mirage 28 sailboat review

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Mirage Yachts Ltd

Mirage Yachts Ltd. was formed in February of 1972 by Dick and Irene Steffen, for the purpose of building the Mirage 24 designed by C&C. Up until this point they had owned a large volume C&C dealership in Point Claire, Quebec. At the time C&C did not build any model smaller than the 27. Dick was a very keen racing sailor and wanted a smaller MORC boat to both sail and sell from his retail dealership. At his request the C&C had designed a 24 footer, but C&C decided not to built it. Steffen then bought the design and set up his own shop on the second floor of a rented building in Point Claire, Que to build it. Sales of the 24 were gratifying and eventually 15 workers were busily turning out new Mirage 24’s. A lot of the reason for its success was based on its racing record in MORC class racing. Fifteen years after its introduction, a Mirage 24 placed #1 in the production-built division at the MORC national championships. The Mirage 24 proved so successful that an envious C&C shortly thereafter introduced the C&C 25, quite similar in design to the Mirage 24. Nevertheless, the Mirage 24 continued to sell very well and dominated the C&C 25 on the race course. When Dick then approached the C&C design team for a larger model and was turned down, he turned to designer Robert Perry for the new boat. In 1975, the plant was moved to a 12,000 sq. ft facility in nearby Vaudreuil, Que. The Perry designed Mirage 26 (later stretched to a 27) was introduced shortly thereafter. By 1979 the plant had grown to 30,000 sq.ft. with an additional 5,000 sq. ft. spar manufacturing facility in Dorion. Que. In 1983 the plant was again increased to 35,000 sq.ft. to accommodate the new Perry designed Mirage 33/35. The Bob Perry models were highly successful and the core of steady growth at Mirage for over a decade. Eventually the Mirage 26/27 was followed by the Mirage 33/35, the Mirage 30/32 series and the remarkable Mirage 25. Each of these models while remaining at the upper end of the performance scale, established the Mirage as a wholesome family cruiser. In the late 70’s the J/24 became the scourge of the race course. Seeing an opportunity opened by the interest in the J/24, Dick asked his old friend and Laser/International 14 designer, Bruce Kirby to design a new boat in this size range. The Kirby 25 was the result. Soon Kirby 25’s were pounding the PHRF and MORC fleets even worse than the J/24 did. When J/Boats introduced the J/30, Mirage unveiled the Kirby 30. which on the water rocketed right by the J. Ironically, J/Boats then introduced the J/29– a boat a whole lot like the Kirby 30. The modified Kirby 30, the Mirage 30SX remains today, a highly competitive PHRF or MORC rocket. In the mid-eighties the “French Invasion,” fueled by an advantageous exchange rate, amd minimal import duties was in full swing in North America, lead by Beneteau, Jeanneau , Elite, and others. The French boats sported avant garde styling and reasonable two stateroom accommodations, even in smaller boats under 35’. Sales of the Perry designed Mirage 30, (generally thought of as a superb sailing boat) were dissapointing. In 1985, Steffen looking to build a replacement model to the aging 27, asked several designers to do preliminaries for a 28 footer with a double aft cabin. The design submitted by Phillippe Harle’s was Steffens choice which became the MIRAGE 29 and was introduced in the spring of 1986. This model was an instant success. About 50 boats were sold before hull #1 hit the water and nearly three hundred were eventually built. The MIRAGE 275 and MIRAGE 39 followed, both also Harle designs. Not long after the introduction of the MIRAGE 39, Mirage Yachts Ltd. was sold to a Montreal investor who very shortly went out of business.

Associations

• Bruce Kirby
• C&C Design
• Peter Schmitt
• Philippe Harlé
• Robert Perry

15 sailboats built by Mirage Yachts Ltd

Mirage 25 (Perry)

Mirage 27 (Perry)

Mirage 26 (Perry)

Mirage 30 SX

Mirage 27 (Schmidt)

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• Thread starter ghostlymoron
• Start date 13 Oct 2007
• 13 Oct 2007

ghostlymoron

Well-known member.

