Sabre 28
Built 1971–1986 by Sabre Yachts
About the Sabre 28
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Built
- 1971–1986
- Builder
- Sabre Yachts
- Designer
- Roger Hewson
- Length
- 28.42 ft
- Waterline
- 22.83 ft
- Beam
- 9.17 ft
- Draft
- 4.33 ft
- Displacement
- 7,900 lb
- Ballast
- 2,900 lb
- Hull / keel
- fin keel
- Rig
- sloop
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Fuel
- 20 gal
- Holding
- 22 gal
- Number built
- 588
- Stern thruster
- none
- Steering
- Edson
Sources disagree on water tank — left blank rather than guessed.
Built in three versions (sailboatdata: 28-1 1971-76 hulls below 212, 28-2 1976-82 hulls 212-539, then a 28-3); specs shown are the 28-2. The 28-1 is 28.0 ft LOA, 9.0 ft beam, 6,900 lb. Shoal keel about 3.8 ft; a few ketch-rigged boats. Practical Sailor gives the run as 1972-1986; keelindex says roughly 588 built across all marks. Engines by year per PS: Atomic 4 to 1975, 10 hp Volvo optional from 1975, Volvo MD7A standard 1978, Westerbeke 13 from 1981. Water tank: PS says 30 gal, sailboatdata 20 gal. Hull is solid hand-laid mat and roving; deck balsa-cored; external lead keel; hull-deck joint through-bolted on 6 in. centers. Hull material left null: reviews describe a hand-laid mat-and-roving hull but none read states solid vs cored for this model.
Known problems for this model
-
Early boats lack forward lower shrouds rigging
Forward lowers were added in 1975 to stop the deck-stepped mast pumping and vibrating; check that a pre-1975 boat has been retrofitted.practical-sailor.com
-
Offset shaft limits repower choices running gear
Atomic 4 boats have the shaft offset to port for a right-hand engine while Volvo boats are offset to starboard, so repowering an Atomic 4 boat needs a right-hand-turning engine to keep handling right.practical-sailor.com
-
Poor access on Atomic 4 boats and to the stuffing box engine
Owners rate engine access poor on early gas-engined boats, and the stuffing box is hard to reach for its yearly repacking on all versions.practical-sailor.com
-
Balsa-cored deck deck
The deck is balsa-cored with plywood inserts under hardware; like other Sabres of the era it should be sounded and moisture-checked around fittings.practical-sailor.com · keelindex.com
Engines & parts
Universal Atomic 4 parts: good
Factory standard engine — you entered “Universal Atomic 4”
Tens of thousands were built (sources say from 40,000 to 50,000). Despite being out of production for decades, the engine is well supported: Moyer Marine sells parts, rebuilt engines, fuel pump rebuilds and exhaust parts, and hosts an owners' forum; Old Lyme Marina and others also supply parts, and electronic ignition upgrades are available.
Parts sources: Moyer Marine
Common problems (3)
-
Raw-water cooling scale and corrosion cooling
Most Atomic 4s are raw-water cooled, so the block scales up and corrodes, especially in salt water; cranking without starting can also flood the engine with seawater through the exhaust.goodoldboat.com · moyermarineforum.com · keelindex.com
-
Gasoline vapor fire/explosion risk fuel
Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and settles in the bilge, so ventilation, blower use and shutting the fuel valve (a stuck carburetor float can overflow) matter.goodoldboat.com
-
Ignition and fuel system faults electrical
Points, condenser, cap and wires, plus gummed carburetors and contaminated fuel, are the most common reasons an Atomic 4 won't run well.keelindex.com · goodoldboat.com
Sources disagree on first year, last year, number built — left blank rather than guessed.
Steering
Edson — Pedestal chain-and-wire steering parts: good
Edson (New Bedford, MA) still sells service parts: chain-and-wire kits, sprockets, idlers, pull-pull conduit steering and internal pedestal parts, and keeps steering data sheets by boat model, many decades old.
Parts sources: Edson Marine (service parts)
Common problems (3)
-
Old or slack steering wire steering
Edson advises replacing steering wire about every five years, checking tension with the wheel locked, and inspecting under load annually; owners often find decades-old stiff wire.usna.edu · youtube.com
-
Lubrication and fastener checks steering
Chain, wire, sheaves and pedestal bearings need regular oiling or greasing, and clevis/cotter pins and bolts should be checked monthly to avoid failures.usna.edu
-
Replacing engine control cables in the pedestal steering
Swapping throttle/shift cables inside an Edson pedestal is a common owner job requiring removal of the wheel shaft sprocket pin.forums.sailboatowners.com
Edson — Traditional geared steerers (worm / rack-and-pinion) parts: good
Edson says its traditional wheels and geared steerers are still available, now built with modern materials; rack-and-pinion steerers are offered for transom-hung and inboard rudders.
Parts sources: Edson Marine (traditional steerers)
Model sources (8)
sailboatdata.com · sailboatdata.com · practical-sailor.com · keelindex.com · soundingsonline.com · mainebiz.biz · groups.io · curtisstokes.net
Other Sabre models
- Sabre 30 1979–1993
- Sabre 34 1976–?
- Sabre 36 1985–1990
- Sabre 38 Mk I 1981–1987
Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.