Nova 28 vs Davidson 28
An article from: Boating New Zealand, April, 2001 (reproduced by kind permission of Boating NZ)
Revisiting the Davidson 28 and the Nova 28 - By John Macfarlane
HERE ARE TWO PROVEN, RELIABLE FAMILY CRUISERS, masthead rigged, moderate light displacement and offering vice free, easy handling with good performance - both built in large numbers; the Davidson 28 from 1975 and the Nova 28 from 1968.
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Davidson 28
Background and design
Two names are synonymous with the D28, designer Laurie Davidson and OK racing champion Dave Blundell. Both were involved with Maritime Holdings, builders of the IOR-influenced Davidson 31, and after Maritime Holdings sold out to Compass Yachts in 1975, Blundell commissioned Davidson to design a similar sized boat for himself. It had to be a good performing, simple, solid, roomy, cost effective family cruiser, with no regard to the IOR rules - emphatically an anti-IOR boat.
Blundell built the first boat 10mm undersize in pine stringers covered in wallpaper, faired in with plaster of Paris, then laid up a 10mm glass hull over that to the correct size, fairing the glass as he went. Then he took the full production mold off the hull, removed and destroyed the plug and for his work had the first bare hull and the production mould. Blundell had the production hulls contract-built by specialist fibreglass companies, while he focused on marketing the bare hull concept and assembling finished boats. Hulls sold so readily that 16 were sold before the first D28 was launched. Nine D28's were built to MOT specifications for Rainbow Yacht Charters; some of these are still in charter.
Around 1981, with 120 D28s sold and 12 of the bigger D35 built (another story for another day), Export Yachts bought the rights and moulds from Blundell, but preferred to focus attention on the D35. Only another 18 or so D28s were built in New Zealand. The original D28 moulds were destroyed by fire; new moulds were built but hardly used before Export Yachts liquidated in 1987. For many years the D28 was built in Australia as the Cavalier 28, initially an exact copy, later length was increased to 30ft and the rudder moved inboard. No one is quite sure how many were produced in Australia - certainly more than 100. Production ceased when another fire destroyed the Australian moulds, but Wayne Richardson of Sydney has obtained the ex-Export Yachts D28 moulds from the New Zealand D28 Association and has restarted production of the D28 priced around A$90,000.
Construction and layout
Amateur builders finished off nearly all D28s; there were only a few factory built boats. Amateurs received a solid GRP hull, a GRP cockpit and main hatch, a comprehensive set of drawings, specifications, instructions and photos, all able to be loaded on a trailer behind the family car and taken home to the carport or garage.
The first 50 hulls were built with timber and ply decks/cabin, and then a GRP balsa cabin/deck was made available. The all-GRP boats have slightly more room inside because Blundell widened the cabin mould slightly. Keels were all lead, through bolted with 7 x 15mm bolts, to solid 100 x 100mm glassed over kauri floors. Davidson has always been particular about his foils; he specified exactly the shape for the D28 keel and rudder, which is one reason it sails so well to windward despite a relatively portly hull.
The interior layout was unusual for New Zealand at the time in that the galley occupied most of the starboard side with a dinette arrangement to port. This had the advantage of giving the cook plenty of space for cooking at anchor, great for a family while gulf cruising. The heads in in its own compartment forward of the mast, headroom is 1.8m throughout the whole cabin area.
The conservatively sized masthead rig is keel stepped, and as designed had four headsails. Engines were typically the Bukh 10 or similar, mounted under the cockpit.
Handling and usage
The D28 performs excellently under sail; typically, club handicaps place it among boats two to four feet longer. It has no vices, has easy, predicable handling and is stiff. While offshore voyaging in a D28 is not necessarily recommended, Don Jones has sailed the Tasman three time in his D28 with no difficulties.
The hull has a lot of buoyancy and the ends are full. The outboard, balanced rudder is hung from pintles on the stern, steering is light and the boats are highly manoeuvrable.
Blundell is emphatic there are no weaknesses in the D28 design if the design specifications have been followed with the sole exception of the odd rudder failure - which was usually traced to owners not following Davidson's drawings. By now most affected rudders will have been strengthened. Osmosis is not a huge issue. Age related problems in rigging, mechanical and cosmetic areas are the main items of concern to a potential owner, a survey by a reputable surveyor is always recommended. Prices for the D28 range from $28,000 to $36,000. While the all-GRP version is recommended from a cosmetic viewpoint, there is nothing inherently wrong with the timber decked version, provided the joints are sound, the timber and ply is free of rot and the plans were followed exactly.