I'm considering buying a mirage 28. Have other owners got any comments - good or bad features? Cheers, GM  

Designed by david Feltham. Haven't got one but they're a nice fast boat, chart table lousy and I would have bought one but didn't know about them  

Not sure about the fast bit. 1 races on the Crouch sometimes and is not very sprightly, looks similar to a Centaur.  

The one I have watched thrashes the Centaurs and others, but, new sails and RNSA maintained before he bought it - A thought! Some people are v dab at looking as if they're sailing but have the engine helping matters - you may be right. Previous poster beware on the speed but still think they're a good buy - Westerly Griffon are nippy and comfortable but £18Kish  

We owned one for 3 years when the children were smaller and cruised all over in cluding 2 crossings to Flushing and back.Good accommodation hob and grill only a oven would of been nice,some owners managed to fit one. We had a 2gm yanmar.Ours was a bilge keeler and sailed fine but didn,t like force 6 or more but then who does.  

Not an owner but I sailed loads in a bilge keeler a while ago. Solidly built and confidence inspiring, when I moved onto french boats they seemed flimsy (but more spacious). When I started sailing a sigma 36 I realised the mirage is definately a cruiser not a racer (well the bilge keel anyway, and the one I sailed had a big, fixed prop) I look at mirage 28s now, I think you can get a fantastic lot of safe family cruising fun for the money out of one. The Mk 1s were 5 berth and the Mk 2s extended the starboard settee to give a 6th - pretty pointless as they aren't big enough for that, they make a good 2+2kids for a holiday or an overnight 4. A lot were home finished I think and they are getting on now so condition is everything. I still think they look nice too.  

• 14 Oct 2007

Our 1979 Mark 2 twin keel took us to the Azores and Back twice (AZAB 79 and 83). As commented elsewhere a cruiser not a racer, but solidly built and survived many years of a hard sand drying mooring without any keel problems. I look back on her fondly. Like most "family" boats their sailing reputation seems to be more influenced by the non-competitive nature of their crews than the underlying capabilities of the boat. Thames Marine, the builders, used to compete "Mirage of Thames" on the east coast and do rather well, but then they were trying and they kitted the boat with good sails, a keen crew and did not carry a week-end cottage-load of kit with them. Can anybody remember the name of the Thames Marine chap who raced their boat? Good luck.  

[ QUOTE ] Can anybody remember the name of the Thames Marine chap who raced their boat? [/ QUOTE ] There's an ex-Thames Marine guy who lives near me called Ray but don't know his surname.  

• 16 Oct 2007

I looked at the Mirage 28 but then decided on the Mirage 2700 ( a later model but about the same price) No regrets. A well designed and well built boat. Sails well and no problem with bilge keels. Might be worth looking at before you decide. Allan  

• 21 Oct 2007

what did you get instead? GM  

Manos_Greece

I own a 1977 example. I agree about the comment regarding how solidly they are built. MK 1s have shorter mast than later models and so you can't tell exactly that are fast or that they point against the wind as newer boats... The accomodation is generaly good for the size as their seakeeping ability. Clearly boats of IOR era they must be looked after under spinaker in order not to broach in heavy seas. I'm quite happy with mine and not plan to change it soon. Reasons? Bigger boats need more crew so it is perfect for my family (I usually sail it alone while my wife takes care of our child), you feel secure with it's tall sides (freeboard?) and heavy built construction.  

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Mirage 28 kelley

The mirage 28 kelley is a 27.5ft masthead sloop designed by bruce kelley and built in fiberglass by mirage mfg. (usa) since 1980..

The Mirage 28 kelley is a moderate weight sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a day-boat.

