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The Thrill is Back: Sabre 48

• By George Sass Jr., Photography by Billy Black
• Updated: September 12, 2011

I need to come clean: I no longer embrace the opportunity to test a new boat with the same vigor and unbridled enthusiasm I did 10 years ago. Don’t get me wrong — I love running boats, but admittedly the thrill has diminished slightly over the course of time. This is partly due to the fact that the majority of boats we run today are fairly predictable, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Allow me to explain.

At last count, I had more than 125 tests under my belt. Some were memorable and some not so much. And some were memorable for being, well, not so memorable. Years back there were a few boats that did not hold up to our standards, and thus never made it into the pages of this magazine. There was the express cruiser that sank in its slip an hour before my sea trial — making it fairly difficult to complete a full evaluation. There was the boat that leaned out of its turn, and kept leaning, leaning and leaning, prompting the marketing manager to whisper “uh-oh” while edging toward the only PFD on board. And then there was the express cruiser that would require Shaq to stretch his toes while standing on a ladder to see over the bow from the helm. (The builder suggested adding an optional $2,000 video camera on the bow pulpit to avoid running over a cruise ship while under way.)

Yet today, with all of the advancements in design technology, precision mold machines and tank testing, a builder has to work fairly hard at creating a bad design. (Of course, there is a varying degree of quality in build processes.)

Then a boat, like the Sabre 48, comes along that causes me to stand at attention — a boat that tramples on the formula of predictability and reminds a jaded boat-tester like myself that running boats can still be thrilling ( watch the video and see the gallery , too).

Sabre practices an “evolutionary versus revolutionary” design philosophy, according to Bentley Collins, Sabre’s vice president of marketing and sales. Every new model relies on a strong, classical pedigree, displaying a family resemblance throughout the line. Yet, take a look at a 10-year-old Sabre and compare it with this 48, and it’s obvious that the designers and engineers are not simply spitting out more of the same.

Sabre is one of the masters of building classically inspired Down East designs that incorporate modern styling details. Combined as a whole package, these details create a timeless, elegant, yet contemporary design. The proportions of the 48 work perfectly, in my opinion. The tumblehome of the transom flows seamlessly into a deck with moderate sheer, which benefits from a cabin house design that is absent of any harsh 90-degree angles. The rake of the after portion of the house flows into the vertical strut of the upper deckhouse, which is accented by the engine room vents that carry the same angle — Brooks Brothers meets Giorgio Armani.

The cockpit was another welcome surprise. Many traditional builders don’t put as much effort into cockpit seating comfort as builders of more Euro-inspired designs. It’s as if some Yankee boatbuilders feel the need to embrace their Puritan roots — a group of people so uptight that even the British told them to take a hike. The one-level arrangement of the 48’s cockpit works extremely well for entertaining and allows for a seamless transition from the swim platform to the salon. A stainless-steel safety rail surrounds the aft three-quarters of the cockpit for additional security. An L-shape settee across the transom hugs a teak table and faces a bench settee across the aft bulkhead, allowing for a natural conversation pit at anchor or under way. This is where I would plant myself with a cup of coffee and the morning paper while on the mooring in a secluded cove. Our test boat featured an optional teak deck in the cockpit for a little extra security under foot. Sabre also offers a FreedomLift tender system on the platform to ensure that launching and retrieval are hassle-free.

Walking forward I was reminded of Sabre’s 40-year cruising pedigree. The decks are wide, the molded nonskid will grip your feet, and the stainless rails are at the perfect height. It was also refreshing to find a dual anchor roller — a must-have on a cruising boat, in my opinion. Two large bow lockers absorb fenders and lines.

Another smart touch was the starboard opening door next to the interior helm. Would the side profile be a little cleaner without it? You bet. However, I like Sabre’s lean toward functionality. This door is especially convenient for cruising couples, allowing the helmsman to easily step out to secure a spring line. The benefit of a fresh breeze blowing into the salon can’t be discounted.

The other entrance to the salon is through the stainless-steel door in the cockpit. The adjacent aft-facing window drops away to join the interior with the cockpit area. In fact, Sabre does a superb job of creating the feeling of an open express boat within the design parameters of a “salon express.” With the optional sunroof opened and the aft window lowered, there will be plenty of breeze flying, saltwater aroma and a connection with the outdoors. Sabre’s in-house naval architect, Kevin Burns, also placed extra emphasis on creating unobstructed sight lines throughout the salon — it really paid off. Even when seated at the L-shape settee abaft the helm, I was able to take in the sights of Portland, Maine, during our sea trial.

“One of the things that’s nice about this style of boat is that on a day like this you can still go out and have a nice day on the water,” commented Collins, referring to the chilly, gray overcast day of our sea trial. Indeed, we remained warm inside with plenty of places to sit back and simply enjoy being on the water. (Boaters in the Pacific Northwest, take note.)

