MIRAGE 28

[SINBAD]

I've found a Mirage 28 (bilge keel)for sale, and would appreciate if any one could provide any information on it in paticular osmosis, keel bolt problems as from my initial inspection I've them to be plain steel and not S/S, will she be strong enough for estuary drying mooring? Any other details you can think of would be appreciated. Thanks...

 

[CJU]

I have owned a Mirage 28 for about 8 yrs and am happy with it. The keel bolts are made of steel and I
have had to derust and paint them but they seem OK now. No osmosis was found on a survey 2yrs ago but
another one I know of has it in the rudder blade. This is fairly common in lots of boats,so I wouldn't let that
stop me buying one.
My problem areas are/were : the inner shroud attachment points causing gelcoat cracking through not having
proper backing plates, delamination of the balsa core on parts of the foredeck, rudder
bearings replaced, cracked window glasses replaced (this was about £400 DIY), the engine (Yanmar YSE 12
normally very good) had to be overhauled due to neglect. Because it was home completed some of the
interior needs redoing.
Before I owned it, it was kept on a drying mooring and didn't suffer any ill effects so that should be OK for
you.
It sails well for a bilge keeler but does like to be reefed early. It also likes the main reefed first as it
reduces weather helm. It suffers with slamming like all fairly flat bottomed boats in a head sea but is fairly
comfortable in a blow.
They also come in a Mk 1 & 2. The 1 has a 2/3 ft smaller mast and a slightly different deck moulding, I think.
Most of them have permament list to stb. There are 2 theories, one is that the keel splay angle is different
on the port and stb sides and the other that the stowage is all on the stb side. It hasn't made any difference
to ours except it sails better on stb tack.
There is an owners club 'The Snapdragon & Mirage owners club' and they are well thought of within the club.
If anyone knows where the construction number is hidden I would be very grateful as ours came without any
sails so I dont know the sail number should be.

 

[AndrewB]

Both the Mirage 28 bilger's I have sailed in suffered from leaky keels, almost from new. Most noticeable on a hard beat. This may have just been coincidence, but I would ask the surveyor to take a good look at strength in that area.

 

[SINBAD]

thanks for the input still looking
regards Sinbad