Mirage 28 kelley for sale elsewhere on the web:

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Review of Mirage 28 (Kelley)

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The boat equipped with a masthead rig. The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

The Mirage 28 (Kelley) is equipped with a fin keel. The fin keel is the most common keel and provides splendid manoeuvrability. The downside is that it has less directional stability than a long keel.

The boat can enter most marinas as the draft is just about 1.52 - 1.62 meter (4.99 - 5.29 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Mirage 28 (Kelley) is 2.08, indicating that this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.3 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Mirage 28 (Kelley) is about 127 kg/cm, alternatively 715 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 127 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 715 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 22m 2 (236 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Mirage 28 (Kelley) it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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Mirage 24 build quality?

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Hi, Does anybody out there have any experience with the quality of the deck and hull on the Mirage 24? I love the design and am considering buying one for daysailing on Lake Superior. If anyone has experience with these boats I'd love to hear about it. I won't be racing, just looking for a reasonably fast, sturdy cruiser that won't break in two or lose the mast if I get caught in a blow. Thanks, Mike  

Mirage 24 I've raced on two of them and currently own a 24 C@C(similiar boat). I haven't heard anything bad about the design or structure. It is a more stripped version of my C@C from what I gather. Mine has a six inch surface crack on the mid port side from a previous owner and the hull is so strong it doesn't pose a problem. They have good resale and are versatile. Don't think you'll be disappointed. They are very popular in the Lake Erie to Lake St. Claire area we sail in.  

Good to know... Thanks for the help Ahab. I'm pretty excited about looking at this one. Mike  

Can't go too wrong on a Robert Perry design, Canadian built Mirage 24. Have it surveyed before you put your money into a purchase agreement. Are you buying from a dealer or a private individual? Good Luck... sanjuan2R Astoria C&C 27 sv/ Doodles  

The Mirage 24 was designed by C&C and built by Mirage (it was their first boat). Mirage 24 - Used Sailboat Market in Canada Everything I've heard about Mirage with respect to quality has been positive. Then again, maintenance is key to a thirty plus year old boat. Good luck, they are a nice looking boat.  

I had a Mirage 5.5, and thought it was a well built, sturdy boat. Sailed quite well also.  

is this the same as the mirage 236?  

I had a 236 that had excellent build quality. Nice boat!  

Well, I hope the build quality is there, we bought her! Back on the water where I belong!!!!!!!! I didn't pay enough for the boat to justify a surveyor. Well kept but 30 years old. No oilcanning or blisters on the hull. No soft spots on the deck. Zero corrosion on the standing rigging which I'm pretty sure has been replaced at some point. Unlike the running rigging which is going to need a total refit. It has actual bulkheads (if you've ever seen the inside of a Ranger 22 you'll know why that excites me), and a real head that an emaciated 4 year old could probably squeeze into in an emergency. Keel bolts had no corrosion and no water in the bilge. Adjustable running back stay and boom vang, good harken blocks, snatch blocks for the toe rail and fore sail and 4 winches, 2 single speeds and 2 two speeds. Only electronics it came with was a vhf radio. It's dirty and needs new windows (ports? Not sure of the jargon) and a stern rail (what am I supposed to lean back on to work on my tan?) but I'm in love and the co-captain loves it as well, the main selling point being that the cockpit benches are long enough for her to stretch out on. I'll post pictures once I get it cleaned up. I appreciate the comments, there's not a lot of info on the Mirage 24s out there on the net but what I found was positive. 3 weekends and she's in the water! Fair winds, Mike  

Hi Blueranger, I live in Montreal and I have been looking for a weekender and fast sailboat for Lac Saint-Louis. This boat will be my first big sailboat. Someone is selling a Mirage 24' at $4500. He repainted the entire hull and did the antiifouling recently, motor and sails seems to be OK too. I know you bought a similar boat quite recently. Could you give to me your point of view about this boat and her mean fortress and weaknees. Any help you may be able to provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,  