The helm is another area that reveals Sabre’s combination of classic and contemporary styling. A leather-wrapped, curvy helm housed the two Garmin displays and Cummins electronic engine gauges. Leaning against the standard Stidd helm seat, I had a nearly unobstructed, 360-degree line of sight. It was nice to see an Exalto wiper on the center window in addition to the ones on the outboard windows. I’m constantly amazed at the number of builders that skimp on that vital center wiper. It’s these types of details, along with items such as the double anchor roller, side door, loads of stowage and wide decks that ensure that the Sabre 48 is more than just a pretty face.

Our test boat was fitted with a pair of 550-horsepower Cummins QSC 8.3 diesels coupled to Zeus pod-drives. At speed, the moderate V-hull has a stable and secure feel that I’ve come to expect from each Sabre. Burns altered the bottom and pod angle slightly in order to bring the bow down and create an optimum running angle throughout the speed curve. We shot out of the hole like a bucking bronco and reached a top speed of 34 knots, running at approximately 3.5 degrees. At 2,700 rpm I recorded a high cruise of 30.2 knots. Most remarkably, we registered a total fuel burn of 44.7 gallons, which gives the 48 a range of approximately 315 miles with a 10 percent reserve. That’s damn efficient.

Sitting on the Stidd, surrounded by warm cherry joinery and expertly stitched leather, the sportiness of the 48’s handling was a striking contrast to what you might reasonably expect of a typical Down East cruiser. Yet after five pod-drive models, it’s become standard fare for this builder. The response to adjustments of the wheel is instant, and only a minimal amount of speed is lost when turned hard over.

“This is our first model where we also designed the interior around the pods,” Collins noted, before unveiling a surprise in the salon. With a touch of a button, the portside settee moved inboard, revealing a bonus space beneath the sole in an area typically reserved for the engines. On our test boat, the space was finished as a stateroom designed to host the owner’s grandkids. With headroom of 5 feet 10 inches, a little stooping may be required, but the berth and head will certainly provide comfortable accommodations for kids or adults. Owners can also forego this option and create a utility room with a washer and dryer, additional stowage and even a freezer for the long-distance cruiser.

The rest of the accommodations truly reflect Sabre’s evolutionary design process. Details such as ceramic tile with glass tile accents in the heads, Shoji screens in the master stateroom and elegantly detailed joinery create an extremely comforting atmosphere. The amount of interior stowage was impressive, highlighted by five deep drawers and a hanging locker in the master. An island berth in the forward, en suite guest stateroom complements the athwartship berth in the master. I’ve seen many boats of this type and size where the master stateroom pales in comparison to the 48’s guest accommodations.

The fully equipped galley lines the port side and will please the demanding gourmet with double sinks, Isotherm refrigerator and freezer, a microwave/convection oven and an area for an optional dishwasher.

Even with such voluminous accommodations, the 48’s machinery space is large. An access hatch in the cockpit allows for easy inspections and fluid checks, and all components are neatly displayed and serviceable. The 11.5 kW generator sits on the centerline, while the fuel tanks are positioned outboard on each side, forward of the engine room.

Sabre’s continued dedication to innovation and quality made this boat a thrill to drive, and it will certainly be more of a thrill to own. I admit, I’m actually looking forward to my ride on the company’s new 54 later this fall.

Watch the video and see the complete photo gallery of the Sabre 48.

LOA: 47’6″ BEAM: 15’4″ DRAFT: 3’9″ DISPL.: 34,700 lb. FUEL: 500 gal. WATER: 160 gal. DEADRISE: 14 degrees at transom ENGINES TESTED: 2 x 550 hp Cummins QSC 8.3 diesels with Zeus pod-drives BASE PRICE: $920,000 PRICE AS TESTED: $1,100,000

RPM Knots GPH dB(A) 900 7.1 3.2 64 1200 8.8 7.0 67 1500 10.2 13.5 69 1800 14.7 23.1 71 2100 20.4 29.9 74 2400 25.9 36.2 75 2700 30.2 44.7 75 3000 34.0 59.7 77

Sabre, 207-655-3831; www.sabreyachts.com

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Dear Readers

• Sailboat Reviews

The Sabre 28 is an above-average coastal cruiser that should appeal to a couple or small family.

The Sabre 28 was the smallest boat in the line produced by Sabre Yachts of South Casco, Maine for much of the company’s history. The production run of the 28 lasted 14 years, from 1972 to 1986.

The Sabre 28 was the only model produced by the company until 1977, when the Sabre 34 entered production. In 1979 the gap between the Sabre 28 and the 34 was filled with a 30-footer of a design very similar to that of her two sisters. In 1982, the Sabre 38 was introduced, and features both a standard and an aft-cabin layout. A 32 was added in 1984, a 36 in 1985, and a 42-footer in 1987. Along the way, the 28 acquired a ketch-rig option. The 28 was dropped at the same time the 42 was introduced.

All boats in the Sabre line are of the modern cruiser-racer type, with fin keel and skeg-hung spade rudder. With a 1981 base price of about $37,000, and an average delivered price in southern New England of about $40,000 without sails or electronics, the Sabre 28 was a relatively expensive 28′ boat.

