1979 Cape Dory CD 28

Step below and you’re met with that warm Cape Dory glow: real wood joinery, soft corners, and a layout that feels far larger than 28 feet. The tiller steering turns the cockpit into a proper gathering space at anchor, yet gives you fingertip control under sail. With the full keel and protected rudder, she tracks like she’s on rails when the breeze pipes up, and settles gently at mooring with none of the skittishness of modern fin-keelers. The included trailer and modest draft open up new cruising grounds and make winter layup far more flexible—not to mention dramatically lowering ownership costs over time.

A Cape Dory 28 shines in waters where conditions can change quickly—short chop, surprise squalls, and tight harbors are exactly what this hull was built for. The long keel and moderate displacement give a reassuring, steady motion when the breeze builds, yet she’s compact enough to slip into the smaller slips and moorings common in busier marinas. Her simple rig and self-tacking headsail make singlehanding realistic, even when shorthanded or in shoulder-season weather. Add in the efficiency of a reliable small diesel and the convenience of a road-capable trailer, and you’ve got a cruiser that’s as practical for weekend gunkholing as it is capable for longer coastal passages.