I know this is an old thread I'm reviving but maybe this info will continue to be useful to other googlers looking at buying one of these boats in the future. I purchased a 1974 24' Mirage last year and I love it. I have spent zero dollars on it since purchase! This spring we will be painting the topside and a coat of antifoul on the hull. I love the boat and I would recommend it to other first time boat owners. Ours is not without it's flaws, but for the money we paid for it, it's a gem. We have a furling head sail and a 9.9 horse Honda outboard. The only thing that needs immediate attention is the main sail, it's pretty worn out. This spring will be the first time attempting to raise the mast so I'll be learning a lot this year. Cheers  

I just joined this forum, mainly because I purchased a Mirage 24 yr1974 last week. From what I have read I am very pleased with my purchase price as it was <1900 US. All it needs is bottom paint and new lines and its ready to sail. However I need to sail it 144km across the long island sound from CT where its dry docked. My question is: What is the best cruising wind speed? and What is the average daily distance this boat can cover? Also I need to purchase an engine for it, what is a good recommended power?  

Also, as for the electrical system I have not tested it (battery was dead) but it looked in good shape. Although planning on problems, I was looking but unable to find any diagrams on the net... does anyone know where I can find them or if its not a big deal?  

electrical system is not a big deal. when I bought mine way back in the day one of the first winter projects was yank the bad stuff out and rewire. I think it was a two night after work job. Motor wise I had a 7.5 Johnson originally, that unfortunately gave up the ghost and I replaced with a 4 stroke Honda 5. Much quieter, and almost as much power. Hull speed should be in the 5.75 kts range. Personal top speed on a particularly windy afternoon surfing off a somewhat large wave was slightly over 13. Really wasn't that much fun. Enjoy the boat. They're great.  

I thought I'd join on in this thread as well. Last summer I bought a Northern 1/4 ton, which is basically a rebadged Mirage 24. It's a wonderful little boat and I can't wait to get it back in the water for my first full season. I'm glad to see there are a few other owners on here.  

'74 Mirage 24 Hull Number?? Grew up with a '76 O'Day 22. Just purchased a '74 Mirage 24. Enjoying sailing on the St. Johns River in Fl. Can anyone tell me how to find the Hull Number from the Boat I.D. Number. Also, any photos of rigging would be helpful. The person I bought it from sailed single handed to the Bahamas. She had it set up nicely for solo sailing. However the rigging needs replacement.  

There's a guy on the yahoo mirage 24 group that has sailed his from Hamilton Ontario to the Bahamas!  

I am also in Montreal on Lake St Louis out of the Royal St-Lawrence Yacht Club. Lots of Mirage boats there. Mirage was built locally. I know the original builder who is also a RSL club member. He is a champion sailor, and his boats reflect his need for speed. Mirage boats were and are solid. No fancy hand layup, just lots of glass applied by chopper gun. 30 years later they are still rock solid with none of the problems associated with cored hulls and decks. A bit heavy compared to a C and C (Mirage Builder/owner was the C&C dealer for years) but they are far from slugs under sail. Their current prices are pretty much what they cost back in 1976 which says something! Soft deck and hull? No. Osmosis, no. I owned a Mirage 33 and had no issues with it, in spite of its age. Best, Bob  

Bob, are you saying they don't have a cored deck?  

Hmm, not sure but I will find out and report.  

No fancy hand layup, just lots of glass applied by chopper gun. Bob[/QUOTE] I doubt this was done as it is the worst way to build a boat.  

mitiempo said: No fancy hand layup, just lots of glass applied by chopper gun. Bob Click to expand...

I checked and was told that Mirage did not use cores either in the hull nor the deck. So, while Mirage yachts did suffer from osmosis, like all boats of that era, contaminated cores were not a problem. I owned a Mirage 33 for some years and it was rock solid and a good sailing boat with a nice turn of speed. Best, Bob  

Hand layup has strength because the glass fibers are long and overlap with each layer, adding great strength. Chopper gun uses very short pieces of glass with a great deal less strength. It would have to be much thicker to approach the strength of a hand layed up hull, which is not in any way an exotic way to construct a boat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiberglass_spray_lay-up_process Scroll down to limitations. I have never seen a boat of any size built totally with a chopper gun and would certainly not want one.  

