hartley 28 sailboat

Anyone Know the History Behind Hartley’s Lively 28 Trimaran?

by Small Tri Guy | Apr 19, 2010 | Self-built Small Trimarans , Small Tri Info - All , Trimaran Design, Rigging, Construction Info/Links | 10 comments

Many months ago I came across what appears to be an older design called the “Lively 28 trimaran,” from Hartley Boats . After several email inquires I wasn’t able to learn anything more about their model (no reply).

But Kevin Grobler, a sailor from South Africa, reminded me about this boat a few weeks ago. Kevin hasn’t allowed the lack of print info about the Lively 28 trimaran to deter him from building one. It appears he has thought about the Lively for awhile now.

In addition, he has started up a site featuring his construction of this sailboat, which will be a great assistance to anyone else who’d like to build this boat in the future. (Kudos to you Kevin)!

Here is Kevin’s Lively 28 trimaran building site . He plans on taking lots of construction photos in order to specifically help anyone else that has queries about the process in the future.

He wrote me the following:

I have finally started the construction of my Hartley Lively 28 tri. The plans came from Clark Craft and are very basic compared to the more modern plans that are available nowadays. You will need a fair amount of boat building knowledge to be able to build from them.

I have to date completed all the frames for the main hull and have also assembled the building stock. I’m hoping to start the construction of the main hull this week, weather permitting, as we are going into our winter here in South Africa, and where I live here in Cape town it rains a lot … we are right at the southern tip of the country and get all the cold fronts from the south Atlantic.

I have created a basic website and will be posting photos, etc. there of the building project … www.svfarsouth.weebly.com … so anyone interested can go look. I have put some photos there already of the frames.

Cheers, Kevin

If anyone reading this knows more about Hartley’s Lively 28 trimaran I’d love hearing from you (or have you post a helpful comment below). The more info a plan supplier can offer about a sailboat the better, not just for them, but for prospective customers as well.

10 Comments

Hi.. I am pretty sure my Dad’s boat , Sweet Sue (Richards Bay) was a Hartley 28 tri. He and I sailed up and down the South African coast, Nyaka Island to PE, for some years. We sailed by date, not weather, unlike the many many fair-weather sailors around, and I reckon it was the tri design that allowed us to do that – It just danced, the tougher the wind and the flatter the sea was blown. And at a goose-wing before the wind, it was such a pleasure with its wide deck :)

Hi Ri. Yes, as I recall, Sweet Sue was a Hartley 28, I sailed a few times with Walter, Richards Bay- Durban and back, fun boat……and a great guy to sail with. Loads of memories there!

H Kevin, Good luck with your project. I am the proud owner of a Lively 28 built in 1971 in UK. She was a wreck when I bought her, and I have replaced 70% of the ply , new cabin decks etc. I think it might have actually been quicker to build from scratch. If you want any picks of hjings to help, let me know and I will try and sort it out. Hopefully you can pick up my address to contact me. Kim

If you refer to the Hartley design Lively I built one in the 60′ and 70’s and subsequently sailed it from East Africa to the Med The Lively was his 35ft design. His 28ft. 6in design was called the Sparkle. They were similar in design but the Lively had asymmetric outer hulls.

If you are interested I have pics of both designs. Hartley’s plans were very detailed.

The Lively 28 was designed by and plans are still sold by Hartley Boats in New Zealand. They also sell plans for a Lively 35 which has a 10′ beam on the main hull.

Hi Mervyn saw your comment i am currently building a Lively 28 would be interested in seeing any photos that you have you can forward to my email kevinfarsouth AT telkomsa.net

The plans can also be obtained from Hartley’s website http://www.hartley-boats.com from correspondence with them they had an agreement for Clark Craft to sell the plans until Clark Craft quit paying royalties. The last time I looked the prices were even cheaper on Hartley-boats and the money is actually going to the legal rights holder. There is also a larger version, the Lively 34 which seems much more comfortable for cruising while weekending would best suit the 28. The construction is simple plank on frame that anyone with even basic wood skills can build. I am planning on building the 34 but I am using Sam Devlin’s book on stitch n glue to convert the plans to stitch n glue which eliminates all the time and money spent on building a strongback.

Any further details on converting to stitch and glue? Or any literature on the same?