The Davidson 28 Owners Association has been active in the past but a little quiet at the moment. New or aspiring D28 owners should make contact - the association has a great pool of knowledge about the boats.
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Nova 28
Background
Alan Wright, another self-taught designer, had served his apprenticeship at the naval dockyards and in 1966 was teaching boat building at Auckland Technical Institute. He had designed the hard chine Hanii 28 for homebuilding in plywood, but potential customers kept asking him for a round bilge version. The Nova was the result. Wright designed it as a wholesome cruiser-racer suitable for family use and able to be built by the amateur builder, a customer not getting close to the endangered species list.
Wright sold more than 150 sets of plans for amateur and professional construction in timber and Neil Beken produced more than 70 in fibreglass, some of which were home finished from a bare hull and decks package.
There is no such thing as a standard wooden Nova. There were choices in rigs - cutter or sloop; keels - fin, bilge or occasionally centreboard; decks - raised or flush deck; profiles - cabin shapes and lengths; transoms - retrousse or vertical; plus many interior layouts.
Construction and layout
Construction of the timber Novas was double diagonal planking, over stringers and laminated frames, with solid timber floors and plywood for decks and cabin tops. Planking was usually kauri, but some were built in double strips of plywood. I have been unable to find out much about the fibreglass Novas. Wright believes they were built with solid glass hull and balsa cored deck and cabin.
The most common rig is the standard masthead sloop, with a choice of four headsails if built to plan, or you could seek one with a roller furler. Other Novas were cutter rigged; these would be a good choice if singled-handed, and/or offshore use was envisaged. Rigs as designed were conservative and strong, but age will be catching them up by now. For example, standing rigging should be eyed suspiciously until proven otherwise - just because it is stainless doesn't mean it will last forever.
Layout varied according to the builder. Usually there are bunks for six, with a small double up front, a head under, then twin settee berths midships, the galley aft to port, chart table to starboard and twin quarter berths right aft. Six berths are probably excessive for the boat's size. I have seen other Novas with a roomy head compartment up forward instead of the twin bunks, which made sense to me. Headroom built to plan is around 1.75m; this may vary depending on the builder. Engines were usually 10hp, but many have been re-powered. The skeg-hung rudder is inboard and is of particularly strong construction.
Handling and usage
According to Wright and the association, many Novas have been used offshore, to cruise the Pacific Islands, cross the Tasman and other voyages of note. John Mansell sailed Innovator of Mana single-handed in the 1974 trans-Tasman and 1976 trans-Atlantic races. Gerry Clark sailed Totorore around the world, admittedly she was far from a standard Nova, lengthened, strengthened, with a different cabin, rig and rudder. Sadly Clark, crew Roger Sale and Totorore were lost in the Antipodes Islands in June 1999.
There are no known weaknesses with the design other than the usual warning about shortcuts taken by amateur builders during construction or fit out - a survey is highly recommended. If the Nova you are looking at was built to plan and has been well maintained it would make a good budget offshore boat - they are certainly strong enough.
Under sail the Nova's are at their best on a reach or downwind, the big head sail keeping the centre of effort well forward. Balance is good, steering is easy and the fine ends make for good performance in light winds, at a slight penalty upwind in a chop.
In Auckland asking prices for Nova's range from $ 18,000 to $ 32,000, with the cheaper ones tending to be built in wood. I have seen other Novas for sale for as little as $ 12,000; typically these would need major work, not recommended unless you are really keen and skilled. The Nova Class Owners Association has around 25 members and holds monthly social events, Old Fox cruising rallies and other social events. There is no official Nova class racing as such, although a few enthusiastic owners still race in mixed fleets.
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Summary
Performance-wise, owners of both boats generally agreed the D28 has a performance edge in most, but not all, conditions. The Nova has the finer ends, some owners felt the motion at sea gentler as a result. Accommodation space and headroom favours the D28, the long galley unit particularly may have appeal to families. For offshore or single-handed use the Nova, especially if cutter rigged, it has the better track record. If draft is an issue then the twin keeled Nova is the obvious choice at a slight cost in windward performance. Although the D28 is more expensive to purchase, running costs would be similar. Either makes an excellent choice for safe family cruising with the occasional club race if required.
Caveat emptor and happy hunting.