Despite a fairly high initial cost, the Sabre 28 has proved to be a good investment for her owners. One owner responding to The Practical Sailor’s boatowners’ survey reported that he paid $14,900 for his boat in 1973. That same boat in 1981 was worth about $24,000. A Sabre 28 purchased in 1976 cost $22,000, and was worth about $29,000 in 1981. The collapse of market values in the ’90s is evident in the latest figures, however: a 1986 Sabre 28, which cost $48,900 new, is now worth only about $34,000. This is typical of recent trends, and does not reflect on the Sabre 28—indeed, it’s held more of its value than many boats.

Owners report that the primary motivation for purchasing the boat can be summed up in one word: quality. Sabre is quite conscious of their producing a high-quality boat. The boat attracts buyers willing to pay a little more than average for a boat that is better than average.

As with all boats that have been in production for a number of years, the design of the Sabre 28 has evolved and improved over the years. In particular, a number of minor changes were made in August, 1982, some of which are noted below. Therefore, the price of a used Sabre 28 may be a function of whether it has some of the more desirable features.

The Sabre 28 is conventionally modern in appearance. She has a modest concave sheer, straight raked stern, and short after overhang.

Construction

The hull of the Sabre 28 is a slightly heavier-than-average hand layup of mat and roving. Some roving print through is evident, but there are no visible hard spots in the hull. Gelcoat quality is excellent.

There are optional hull and deck colors besides the stock white on white. On an early Sabre 28 we examined, the red gelcoat had faded to a dull pink, and the boat was past due for painting. In general red hulls are more susceptible to fading.

The deck of the Sabre 28 is balsa-cored for stiffness, with plywood inserts at stress areas such as winch mountings. The hull-to-deck joint uses a fairly standard internal hull flange, butyl-bedded and through bolted on 6″ centers with stainless steel bolts. These bolts also serve to attach a vinyl rubrail and the teak toerail: The hull-to-deck joint is through bolted across the transom.

All deck hardware, including stanchions, pulpits, and cleats, is through bolted and backed with thick aluminum plates which serve to distribute load. The stem fitting is a well-finished aluminum casting.

Skin fittings are recessed flush with the hull surface. All underwater through hull openings are fitted with bronze Spartan seacocks. Spartan seacocks have a short, lipped hose tailpiece rather than the more typical long straight tailpiece of other seacocks.

This short tailpiece precludes double clamping of hoses. This single hose clamp on below-water fit tings is fine as long as the hose clamps are kept tight. We recommend that they be checked at regular intervals.

In general, construction details are among the best that we’ve seen on a production sailboat. All fillet bonding is absolutely neat. There are no rough fiberglass areas anywhere. All exposed interior fiberglass surfaces, such as bilges and the inside of lockers, are gelcoated or painted.

Although tiller steering is standard, about 90% of the boats were delivered with Edson pedestal wheel steerers equipped with Ritchie compasses. The wheel steering option has proven so popular that in 1976 the cockpit of the Sabre 28 was redesigned to accommodate the wheel without interfering with the seating arrangement. Access to the rudder stock for emergency steering is via a plastic plate in the cockpit sole. An emergency tiller is provided with wheel-steered boats.

The mast of the Sabre 25 is a straight section Awlgripped aluminum extrusion built by Rig-Rite. Internal halyards, internal clew outhaul, topping lift, and two-point jiffy reefing are standard, as is a transom-mounted ball-bearing mainsheet traveler. The mast is deck-stepped in an aluminum casting. In new boats, this mast step has been redesigned to incorporate attachment points for blocks, facilitating the leading of halyards aft to the cockpit. Halyard winches mounted on the cabin top are another popular option.

Mast compression is transferred to the hull structure by a teak compression column incorporated in the main bulkhead. Shroud chainplates are heavily through-bolted to the main bulkhead, which is solidly glassed to the hull.

Originally, the Sabre 28 was rigged with single upper and lower shrouds. In 1975 forward lower shrouds were added to reduce mast pumping under sail and vibration at the mooring. Mast vibration in high winds, even at anchor, is a common problem with deck-stepped masts. Not all older Sabre 28s have been retrofitted with the additional set of lower shrouds. If purchase of a pre-1975 model is contemplated, be sure to ascertain that the forward lower shrouds have been installed.

The ballast keel is an external lead casting, well faired to the hull. Keelboats are accessible in the bilge for periodic tightening.

Construction of the Sabre 28 is strong without being overly heavy. There is no evidence of hurrying to finish the job anywhere in the boat.

Handling Under Sail

With optional wheel steering, optional cockpit-led halyards, and optional self-tailing headsail sheet winches, the Sabre 28 can easily be handled by one or two people. The mainsheet is within easy reach of the helmsman. Unfortunately, his head is also within easy reach of the mainsheet when jibing, except on newer boats; the mainsheet was relocated to the cabin top in 1982.