It seems to me, that my reply is outdated. However, I found Lively 28 project pretty interesting for my own purposes (to build self-design trimaran). Recently I asked Kevin – the builder of Lively 28 – about this boat and his experience. You could find web-source on the building process here – SV Farsouth – Main hull construction https://svfarsouth.weebly.com/ Kevin let me permission to share his answers. So, here you are)) 1. Project weight – The construction of the Hartley is very heavy estimate the boat to be about 2000kg

2. The main advantage – The method of construction is very easy

3. Cruising and top speed – The boat is fairly slow and cruises at about 6-7 knts, the fastest speed was about 11knts in case of 25 knts of wind

4. Light wind and upwind performance – Upwind and light wind performance very poor

5. Sailing in bad (rough water) weather conditions – It sails well in rough water

6. Reefing time – Reefing would depend on type of rig/sails you fit 7. Sails area of the boat – I used main sail from a Beneteau 23 race boat not sure of the area.

8. Ama’s construction – Not sure if the amas help much in performance

9. Biggest disadvantages – I would say the weight and upwind abilities are the biggest disadvantage of the boat.

However, I think that Lively 28 is still good tri project in case of some modifications (unfortunately, I do not have boat plans to check information). – Boat should have bigger SA. I think, that Kevin’s boat had not enough sails (Benetau 23 has 12 sq.m for the main sail and 23 sq.m of the total SA). Compare Lively 28 with the same size (28′) BUCCANEER 28 (CROWTHER) with 56.67 m2 listed SA. So, it seems to me, that Lively 28 should have at least 40 m2 of sails. – Ama’s construction is not efficient for the asymmetry and small flippers. For that reason self-stabilizing construction from KLIS III project could give good upwind performance. Especially, in case of of asymmetrical daggerboards construction. – New material could also decrease overall weight for the new seaworthy faster trimaran.

As someone said earlier, the Hartley 28 is called a Sparkle. The 35 is the Lively.

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

Blog Post Categories

• Production/Commercial Small Trimarans (291)
• Self-built Small Trimarans (678)
• Small Trimaran Audios (30)
• Small Trimaran Videos (289)
• Trimaran Design, Rigging, Construction Info/Links (222)
• Contact “Small Tri Guy”

Log in or Sign up

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser .

Hartley boats

Discussion in ' Boat Design ' started by kharee , Oct 21, 2011 .

kharee Junior Member

I always hear Hartley plans referred to as old and over built. I grant that they may be old. I purchased plans for the Hartley 28 . Considering that this boat is intended for ocean cruising I don't see the over build. For plank on frame or plywood on frame construction the Hartley seems middle of the road as far as scantlings go. I am out of town and cannot check my " Gerr on boat strength", but 3"x1.25" frames does not seem over built. 2.25" floor timbers don't seem over built. 2.5"x3" laminated frames don't seem over built. Two layers of 1/4' plywood planking seems only adequate. I don't wish to build a floating fort in the manner of Herr Buehler but I do wish to feel my boat is adequate for serious conditions. I prefer to be the weak link not my boat. Could anyone opine on this issue of Hartleys being over built? I bought a couple of acres and the plans for the Hartley 28. I am studying the plans. Maybe I will start to build next spring. Right now I am looking at a Grizzly band saw . I gave my tools away in 2007. I must regroup on tools.  

waikikin Senior Member

I'm not familiar with the Hartley 28, but as for his runabouts & trailer sailers they seem pretty good, its a matter of perspective & expression, "old and over built" can be "enduring & strong". Hartleys were popular in AUS, My Dad built a TS 16 in the 60s after watching a TV series that Chronicled the construction, some great childhood memories from sailing & crabbing on that boat. Jeff.  

Hartley 28 My dad also built a boat in the sixties. He taught wood shop and auto mechanics. He built it in the school workshop. It was a Glen-L design. A 19 or 20ft' cabin cruiser. The blue Glen-L book on plywood construction was around the house for years. He started on a larger design in steel after he retired but gave up and sold the motor and all the steel. He learned the hard way and I learned from him to stay in the building medium in which you are best and most comfortable. Being house builders that was and is wood. For years the Paris,TN Catfish Festival borrowed our boat to use as a float for the fish fry parade.We did a lot of fishing,drinking and partying on that boat. Dad's gone but the memories float on down memory lane  

PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

Compared to modern building methods, yes, the old school plywood over frames builds are unnecessarily complex and heavy. For example, a modern taped seam build of the same boat would eliminate most if not all of the frames and the structural floors and most of the stringers too. This makes the BOM considerably smaller and you're not behind the table saw as long either, milling up stock for all these parts. Additionally, you don't have to install these pieces, saving time, though a lot of the time savings is eaten up with a considerably high "goo factor", which a plywood over frame build isn't as encumbered with. As this aside, this Hartley is a great little yacht. It's not very modern looking, nor especially impressive in preformance, but as an ocean cruiser, you could do much worse. Given some styling upgrades, maybe some appendage modifications and a spruced up rig, you could hold your own with a modern cruiser. You'll find a table saw and a compound miter saw more useful then a band saw on that build. Grizzly makes a tool that is much more then you'll need and they charge for it as well. You could get by with a Harbor Freight set of tools and save a bunch of money. You could probably built 2 or 3 Hartley 28's with them, before they gave out, though the Grizzly would likely outlive you, given some new brushes and bearings as they wore out. Geer's boat strength scantling figures will be right in line with the way a Hartley 28 is spec'd out. Those scantlings generally develop "wholesome" vessels, which the Hartley certainly is. Not overly heavy, but surely heavier then needed, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in an off shore yacht.  

• Advertisement:

Hello Par. Gerr is the "man". Not the only man in the design business but his body of work and accomplishments are awesome. I have all his books. I like what I have seen of your work also. Looking at the low rate of completion for home builders I chose the 28 as the smallest, simplest basic design with cruising capability for my dream. The least investment of time and money. I am retired and have more time than money. You are so right about the tools. For a one time build low price tools will suffice. Harbor Freight is the ticket. As a old house builder I know it's not the start but the finishing out to turn key stage that is tough. And that's while getting paid! Working on your on with money going out, none coming in, getting tired not to mention health issues makes finishing a boat project "iffy" to say the least. Just thinking of what it takes to get a project this size started gives me butterflies in my stomach wondering if I will be able to finish the job. Your point is well taken about stitch and glue as opposed to plank on frame construction. Less work all around. I have health issues which makes speed and efficiency of the utmost importance if I am to finish a boat. I will be looking at s&g designs. It's hard to get over the thought that a glued up boat might come apart under your feet. Old timers syndrome! Your thoughts are well received and appreciated. Thanks.  

Modification of Hartley Flareline 18

24' Hartley/ AYM engine bracket

new here, hartley owner from Australia

building a hartley 16 in glued lapstrake

Hartley Valiant

Old Yamaha Fishing Boats

60-seats passenger boats, want top speed of 50knots, any idea

BV Rules For Small Boats

3D printed boats

what sort of authority does USCG have with boats that are "legal" but unsafe?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Hartley 28 ** NOW SOLD **

Used Yachts For Sale

Sail monohulls 25ft > 30ft,        hartley boats for sale, hartley 28 boats for sale.

Hartley Boats

Boom Jaw, Hartley 10 / Hartley 12

Centerboard, Hartley 12

Cover, Deck, Hartley 15

Friction Pad, Hartley 12

Mainsheet Swivel Adapter, Hartley 12

Outhaul Hoop, Hartley 10

Rudder Bag, Hartley 15

Rudder Blade, Hartley 10/12

Sail, main, black and white, hartley 10.

Sail, Main, Hartley 15

Notice: To all our customers near and far, we hope you are keeping safe and well in these unprecedented times. We just wanted to touch base and let you know that we are still open with a reduced size team. We are processing and dispatching orders as usual even though our onsite store is currently closed.

Please place chandlery orders online or email [email protected] If you have a new or used boat enquiry please email [email protected]

Stay safe and we hope to see you on the water soon.

T. 01332 369751

Training range, cruising / recreational range, racing range, welcome to hartley boats ltd.

Hartley Boats

Mailing List

More information.

• Dragonfly Service
• Dragonfly 1200
• Dragonfly 920
• Factory Tour
• Backstage Videos
• Dragonfly Sail Guide
• Try before buy
• Multihull Academy
• Dragonfly-Training & More
• Newsletter Archive
• Clubs & Associations
• Customer stories
• Merchandise
• Privacy Policy
• General Terms of Sale

Dragonfly 28

Design & Performance

• Reviews & Awards

Specifications

• Photo & videos

Maintenance

Great fun and  easy handling - accommodating 5 people. The Dragonfly 28 is for the modern sailor, who requires multiple possibilities from his vessel. This boat is all about possibilities, fun - and above all, excellent sailing abilities. The Dragonfly 28 comes in two versions - the Touring version represents the trailerable family cruiser, whereas the Performance version is the trailable In- and Offshore Racer with a wavepiercing float design that calls for the ultimate performance.

