1984 Shannon 28

Somerledi, hull #52, was one of the last Shannon 28’s ever made. This incredibly tough boat will take care of you when conditions deteriorate. She’s the “offshore” layout: purpose-built to cross oceans short or even single-handed. In this layout, the quarterberth positions your head at the center of pitch for the boat, and so allows more comfortable sleeping while the boat is underway compared to the V-berth of the other layouts. The settees are comfortable, too, and are outfitted with lee cloths. Instead of the V-berth, the forward cabin has the head, a handy vice, and lots of storage space. Moving the head to the forward compartment opens up the cabin to make it feel very spacious. The head is configured to pump into a holding tank, which can be pumped out from the deck or out of a through-hull while offshore.

I’ve put her through all sorts of conditions sailing the entire east coast (see https://share.garmin.com/anlach) of the US. She had been sailed from the Gulf of Mexico to Nova Scotia even before I owned her, and she’s ready to keep going. The shape of the hull at the bow will split smoothly into a wave instead of slamming against it, which gives this boat an easy motion compared to some lighter boats. The rudder and propeller are protected by a deep skeg. This is a great relief when you’re sailing through fields of lobster buoys in Maine. Also, the encapsulated lead keel is strong - you don’t have to worry about rusty keel bolts giving way if you run aground because there aren’t any. The keel was layed up with the hull as part of the mold.

The original Yanmar 2GM is dependable and has been well-maintained. It’s easier to access than most other Shannons thanks to the well-installed, commercial grade Bomar hatch in the cockpit sole. I’ve replace the internal zincs twice, most recently in 2024. The main shaft seal was replaced in 2022, and the transmission seal to the prop shaft was just replaced in 2024. There are currently no oil leaks! Pretty good for a 40-year-old engine.

The boat is very easy to single-hand. The wind vane is as old as the boat and has full range of motion - no interference with the solar panels. This is the reason the solar array was designed as an “L” shape. There’s also an electronic auto-pilot for when the wind is too light and you’re motoring. The trim tab that the wind vane uses can be adjusted when the vane is disconnected to balance the helm when you’re heeled over. The two 100W solar panels are enough to recharge the battery every day and keep the fridge running around the clock. If you get a few cloudy days in a row, there are switches to easily swap the house and starter batteries to extend your time before you ever need to run the engine to recharge. For navigation, I’ve always used a couple Ipads with Navionics. They work very well with the Vesper AIS - just connect to the WiFi, make sure it’s enabled in the app, and you will see the other boats.

The first fifty one Shannon 28s must have given the builders plenty of practice because the interior woodwork is masterful. It feels super cozy to be surrounded by teak with the sun coming in through the bronze portlights, or with the little woodstove burning on colder evenings. The full galley has both a freshwater pump, which can draw from any of the three 20-gallon water tanks, and a separate pump hand-pump for getting water from a through-hull or pumping out the ice-box (controlled with a Y-valve). The Origo/Dometic alcohol burning stoves are safe and easy to use for cooking, and the refridgerator has a lot of space. People up to 6’2” in height can stand up fully in the cabin - much more room than other small boats.

On deck and in the cockpit, the diamond-pattern nonstick helps prevent slipping. The tiller steering is simple and works well with the transom-hung rudder. The 33lbs Rocna Vulcan anchor with all-chain rode lets you sleep easily. The main bow roller for the chain rode is mid-bowsprit. I have heard this can be an issue on other Shannons, but this one is reinforced by steel plates that are welded all the way around the sprit. This reinforcement is not standard on other S28s. I would still recommend to snub the chain using a nylon line run through a snatch block at the tip of the sprit. It works well, and I’ve left that snatch block on the boat. Twin forestays allow hoisting the high-clewed yankee jib even while the roller furling sail is bent on. The self-tacking staysail is truly wonderful if you have to fight against some chop upwind. New 3/8 thick stainless steel chainplates were fabricated and installed in 2019. When hauled out, the custom sunbrella cover keeps snow off and UV damage to a minimum, and is installed while the mast is in.

I have been living in Seattle for a couple years now, and after a final adventure in the Bahamas that just concluded this February, the time has come to sell the boat. It’s been a great six years, and I’d highly recommend this boat. It includes a lot of the expensive items you need for a safe, ocean-going vessel (VHF, EPIRB, AIS, etc. - see below for full list), and it shouldn’t last too long at this price!

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