With main chainplates set well inboard, the headsail sheeting base of the boat is quite narrow, particularly if the boat is equipped with the optional inboard genoa track in addition to the standard toerail-mounted genoa track, The sheeting base is, for example, almost a foot narrower than that of the Hunter 27. This allows the Sabre 28 to be reasonably close-winded. With her relatively small wetted surface and a big genoa, she will be fast in light air.

Unless the water in your cruising area is spread very thin, we suggest you look for the standard keel version rather than the shoal keel. The shoal keel presents a less efficient lateral plane for windward work.

Some attention will have to be paid to the size of headsail used. Owners report that, although the Sabre 28 more than holds her own with other boats of her size and type, she is not a particularly stiff boat. Owners consider her performance well above average, although her PHRF rating suggests only average performance compared to similar cruiserracers. Due to the off-center solid prop, the boat may be faster on one tack than the other, and owners who intend to race the Sabre 28 should experiment to see if this is the case.

Handling Under Power

Several different engines were used in the Sabre 28. Until 1975 all were equipped with the Atomic Four gasoline engine. In 1975 a 10 horsepower Volvo diesel was offered as an option. In 1978, both these engines were dropped, and the Volvo MD7A diesel became standard. The MD7A is a two cylinder engine rated at 13 horsepower. In 1981 it was replaced by the Westerbeke 13.

The propeller shaft on the right hand turning Atomic Four is offset to port. On the left hand turning Volvos, it is offset to starboard. On the earliest Sabre 28s the shaft was on centerline. This change in engines from right hand to left hand rotation means that replacement of engines in off-center located Atomic Four powered boats will be limited to either the Atomic Four gas engine or some other right hand turning engine. Otherwise there will be considerable compromise in handling characteristics under power.

Owners report that engine access on early Atomic Four equipped models is poor. In current Volvo-powered models, access for routine service is good. Some joinerwork disassembly—planned in, fortunately—is required for engine removal, Routine service is via doors and panels.

There is no oil sump under the engine. Access to the stuffing box, needed annually for repacking and adjustment, is poor. Engine instruments—a full bank, with no idiot lights —are mounted in the bridgedeck, with engine starting and stopping controls under the helmsman’s seat. While this may seem awkward at first, it does protect the always-vulnerable ignition switch from water. This is an unusual, but reasonable arrangement.

Owners consider the boat’s handling under power to be good. With her fin keel and spade rudder, she will turn in a tight circle. Owners report that any of the engines will drive the boat at or near “hull speed” under most conditions,

Deck Layout

In 1976, a foredeck anchor well was added to the Sabre 28. The well is large enough to hold adequate primary ground tackle for the boat. It has provision for securing the bitter end of the anchor rode in boats built since 1982. We would add an eyebolt or U-bolt to the well for this purpose if it is not already there.

The water tank vent is located in the anchor well. This is a rational location for an item whose position is commonly an afterthought. Frequently, tank vents are located in the topsides, just below the sheer, This can cause backsiphoning of salt water into fuel or freshwater tanks. We saw this occur on several boats—not Sabres—in the 1979 Marion-Bermuda race, which featured four days of slogging to windward in heavy air.

The Sabre 28 is one of the few boats we have seen that uses Skene bow chocks. Skene chocks effectively hold the anchor rode or mooring lines in the chocks, even if the boat sails around on her anchor. This is an important consideration in many modern boats, for the Sabre 28, like many modern sloops of moderate displacement, probably sails almost as many miles while anchored or moored as when underway.

Heavy teak handrails and a very effective molded-in nonskid surface facilitate movement on deck in a seaway. The side decks are of necessity narrow due to the wide cabin trunk.

The cockpit of the Sabre 28 is large and comfortable. It is as large a cockpit as we would consider safe for offshore sailing on a 28′ boat. With wheel steering the cockpit easily seats five.

Cockpit lockers deserve special comment. There are two molded-in recesses in the winch islands, handy for winch handles, sail stops, and other small items. There is a shallow lift-top locker under the port cockpit seat, a deeper locker under the helmsman’s seat, and a deep locker under the starboard seat.

The deep starboard locker is bulkheaded off from the bowels of the boat so that sails, fenders, and lines will not migrate to the depths of the bilge. This locker contains built-in holders for the companionway drop boards and emergency tiller, as well as a shelf arranged for line stowage. Although the lid to this locker is a little small for the easy removal of sails, it is one of the best designed cockpit lockers we have seen.

By comparison, the companionway is a bit of a disappointment. Although it is suitably narrow and has a good bridgedeck, the opening is sharply tapered, allowing removal of the drop boards by lifting them only about an inch.

The drop boards themselves are 1/2″ teak-faced plywood in early boats, solid teak in post-1982 models. The exposed edge grain of the plywood core will soon turn gray unless the boards are well varnished. Eventually they may delaminate. We believe that plywood should not be used where it will be subject to weathering. Frankly, the boards look a little cheap on a boat of this quality.

Newer boats have a transparent smoked plexiglass companionway hatch top. Older boats have fiberglass hatches. The plexiglass hatch allows a good deal of light below.

