I haven't posted for a while due to lock-down and not being able to move forward with finding a boat. I have also been around in circles a few times finding the right boat at the right time in the right condition for the right money.

Anyway I now have a confirmed purchase and am picking up the keys on Saturday, so am sure I will have a heap of questions as I get back on the water.

For those interested, I bought a Cavalier 28. It is up in Pittwater so will be bringing it back to Five Dock Bay as soon as I have a mooring. I am currently #1 on the waitlist.

It was re-engined in 2013 with a freshwater cooled Volvo MD 2010. The mast was painted and all rigging replaced at the same time.

I struggled with headroom in quite a few boats I inspected, but the Cav 28 is surprisingly roomy. Has been an interesting exercise finding the boat. Here is everything I have inspected along the way;

S&S 34
Bounty 35
Martzcraft 35
Cole 32
Northshore 27
Eastcoast 31
Northshore 340
Cavalier 28

And I want to say a special thanks to Troubadour who let me spend some time on his Cav 28 looking all over it before I found this one for sale.

Here is a pic;

Oh and I changed my username from "Reef Knot" to Enigma1 to match my boat name. Enigma wasn't available!

It is interesting going back and reading this post from nearly two years ago, now that I have landed on my boat;

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Cavalier-28-vs-Northshore-27-

And yes my search took two years with all of the COVID restrictions over that time.

Congratulations on your new boat. Two years is not that long to be looking and refining what suits your purpose, even without covid. Enigma looks a treat, enjoy!

Congratulations on the new vessel. Look forward to seeing her on the river soon

Nice boat.

(I am biased).

Thanks for the positive comments. I am getting excited for Saturday, although I know the weather won't be good during the afternoon in Pittwater.

Took possession of Enigma on Saturday. Spent time on both weekend days on board starting to familiarise myself with the boat. Not great weather in Pittwater so didn't even move off the mooring, but it felt good to be back on the water.

Mind sharing some pics of the interior? I'd like to compare to my Cav 26.

Plenty of Cav28s for sale with good photos eg;

yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-monohulls/cavalier-28-great-starter-yacht-for-a-small-family/265711

Select to expand quote

BlackWolf said..
Mind sharing some pics of the interior? I'd like to compare to my Cav 26.

No problem. Here are a few;

Thank you. Very different layout for only 2' of extra length.

Yes but the Cav26 designed to the old IOR rule had the associated large bow rake and pinched and upswept stern so as to make the 1/4 tonner rating to that IOR rule at the time.

The Cav28 was (thankfully, and why it is a classic) not designed to any rule - rather to be a fast day sailer and close offshore sailer hence with maximised waterline length and it did not have much bow rake - the bow was nearly plumb - and the stern lines were not pinched or upswept rather far more broad and flat and the transom ended a lot closer to the LOA. It still sailed upwind, reaching and downwind far better than most 30-35ftrs when it was launched in Kiwi and then came across here. So the volume in the Cav28 design was heaps more in relative terms compared to the 2ft LOA difference.

Of course cockpit length and cabin length influences internal layout and head height space as well.

Select to expand quote

BlackWolf said..
Thank you. Very different layout for only 2' of extra length.

Yeah it feels like there is quite a lot of volume inside and good headroom. I am 183cm and can stand up in most places. I found the layout very practical and quite inviting. It didn't feel closed in like some of the boats I inspected.

Select to expand quote

r13 said..
Yes but the Cav26 designed to the old IOR rule had the associated large bow rake and pinched and upswept stern so as to make the 1/4 tonner rating to that IOR rule at the time.

The Cav28 was (thankfully, and why it is a classic) not designed to any rule - rather to be a fast day sailer and close offshore sailer hence with maximised waterline length and it did not have much bow rake - the bow was nearly plumb - and the stern lines were not pinched or upswept rather far more broad and flat and the transom ended a lot closer to the LOA. It still sailed upwind, reaching and downwind far better than most 30-35ftrs when it was launched in Kiwi and then came across here. So the volume in the Cav28 design was heaps more in relative terms compared to the 2ft LOA difference.

Of course cockpit length and cabin length influences internal layout and head height space as well.

In this pic you can see the fullness in the transom that r13 mentions;