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I just bought a Mirage 24, hull number 278, she was abandoned by her former owner and I bought her from a marina where she was laying aground. So far I have found only limited data about the boat so I am looking to find out as much as I can about the design. Does anyone know who at C&C designed her? How about how many are still afloat? Has anyone made any long-distance passages in one? Are there any problems associated with the boat that anyone knows about? Are the plans still available? Email me at [email protected] Also I would love to see pictures of other people's Mirage 24, I have some work to do on mine and any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.  

M-24 COMMENTS WE'VE HAD OUR M-24 #271 for 5 years. we love it. it's very stable in high wind and a lot of fun. never boring. the only info i know of is on this forum.  

Hyperdynamic

Mirage 24 #125 We used to own #125. Great fun boat. See link to our personal website. If I remember correctly, it was Bruce Kirby design.  

more about #278 Well it has been 6 months now, I have been living onboard "Carambola", my Mirage 24. I have found some, but very limited information on her. I can tell you this, she doesn't like to be run aground, 45+ mph winds are a little hard o her (the numbers on the mainsail started peeling off!) but all in all she is a great boat. I have been modifying her, put a propane refridgeration system in what was the forward berth and installed a Groco marine head and waste tank. Still working on her, but am planning to head south to Mexico and Belize this winter if all goes well (it'll be about 1000 miles each way!). My only real complaint is her touchy helm, which takes a lot of attention, and the lack of headroom (who needs to stand up down below?). It would be nice if someone started a Mirage 24 Association so that we could keep up with each other... just an idea.  

Mirage 24 or 22? Hi:We have looked at a couple of Mirage sailboats and have given thought to purchasing a 24 if the price is right. I have a question. On most boats that I have seen when you look at the hull identification number the first two numbers after the letters are usually the boat length and the last two numbers are the year the boat was built. Is that also the case with the mirage boats. The reason I ask the question is the boat I am looking at has the first numbers as 22 not 24 but the boat measures over 22 feet long but not 24. Did Mirage build any 22's ?Thanks Fred.PS I am very impressed with the way your boat appears to handle the weather and waves in your photograph. If they all handle like that I would seriously consider the Mirage 24.  

Jonathan King

further adventures in a Mirage 24 Just sailed my Mirage 24 from Tampa to Key West singlehanded, 240 miles, 65 hours non-stop. She handled it great! Spent a week bumming around Key West and then headed up to Bahia Honda and anchored off the beach there for 2 days and then pressed on to Boot Key Harbor in Marathon, where she is still anchored while I start my new job in Fort Lauderdale. Before I left I switched my 5hp Nissan with its infernal internal fuel tank to a 8hp Evinrude Yachtwin longshaft, now I can make about 5.2 knots under power (rather than 4 knots with the 5hp). Oh, and I have still yet to bury the rail on the boat and we went through 20-30 knot winds on the trip. And I have found that you can lash the tiller and let her steer herself on a beam reach, close reach, or close hauled (her new record at steering herself is about 27 hours straight!)Anyways, if any of you other Mirage owners end up down south here, drop me an email at [email protected]  

more news on #278 Carambola hey everybody, i recently started compiling pictures of all the Mirage 24s on the web and posting them up, check out my myspace page to see em. the web address for all my photos is:http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewAlbums&friendID=895776and you can find the folder with all the Mirage 24 pics here:http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=895776&albumId=1672176keep on posting any photos you have, i'd like to see about starting some sort of association to keep track of these great little boats. capt. jon  

Mirage history http://home.comcast.net/~mirageyachts/page3.html  

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