At night, when tied to the dock, it also allows people on the dock to stare into the main cabin. An often forgotten corollary to transparent hatches is that if they allow light below during the day, they allow it out at night. The glare of a white light belowdecks can wipe out the helmsman’s night vision. Not a common problem, admittedly, but a real one nonetheless.

The first impression of the Sabre 28 belowdecks is that she is roomy, neat, and well-finished. Headroom is 6′ under the main hatch, and an honest 5′ 11″ in the main cabin.

The forward cabin contains V-berths with a filler to form a double. The 30-gallon molded polyethylene water tank is located under the forward berths. There is a drawer and a bin under each berth.

With the forward hatch open, it is possible to stand and dress comfortably with the berth filler removed.

The head is full width and closes off from both the forward cabin and main cabin by doors. The Sabre 28 came standard with a 22-gallon holding tank. A Y-valve diverter was optional.

Despite a lot of teak bulkheads and trim, the main cabin is bright and attractive. There are substantial grab rails overhead. The port settee extends to form a double berth. With all berths filled, the Sabre 28 sleeps six. Frankly, six people on a 28′ boat is too many, even for a weekend. We would prefer an alternate four-berth interior arrangement that provides a larger galley. Some older Sabre 28s are equipped with such a layout.

A bulkhead-mounted fold-down cabin table seats four comfortably. It is secured in the folded position by a screw-type hatch dog, a good idea, since a rattling table can drive you to distraction.

At the after end of the main cabin, the galley is located to starboard, with a quarterberth to port. Galley storage is good, with four drawers and several lockers. The galley sink is located just off centerline, almost under the companionway. While this location is good for ensuring that the sink will drain on either tack, care must be taken going below when well heeled on the port tack to avoid stepping into the sink.

The galley stove is a recessed two-burner Kenyon alcohol stove. Stoves of this type, which have integral fuel tanks with the fuel fill located between the burners, present a potential fire hazard if the fuel tank is refilled before the burners have cooled adequately.

On pre-1982 boats, the icebox is well insulated with the exception of the top. Given the fact that Sabre has gone so far as to install an icebox pump to keep ice melt from smelling up the bilge, we were pleased to see them complete the otherwise well designed icebox in 1982 by insulating the top and lids.

Wiring, plumbing—in general, all finishing details—are well designed and neatly finished. The location of the main electrical panel next to the companionway, where it is vulnerable to spray, is an exception to the generally well thought out installations.

Four opening ports are standard; an additional hatch over the main cabin is optional. We recommend this additional ventilation if the boat is to be used in a warm climate. The dorade box over the head is the only provision for foul-weather ventilation.

Conclusions

The Sabre 28 is an attractive, well-built, well-finished boat. Although her price is above average, construction and finish details are also well above average for a stock boat. Despite her modern underbody, she is a conservative design, conservatively built.

The Sabre 28 is neither an all-out racer, nor an allout cruiser. She is a good compromise boat, strong enough to cruise with confidence and fast enough not to embarrass.

She is good-looking in a modern way, without being so modern as to be trendy. She will probably not appeal to the hard-core traditionalist, nor to the flat-out modernist. She appeals mostly as a well turned out coastal cruiser for the couple or a small family. The Sabre 25 may be no Swan, but she’s a long way from an ugly duckling.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Appreciate your in depth comments on this yacht. I raced aboard one on Long Island Sound in the mid 70’s. I echo your sentiments and conclusion.

Is the motor cruiser version safe to use in the offshore UK waters?

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Sabre 36 Survey & General Info?

• Thread starter SailingWithSons
• Start date Feb 4, 2020
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• Sabre Sailboats

SailingWithSons

Hello Everyone, I am hopefully soon to be the owner of a 1985 Sabre 36 center board. My primary question is if there is anything in particular I should keep an extra sharp eye out for on the survey? Any known issues with Sabre 36s in general, the center board in particular, the earlier models, etc.? The boat seems to be in very good condition overall and well kept, but obviously the survey will hopefully reveal any issues. Any other general info, advice, or wisdom is also appreciated. I am going to join some of the other Sabre forums out there, so you may see this post repeated elsewhere. THANKS!!! SwS  

I understand these were well made sailboats. A good surveyor, who is familiar with Sabre's will identify any issues.  

A friend has a Tartan 37 centerboard and I would say the centerboard has been a problem for the last ten years. It is great for upwind sailing when you need to go upwind but he keeps it up more often than not. The raising and lowering pennent has had maintenance issues. There were times when the board has been stuck up, - better than stuck down. It just seems whenever we meet he's got something to say about it. Be berwy berwy careful.  

We own an 85 Sabre 38 centerboard. The pendant was replaced 8 years ago. Centerboard is completely trouble free. Boat goes to weather like on rails with board down. The shoal draft it provides is nice. But the deep keel version has a much tighter turning radius under power...tradeoffs. High quality Spartan sea cocks, if neglected, need attention. Main Sail has a great article on the procedure. A bit of water comes down the inside of the mast via internal halyards etc and can damage the cabin sole near the base. There are ways to remedy this. Otherwise awesome high quality boat with no issues.  