Dragonfly 28 Videos

The Dragonfly 28 sets the standards for leisure and flexibility on the water and on wheels. The Dragonfly 28 has been a lifelong dream of Jens Quorning, who designed and developed this complex boat with his co-designer Steen Olsen. The development took almost 2 years and is the ultimate combination of design and function.

The Dragonfly 28 is a foldable and trailerable 28 ft trimaran, that provides you with all the benefits and features from a trimaran on the water - allowing speeds up to 22+ knots, shallow draft and high comfort while sailing, as the boat is barely heeling.

Below deck, the boat is quite spacious and with a lot of well thought solutions, that provides volume and makes the boat very functional. The companionway ladder can be positioned in the middle for easy access from the cockpit, you can slide it to port or starboard for better access in the galley, or it can be raised to give you access to the large double berth in the aft cabin. Forward there is access to a double V-berth and the main cabin offers an easily set-up foldable berth - offering accommodation for five adults in total. All berths are full size comfortable berths of each 2 m+ long.

The Dragonfly 28 has a standing headroom of 1.85 m in the main cabin as well as a generous galley space on each side. The spacious dinette offers a nice view outside, like on a deck saloon yacht.

Stowage space is of course limited in a boat of this size, but ideal to avoid overloading. On the other hand, light, bulky objects like fenders, empty jerrycans or similar can be stowed away in the floats, each of which has an access hatch.

The Dragonfly 28 appeals to both family sailing and racing - just hit the cruising speed that makes you all smile. Compared to monohulls, a trimaran is so much more comfortable to sail. Further, you have a much longer range on the water, or you get to your destination in a shorter time.

With a draft of 45 cm only, you can anchor into any bay, jump into knee-deep water, sail the boat up on a sandy beach or even let it fall dry. You can ask your kids for their approval - they will love it! The big double trampolines offer extra deck space, and they are the perfect spot for sunbathing and sundowners.

On the trailer you can average 45 knots - launch and rig the boat yourself with a set-up time of 40 minutes. This boat offers you independence. You can launch and rig the boat without paying for lifts and you can cruise for a weekend, a week or even a season wherever you like, delivering and collecting the boat by road.

The boat is easy to sail even single handed - all in all a multifunctional multihull and an ultimate versatile performer.

Designed by Jens Quorning and Steen Olsen

Reviews, articles & awards.

Voile Magazine test sailing the Dragonfly 28

Yacthing World - October 2009

Feeling a bit jaded with sailing? Tired of visiting the same old places?

Yachting Montly - July 2010

Text and photos: Chris Beeson

Yachts & Yachting - April 2010

Text and photos: Jeremy Evans

Multihulls World - January 2010

Text and photos: Gilles Ruffet

Die Yacht - 14/2009

Text and photos: Fridtjof Gunkel

(Test in German)

Yacht Revue - 11/2009

Bådmagasinet Sejl - June 2009

Text: Øyvind Bordal / Photos: Per Heegaaard

(Test in Danish)

Bådnyt - June 2009

Text: Morten Brandt & Henrik Hansen /Photos: Henrik Hansen

Practical Boatowner - August 2009

Text and photos: David Harding

Båtnytt - January 2013

Text and photos: Lars Guditz

(Test in Swedish)

Segling - August 2012

Text and photos: Emma Hammenstig

Navigator - 2015

Text: Lauri Kurvit - Photos: Nele Tasane

(Test in Estonian)

Navtika - October 2015

Text and photos: Julijan Visnjevec

(Test in Slovene)

Waterkampion - March 2014

Text and photos: Bertel Kolthof

(Test in Dutch)

TM - July 2016

Text and photos: Tönu Ojala

Die Yacht - November 2018

Text and photos: Martin-Sebastian Kreplin

Biggest Slovenian nautical magazin Val navtika awarded our Dragonfly 28 Sport as a Boat of the Year 2016, winner in the multihull category.

