43 ft - (11409 mm) |
| Foot | * 17.58 ft - (5358 mm) |
| Leech | * 35.43 ft - (10799 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.5 ft - (5029 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 308.74 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 37.43 ft - (11409 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 19.8 ft - (6035 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.8 ft - (6035 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 629.95 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.