19Hippieump52

We purchased a Sabre 38 with centerboard three years ago, very nice sailing boat and handles rough weather and seas. The previous owner of 22 years replaced the centerboard pennant twice, first one after it broke, second time to fix his mistakes (wrong crimp on cable). I pennant was found broken yesterday. With business shutdowns, we will have to schedule haul out for repairs.  

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• Yachting Monthly
• Digital edition

• June 18, 2013

Yachting Monthly tests the Sabre 27

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

What’s she like to sail? She’s not as close-winded as a modern fin-keeler but can muster respectable boatspeed on passage – quicker than her twin-keeled sisters – and handles easily. We had her gybing and tacking with alacrity and both foresail and mainsail sheets can be trimmed from the helm, which boosts her appeal for solo sailors. Her deck- stepped mast is slotted into a tabernacle and can therefore be easily lowered to get her under low bridges – ideal for canal use. She sports a single-spreader rig with fore-and-aft lowers and a split backstay, setting a small genoa relative to her mainsail, which makes for easy short-tacking but means the mainsail needs reefing early to maintain the balance of sails and helm. For both comfort and performance she needs to be sailed as upright as possible, hence Ian’s rule of thumb for a maximum of 15° heel. Her mainsheet traveller runs across the bridgedeck, which is great for sail trimming but some would consider it a hazard for unwary crew in the event of an accidental gybe. It can also impede access to the cabin, but Ian has rigged snap shackles on either end of his mainsheet tackle, so he simply unclips it when moored up. This innovation can also be used for a man overboard retrieval by simply inverting the mainsheet and then using the jammer cleat at the top of the haul. What’s she like, in port and at anchor? When Alan F Hill drew the boat, way back in 1969, his brief was to create a yacht that the ‘average wage earner’ could afford, suitable for ‘a week’s cruise with the whole family’. She clearly wouldn’t cope with one of those 13-strong families we read about in the national press, but for a family of four she ticks all the boxes (although I know some families for whom murder might be on the agenda by the end of a week in such confined quarters). There’s plenty of room on the foredeck for anchor handling and the chain doesn’t impinge on the forecabin – it goes down through a hawse pipe into a forward chain locker. The sidedecks, too, are spacious enough for a crewman to get forward safely and there’s enough elbow room in the cockpit for a crew of four to relax. Better form stability than most yachts of her era means less rolling at anchor. Would she suit you and your crew? The Sabre 27 would certainly suit – as was intended 44 years ago – a small family with a modest budget. She’d make a good starter boat, a capable coast-hopper for a cruising couple, or an easily manageable singlehander. She’s got generous accommodation for her size, is easy to handle under sail or power and her thick hull lay-up will take a few hard knocks when you’re coming alongside. In short, the Sabre is a viable alternative to the benchmark Westerly Centaur and her fin-keeled variant, the Pembroke. She’d be OK if caught out in a blow, but I would hesitate to recommend her for deep-ocean or high-latitude work. For that, you’d be better off with a heavier, slimmer, deeper-bodied boat such as a Contessa 26 or Albin Vega. It’s swings and roundabouts, though, because neither can match her for living space. Having settled on a Sabre 27, how do you choose between the fin and twin-keeled versions? The former is undoubtedly faster but, surprisingly, she doesn’t seem to point much higher despite her relatively deep draught. The latter can dry out upright on a cheap half-tide mooring and is far more versatile up rivers, on canals and in shoal waters.

5 Reasons for Sabre Yachts’ Excellent Resale Value

Some fortunate yacht owners enjoy frequently trading for a new boat, while others buy and hold. Despite what camp you’re in, the biggest questions marking either journey come when it is time to list your boat for sale. “Will I get near my asking price? How big of a bath am I about to take?” Even amidst a seller’s market, one brand has become a resale value standout: Sabre Yachts. Chris Hall Jr., one of Bluewater Yacht Sales’ Sabre experts and self-dubbed “Blue Boat Guy” helps shed some light on what helps this iconic brand of boats hold their value so well.

It turns out a unique set of circumstances has pushed the delivery window of all new Sabre Yachts models beyond the one year mark. Ordering one of the newest models, like the 45- or 66-footer, is a process that likely eclipses two years. For those unwilling to wait, the pre-owned market is where their search lands. Hall explains, “We are finding used Sabre yachts selling for almost the same amount as what people paid for them a year or two prior.”

1. Unique Craftsmanship

When it comes to competition, there simply aren’t many brands that can match Sabre’s one-of-a-kind style. “The incredible quality of their boats and attention to detail in the joinery (which is all handcrafted in-house) definitely helps strengthen their resale value,” Chris explains. “Also, you would be surprised at how many buyers prefer a boat that is built in the U.S.” Not just Made in the U.S.A., but Crafted in the Maine Tradition, as the company’s motto states. Sabre’s roots and salt-of-the-Earth workforce hail from a heritage of ship building that can be traced back over four centuries.

