Roberts 28
Description
The Bruce Roberts Spray 28 is a compact, seaworthy pocket cruiser designed by Australian naval architect Bruce Roberts in the 1970s, ideal for solo or couple's offshore adventures and coastal hopping, with over 500 examples built worldwide in multi-chine steel, aluminum, or wood/epoxy for affordable owner construction emphasizing durability and simplicity. Measuring 28 feet LOD with a 22-foot-11-inch LWL, 10-foot-6-inch beam, 3-foot-6-inch draft on a long keel for stability, and a displacement of 13,600 pounds including 4,000 pounds of ballast, this Bermudan cutter-rigged sloop (with optional gaff, junk, or schooner rigs) offers an approximate sail area of 450 square feet across mainsail and genoa for balanced performance in 10-30 knot winds, achieving 5-7 knot hull speeds with easy handling, complemented by a 18- to 25-horsepower diesel auxiliary like the Yanmar 2GM. Its traditional lines feature a clipper bow, moderate sheer, and roomy cockpit with tiller or wheel steering options, paired with a cozy interior boasting 6-foot-1-inch headroom, four berths in two cabins (V-berth forward and quarter berth aft), L-galley, dinette settee, enclosed head with shower, and ample storage alongside 50 gallons of fuel and 80 gallons of water for short passages. Proven in circumnavigations and heavy-weather trials by intrepid sailors, as in steel-hulled examples from the UK and Australia, the Spray 28 delivers big-boat qualities in a trailerable package, making it a timeless entry-level choice for aspiring bluewater explorers seeking self-reliance and comfort without excess. Note there are ketch and sloop rigs -- the dimensions here are for the ketch.
Construction Details
| Designer | Bruce Roberts-Goodson |
|---|---|
| Length | 28.000 ft |
| LWL | 39.250 ft |
| Beam | 14.000 ft |
| Max Draft | 6.250 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 36 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 13.08 ft |
| p | 32.25 ft |
| e | 9.83 ft |
| p2 | 17.42 ft |
| e2 | 5.83 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 ft | 13.08 ft | 32.25 ft | 9.83 ft | 17.42 ft | 5.83 ft | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Roberts 28 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 32.25 ft - (9830 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 9.83 ft - (2996 mm) |
| Leech | * 33.19 ft - (10116 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 33.39 ft - (10177 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | * 163.7 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Roberts 28 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 36.58 ft - (11150 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 15.167 ft - (4623 mm) |
| Leech | 33.167 ft - (10109 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 105.1 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.75 ft - (4191 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.98 ° |
| Area | * 251.51 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Roberts 28 - GENOA
| Luff | 37 ft - (11278 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 20.75 ft - (6325 mm) |
| Leech | 34.25 ft - (10439 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 144.77 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.94 ft - (5773 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.11 ° |
| Area | * 350.47 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Roberts 28 - MIZZEN
| Luff | * 17.42 ft - (5310 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 5.83 ft - (1777 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 17.94 ft - (5468 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 18.18 ft - (5541 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 52.25 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
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.