Rhodes 28 (Rhodes Ranger)
Description
The Rhodes 28 (also known as the Rhodes 28, Rhodes Ranger, or sometimes listed as Rhodes 29 due to LOA variations) is a classic fiberglass cruising/racing sloop designed by Philip L. Rhodes in the late 1950s (around 1958–1959). It was one of the early GRP (fiberglass) production boats from Seafarer Yachts (Long Island, NY), who imported initial hulls built in Holland (by yards like de Vries Lentsch) before shifting to U.S. production. Often called the Rhodes Ranger or Seafarer Ranger, it's an updated evolution of Rhodes' pre-war wooden designs, emphasizing elegant lines, seaworthiness, and good performance for coastal/offshore cruising or club racing. This boat is admired for its timeless beauty ("pretty" is a common owner descriptor), solid early-fiberglass construction, and balanced sailing characteristics—dry, predictable helm, capable in a breeze, and comfortable motion. It's a "proper" long-keel cruiser in the Rhodes tradition (similar to the Swiftsure 33 or Chesapeake 32 we've discussed), but slightly smaller and more affordable for weekend or extended coastal trips.
Construction Details
| Designer | Philip L. Rhodes |
|---|---|
| Builder | Seafarer Yachts |
| Length | 28.500 ft |
| LOA | 28.500 ft |
| LWL | 20.000 ft |
| Beam | 8.000 ft |
| Displacement | 7965 lb |
| Ballast | 2750 lb |
| Max Draft | 3.820 ft |
| Year Built | 1960 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 32.92 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 10 ft |
| p | 28.58 ft |
| e | 13.25 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32.92 ft | 10 ft | 28.58 ft | 13.25 ft | - | - | - | - |
Blueprints
Sails
Rhodes 28 (Rhodes Ranger) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | 28.63 ft - (8726 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 13.25 ft - (4039 mm) |
| Leech | * 30.91 ft - (9421 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.98 ° |
| Diagonal | * 31.12 ft - (9485 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | 189.41 ft² |
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Rhodes 28 (Rhodes Ranger) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 29.5 ft - (8992 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 9.75 ft - (2972 mm) |
| Leech | 26.25 ft - (8001 mm) |
| Length Perpendicular | 8.55 ft - (2606 mm) |
| Area | 126.14 ft² |
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Rhodes 28 (Rhodes Ranger) - GENOA
| Luff | 32.25 ft - (9830 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 19 ft - (5791 mm) |
| Leech | 32.25 ft - (9830 mm) |
| Length Perpendicular | 18.16 ft - (5535 mm) |
| Area | 292.78 ft² |
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Rhodes 28 (Rhodes Ranger) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 32.69 ft - (9964 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 18 ft - (5486 mm) |
| Foot | * 18 ft - (5486 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 500.16 ft² |
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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.