The Andrew 28 is a boat you can (and will want to) do all sorts of things with.
At first glance, the Andrews 28 looks like a MORC racer from days gone by, with a high, initially unappealing cabin top. But with that high cabin top, high freeboard, and plumb bow, the boat has an incredible amount of interior volume. In an era where everything else is low-slung, racy and angular, this one somehow manages to carry all that interior volume and still sail gracefully through the water, upwind and downwind. While it's certainly capable of doing a lot more than banging around the cans, this little Alan Andrews rocket is exactly what you want for weeknight club racing.
The boat is a result of the boat builder, Ivan Ivandic's love for the Laser 28. With a desire for a higher-tech and drier boat, Ivandic took it upon himself to build his own. Originally from the Czech Republic, Ivandic once owned a powerboat-building company in his native country, but when it came time to build his dream boat, he moved to Vancouver, Canada, with his brother, Vladimer, contacted designer Alan Andrews, built a factory, and started working on the 28 under the name of Sylvana Yachts.
"The Andrews 28 is a well-executed project that benefited from its three-year development cycle," said Stewart. "It's from a hands-on builder that had a clear vision of the yacht he wanted, a modern Laser 28."
The deck layout reflects both the designer and the builder's years of racing experience. The tiller is well aft, but the boat's wide beam allows the helmsman an unobstructed view of the headsail, which is flown from a continuous-line roller-furling unit. The cockpit was comfortable. The finish is outstanding, and the boat sails incredibly well, with a light feel to the helm. Unlike many boats, its slippery hull makes nary a noise as it passes through the water. This is a result of Andrew's keen attention to the design of a boat's underbody and foils.
Stewart was impressed with the build quality, which was apparent in every corner of the boat. "All the bolts and attachments were trimmed very nicely, not like someone took vise grips and wagged [the bolt] back and forth until it broke off," he said. "They're all ground down flush. The quality of all the hardware was great and the lifting keel works well. It was amazing how much stuff they had on that boat. You go down below and it had the big cabin. Back aft the freeboard is high which increases volume and helps the seat backs and cockpit coamings not stick out. That all worked well, and they're very serious about this boat. They have 45 molds and jigs to build the boat, that's a huge commitment."
Holby, a dedicated single- and doublehanded sailor sees the Andrews 28 as more than just a buoy racer. "I can see doing short distance racing, like the Edlu, Stratford Shoals, shorter point-to-point, even the Solo Twin," he said. "It sails very well, and would be a fun, comfortable boat to distance race with. It's versatile, there are a lot of things you can do with that boat and the price is right. The A-sail fit perfectly; just a great, big chute."
Both the hull and deck are built on female molds, and vacuum-infused. It's a vinylester resin and E-glass sandwich with PVC closed-cell foam. Local reinforcing with additional glass and high-density foam is used where deck hardware is installed, and a high-quality white gel coat in combination with vinylester resin provides resistance to blistering.
The Andrews 28 has a deck-stepped, carbon-fiber, swept-spreader rig that's set up for either masthead or fractional spinnakers. The 7-foot keel, which can be raised for easy launching, is a stainless steel strut with an E-glass shell and epoxy filler, with a lead bulb attached to a bottom plate.
The kelp cutter is optional. The keel fin is securely held in the keel trunk-which is an integral part of the hull reinforcement-with urethane plastic guide blocks and a positive locking mechanism.
Pros: A slippery hull shape with a perfect interior for weekend excursions and overnight races.
Cons: The builder should've listened to the designer and added a window that would lessen the visual impact of the high deckhouse.
Designer's mission accomplished?
Without a doubt. Alan Andrews was asked to design a boat that balanced, without compromise, a lightweight, performance raceboat with a comfortable interior.
Andrews 28 Specs
LOA: 28'
Beam: 9'10"
Draft: 7'
DSPL: 3,750
SA (u/d): 494/1,220 sq. ft.
Designer: Alan Andrews
Price: $97,000
www.sylvanayachts.com.com
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