2. Manufacturing Capacity

Sabre’s obsession with quality and craftsmanship may also be an influence on the supply and demand curve for their yachts. The company can no longer develop beyond their current manufacturing facilities, and the pool of experienced tradespeople in the Raymond, Maine region is finite. The Sabre facility features 4 production lines and over 150 employees tasked with building 7 different models. Sabre has invested a great deal of capital into equipment and automation to further increase production efficiency, but they will never jeopardize the human element that makes each of their yachts special.

VP of Design & Product Development, Kevin Burns puts it best, “we manage the size of the company and the scale of the production to keep our work more personalized.”

3. Initial Pricing

Sabre’s new model line-up is competitively priced, often times over 20% below comparable models from other builders. Burns offers some insight, “a great deal of calculation goes into pricing. The value must be there for an owner to make a new design or feature worth implementing. Everything is considered along the way to find efficiencies in the production of our boats and in the overall operating costs for our boat owners,” he continues. This may explain Sabre’s move to exclusively offer pod drives on every model they have introduced since 2008.

4. Purpose-Built

When pod drive technology was in its infancy, Sabre modified the hull mold of their 42 to eliminate the shaft drive elements and provide mounting basins for both Cummins Zeus and Volvo IPS systems. Extensive testing was performed on these new propulsion sets before confirming the benefits and ease-of-use of the technology. Their first IPS-specific hull was launched in 2008 as the new Sabre 38. From that time on, Sabre never looked back. Every model introduced since has featured a hull designed exclusively for pod drives—no more shaft powered boats would be offered.

PODS VS. CONVENTIONAL PROPULSION

The move from straight shafts to exclusively using pod drives was an all-in venture for Sabre and has paid off in dividends as the technology has matured. Sabre offers propulsion packages from both Cummins Zeus and Volvo Penta IPS with standard joystick controls. Digital interfaces include intuitive menus and great features such as position-hold and low-speed idle control. Both pod systems boast 15-20% higher cruise and top speeds while consuming 30% less fuel than conventional propulsion. The remarkable maneuverability of pod drives negate the need for a bow or stern thruster, which also improves fuel economy thanks to more uninterrupted surface towards the bow of the hull.

The benefits of pod drives are so strong that if you’re looking for a Downeast style boat with twin engines, the decision has already been made for you­—Grand Banks, MJM, Sabre—they’re all pod-driven boats. You really have to reach to find a conventional shaft boat in this class nowadays, but for the sake of comparison, you’ll see it really isn’t a competition between pod and conventional:

SABRE 66 DIRIGO

LOA Hull Length Beam Draft Displ. Fuel Water Holding Power

73’ 9” 67’ 10” 18’ 1” 82,500 lbs. 975 gal. 100 gal. 40 gal. Twin Volvo IPS3-1200 @ 900 hp ea.

Top speed Cruise Speed Range @ 26 kts. Range @ 21 kts.

32.5 kts 27.5 kts 365 nm 400 nm

LOA: 73’ 9” Hull Length: 67′ 10″ Beam: 18’ 1” Draft: 5’ 1” Displ.: 82,500 lbs. Fuel: 975 gal. Power: Twin Volvo IPS3-1200 @ 900 hp ea. Top Speed: 32.5 kts Cruise Speed: 27.5 kts Range @ 26 kts: 365 nm Range @ 21 kts: 400 nm

VICEM CLASSIC 71

LOA Hull Length Beam Draft Displ. Fuel Power

71’ 0” 67’ 0’ 18’ 4” 5’ 7” 89,500 Lbs 1,100 gal. Twin MAN V8 @ 900 hp ea.

26 kts 21 kts 245 nm 345 nm

There are many benefits to pod propulsion, but paramount among them are maneuverability. The combination of pod drives and joystick control can make close-quarter handling a breeze, even for relatively novice boaters. A senior couple, or even a single-hander, can operate a Sabre Yacht more easily and efficiently than ever before, with a boat specifically designed for the propulsion package.

5. Layout and Functionality

Hall and his Bluewater colleagues have pinpointed specific types of buyers in the market for a Sabre Yacht. There are those who may have aged out of sailing, are scaling down from a larger motoryacht, or looking to retire and fulfill their cruising ambitions. These are the types of customers that are gravitating towards the stylish, efficient and practical boats that Sabre produces. “There isn’t a lot of up and down, meaning you don’t have to climb a bridge ladder or a full flight of stairs to access the cabins,” Hall tells us. “This is especially important for many buyers in this segment.”

Ultimately, there is a mix of qualities that boost a Sabre yacht’s impressive resale value. But one thing is for certain: Sabre has a proven formula for building high-quality boats built by a customer-centric team of engineers, designers and craftsmen. As Kevin Burns quips, “it’s the Sabre special sauce.”