Biggest Polish sailing magazine Zagle awarded our Dragonfly 28 Sport as Yacht of the Year 2018, winner in the category special sailing yachts.

To inform and illustrate recommended service, maintenance, and refitting on an older Dragonfly, we have drawn this general information sheet. Rough elements, like strong winds and wave conditions, strong saltwater and UV do have some impact on the boat after a long sailing life.

We strongly recommend servicing and changing vital parts on your boat according to our recommendations. This information overrules any other former information you may have, as the following is based on updated knowledge.

Visual check of all cables is still required when changing the rigging. When trailering the boat, we strongly recommend focusing on side stay cables, as these easily bend when stepping the mast. Bended side stay cables near the terminal may cause the side stay cable to break.

On all Dragonflys, please regularly check the forestay cable in the top by the terminal. When furling, the spinnaker halyard may block the forestay, which can cause failure of the forestay.

Trampolines

On all Dragonflys, we recommend re-stitching (sewing) along the seems of the trampolines every 6-7 years (in climates with strong UV, every 5 years). Normally, our clients change their trampolines after 10-12 years use.

Float deck teflon pad rings

On Dragonflys built after 1989, the white 5 mm Teflon pad rings on the float deck need to be changed every 13-15 years – this is neither critical nor structural. For easy change of these pads/rings, you just bolt off the floats from the wings.

Quick-Links

Over the years, Quorning Boats has used the riggings links, so-called Quick-Links, in the Dragonfly production. When replacing these, it is of utmost importance to purchase links of same high quality or similar products carrying same strength (working load). Many products look the same, but do not carry the same strength.

Oedering Parts

Original parts can be ordered at Quorning Boats at   [email protected]

Common spare parts can be shipped within two weeks, whereas special parts and/or custom-made parts usually are served within 6-8 weeks.

Caution for all painted surfaces on the boat and mast

Painted surfaces may not be covered with Plastic or other non-breathable materials, as water and condensation can not be lead away from the painted surfaces, and these are not able to dry. When water is stuck between the Paint and a non-breathable or non-ventilated material, blisters can occur between the paint and the gelcoat or the carbon sections of the mast. Due to these circumstances, the permanent use of Ex. Matt-Fenders cannot be recommended, as water and Condensation can also get stuck between these and the hull, and lead to blisters in the Paint.

Quorning Boats can not be held responsible for Blisters in the paint occurred due covering the painted surfaces with non-breathable materials.

Parts ordered at Quorning Boats Denmark, will be produced in originally designed materials. Should you choose to order from other suppliers, please check that the same kind of materials are used – especially on the waterstays and other rigging parts, where stronger Dyeform cables are needed.

DRAGONFLY 28 TOURING & SPORT (built since 2009) Waterstays – every 10 years (max), or by max 15,000 NM Side stays and forestay – every 10 years (max), or by max 15,000 NM Beam stop cable to forward, outside beam under trampoline – every 15 years Diamond spreader stays on the mast – every 15 years

DRAGONFLY 28 PERFORMANCE (built since 2016) Waterstays – every 7 years (max), or by max 10,000 NM Side stays and forestay – every 10 years (max), or by max 15,000 NM Beam stop cable to forward, outside beam under trampoline – every 15 years Diamond spreader stays on the mast – every 15 years

Owner's Manual

Please click here to see the Owner’s Manuals of the Dragonfly 28 

Read the Dragonfly 28 brochure

Check out the other dragonflys.

Dragonfly 25

The Dragonfly 25 is a high-performance trailer-sailer, easy handling for camping- and racing sailors looking for an exhilarating lightweight trimaran which retains comfortable accommodation for weekend cruising with family and friends.

Dragonfly 32

This Dragonfly 32 comes in a modern and dynamic design - setting new standards in both function and design. The perfect combination between family cruising and racing - also offshore. Explore your dreams!

Dragonfly 40

The all-new Dragonfly 40 Performance Cruiser is cutting edge design with focus on easy handling and shorthanded sailing. Spacious cockpit and a stylish, modern interior. Setting new standards for comfortable and safe family offshore sailing.

Dragonfly newsletter

Find a dealer

Find your local dealer

Quorning Boats ApS

Skærbækvej 101 7000 Fredericia Denmark

+45 7556 2626

[email protected]

VAT No DK 18 88 83 78

• Previous models

Quick links