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Buying a Sabre 28 - questions

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Hi, we have been looking for a Sabre 28. Found an '84 model that looks to be in good condition. The chainplates have had attention and leaks fixed. One thing that caught my attention is that the door under the mask step is ill fitting and will not close. The top of the door is out of alignment, it's higher than the roof area that it's supposed to snug closed into. The mast step at the bottom is dry and the bilge area looks good, all areas dry. The tabbing all looked good too. We were told that the door may have been rehung due to the hinges becoming threaded and that we could take it off and plane the top down to get it to close. If we do put in an offer we would have it surveyed of course but I wanted to get opinions here, what are the thoughts? Thanks  

not sure about the forepeak door...but the Sabre 28 is one of the best boats, IMHO, ever built. It has it's quirks, curved floors, small storage. But it is well built and sails even better. Usually if the mast step has been repaired you will see a slight difference in the sole. Mine had been repaired, but they redid the whole sole with similar material that Sabre did originally. Mid atlantic repairs usually use a thinner veneer product. I would look closely at the door it should "hang" symmetrically and may just need an adjustment. Could be a land carpenter "fixed" it previously and may only need a boat carpenter to redo it. Other than mast step and older electronics, you should be happy with the Sabre 28, especially an 80's model.  

You might want a surveyor's opinion. If the door (presumably to the forward cabin?) isn't closing, it might have been rehung incorrectely, but why would it have been rehung at all? It is also common for boats with problems to "warp" and then doors don't close. Could be the chainplates were part of the problem, shrouds too tight or loose, stays too tight, boat not on stands properly, mast step shifted or repaired...it is very possible that the door won't close properly because something has shifted. Whether that's important, or correctable, or a dealbreaker, is something you probably should get a professional opinion on. Overall though, Sabre is a top line boat.  

Genki: If you are still looking for a Sabre 28, I have one for sale CHEAP!! Contact me here and I'll give you details. Dan  

sounds interesting.still have it for sale?  

Hey Dan, I saw your post to the forum about having a Sabre 28 for sale. Is it still available? I have the Sabre 28 on my short list. Thanks, Tim  

I am also looking at Sabre 28's. Can anyone give me pros and cons of Mark I vs II vs III other than the specs I can find online? I am familiar with the various engine configurations and am trying to stay away from the Volvo but would like to know if there was any change in sailing performance through the 3 models. Thanks, Molly  

As far as I can tell, the major difference is in the configuration of the head; In the mark III, the sink is on the port side with the toilet. In the mark II, which I own, the sink is on the starboard side by itself. What price ranges are you seeing?  

Molly- Practical Sailor reviewed the boat & gave it high praise, a long time ago and in their "Practical boat Buying" volume 1. Among the differences the "later" models (they don't indicate Marks) had added lower forward shrouds to reduce mast pumping. Changed the mast base to add fittings to make it easier to lead all lines aft. And eventually moved the traveler to the cabin top in 1982, apparently to preserve the helmsman's head. In 1976 the forward anchor well was added. Pre-1982, the top of the ice box was not well insulated lathough the box itself was. post-82, the top was also insulated. Base engine was the A4 with a Volvo diesel option, then both were replaced by the MD7A and finally a Westerbeke in 1981. So if you don't want Volvo, you will be getting a 1981+ boat or a repowered one. Those Volvos are capable of running a very long time, but ANY raw-water-cooled engine that has been used in salt water all this time my have extensive salt corrosion and literally be rusting away inside. Typically you can check that by removing the cooling pump or somtimes the exhaust manifold itself, in order to see if the engine has been eaten out. That's about the only thing that really will kill them. As compared to Westerbleak [sic] sho never really BUILD engines, they assemble parts supplied by the lowest bidder. So one "WB" may be a British Leyland engine while another comes from Japan...some sleuthing may be required. Basically they give the boat a gold star, and differences (moving the traveler, insulating the icebox, adding the shrouds) are all fairly simple changes an owner can make. Choice of engine and anchor well are about the only things you'd want to make sure were already done, and it sounds like "post 82 boat" would make that all happen for you. I never met a Sabre I didn't like, or find some really small feature that tipped me off, the folks who were building it, spent plenty of their own time appreciating boats.  

Thanks for the very accurate info, Sailor. My 1980 has the Volvo engine, but the raw water only cools the fresh water through the heat exchanger, and never enters the engine itself,. only fresh water courses through the engine. The only point of corrosion would be the heat exchanger, and this is easily checked and can be replaced or recored witjhout too much difficulty. MY 1980 has the added lower shrouds to eliminate the mast pumping problem. My traveler is still located behind the helm, and moving it would be a good upgrade.  

You should probably thank the original owner for being such a far-sighted fellow.<G> I don't know if people opt for raw water because it is cheaper and they figure it won't be their problem, or if they really just don't understand the problem. Like the masses of car owners who never think of air or oil. Or maybe, they're all racers looking to save a few pounds in the engine bay. (Yeah, that MUST be it.<G>)  

Because of the site rules, I have taken the listing off of sailnet, but if you are interested, give me your e-mail and I will contact you directly. Dan [email protected]  

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