sailboat 27 foot

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Catalina 27

Catalina 27 is a 26 ′ 10 ″ / 8.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Robert Finch and Frank V. Butler and built by Cooper Enterprises Inc., Russell Marine, Essex, Catalina Yachts, and Eric Birch, Essex between 1971 and 1991.

• 3 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 4 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 5 / 157 Acworth, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 6 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 7 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 8 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 9 / 157 Northbridge, MA, US 1967 Catalina 27 $2,000 USD View
• 10 / 157 Dayton, MT, US 1985 Catalina 27 $12,500 USD View
• 11 / 157 Smith Mountain Lake, VA, US 1989 Catalina 27 $10,000 USD View
• 12 / 157 Stockton Lake, MO, US 1976 Catalina 27 $9,999 USD View
• 13 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 14 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 15 / 157 Acworth, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 16 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 17 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 18 / 157 Smith Mountain Lake, VA, US 1989 Catalina 27 $10,000 USD View
• 19 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 20 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 21 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 22 / 157 Acworth, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 23 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 24 / 157 Northbridge, MA, US 1967 Catalina 27 $2,000 USD View
• 25 / 157 Dayton, MT, US 1985 Catalina 27 $12,500 USD View
• 26 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 27 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 28 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 29 / 157 Acworth, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 30 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 31 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 32 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 33 / 157 Dayton, MT, US 1985 Catalina 27 $12,500 USD View
• 34 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 35 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 36 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 37 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 38 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 39 / 157 Northbridge, MA, US 1967 Catalina 27 $2,000 USD View
• 40 / 157 Dayton, MT, US 1985 Catalina 27 $12,500 USD View
• 41 / 157 Smith Mountain Lake, VA, US 1989 Catalina 27 $10,000 USD View
• 42 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 43 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 44 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 45 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 46 / 157 Northbridge, MA, US 1967 Catalina 27 $2,000 USD View
• 47 / 157 Dayton, MT, US 1985 Catalina 27 $12,500 USD View
• 48 / 157 Smith Mountain Lake, VA, US 1989 Catalina 27 $10,000 USD View
• 49 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 50 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 51 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 52 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 53 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 54 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 55 / 157 Northbridge, MA, US 1967 Catalina 27 $2,000 USD View
• 56 / 157 Smith Mountain Lake, VA, US 1989 Catalina 27 $10,000 USD View
• 57 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 58 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 59 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 60 / 157 Northbridge, MA, US 1967 Catalina 27 $2,000 USD View
• 61 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 62 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 63 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 64 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 65 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 66 / 157 Smith Mountain Lake, VA, US 1989 Catalina 27 $10,000 USD View
• 67 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 68 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 69 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 70 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 71 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 72 / 157 Smith Mountain Lake, VA, US 1989 Catalina 27 $10,000 USD View
• 73 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 74 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 75 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 76 / 157 Port Jefferson Harbor, NY, US 1983 Catalina 27 $11,000 USD View
• 77 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 78 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 79 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 80 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 81 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 82 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 83 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 84 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 85 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 86 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1985 Catalina 27 $9,950 USD View
• 87 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 88 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 89 / 157 Gainesville, GA, US 1984 Catalina 27 $14,950 USD View
• 90 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 91 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 92 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 93 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 94 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 95 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 96 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 97 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 98 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 99 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 100 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 101 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 102 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 103 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 104 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 105 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 106 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 107 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 108 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 109 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 110 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 111 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 112 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 113 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 114 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 115 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 116 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 117 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 118 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 119 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 120 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 121 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 122 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 123 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 124 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 125 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 126 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 127 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 128 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 129 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 130 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 131 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 132 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 133 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 134 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 135 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 136 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 137 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 138 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 139 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 140 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 141 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 142 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 143 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 144 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 145 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 146 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 147 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 148 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 149 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 150 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 151 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 152 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 153 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 154 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 155 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 156 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View
• 157 / 157 Key Largo, FL, US 1989 Catalina 27 $12,900 USD View

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

Launched in 1971, the Catalina 27 has been a popular favourite, enjoying the kind of commercial success that’s led to one of the longest and largest production runs of its era spanning 22 years and 6,600 boats. From the outset she was designed to be affordable (some have even said cheap) for weekend excursions, club racing and coastal cruising – offshore work was always outside of the design scope. Yet despite this there has been at least one circumnavigation demonstrating that this vessel, with the right preparation and skills, can be an ocean passage maker. We’ve included this boat here more for its popularity than its inherent seaworthiness.

The Catalina 27 was conceived in a 1970 design partnership between Robert Finch, and the founder of Catalina Yachts, Frank Butler. Butler built an incredible number of 27s at his boat factory in Southern California using modern boatbuilding processes that are not too different to methods employed today. Initial production started in 1971. She had a incredibly spacious interior and she was affordably priced at a time when cruising sailboats had captured the public imagination. These factors helped the boat find immediate success, in fact in the first three years 1,500 boats popped off the production line – that’s ten per week.

Early models were only available with outboard engines, an inboard option of an Atomic 4 engine was added in 1973, which later expanded to other engine varieties in successive years. The outboard engine option was later phased out in 1989. For shallow waters, a shoal draft winged-keel version was introduced in 1979. And popular among club racers, there was a version with a taller, more efficient, high aspect ratio rig which added 24 sq.ft. of canvas.

Production spread also to Canada and the UK. Cooper Enterprises in British Columbia, at the time one of the largest Canadian boatbuilders, produced well over a thousand boats under license for the Canadian domestic market and are a common sight around BC waterways today. While across the pond in the UK, the boat was built under license from as early as 1971 under the brand name Jaguar for UK and European markets. These were produced in Essex by Eric Birch Yachts (from 1971) and Russell Marine (from 1975) with the hulls molded by Seamaster Boats.

In 1979 a young 28 year old Patrick Childress set off in his shoal draft Catalina 27, Juggernaut , on a successful 3 year single-handed circumnavigation which included a 6400-mile, 53-day passage of the Indian Ocean.

After an unprecedented 22 years of production resulting in 6,600 boats, production finally ceased in 1991. Catalina succeeded the long lasting design with an all-new water-ballasted and trailerable weekender, the Catalina 270.

Configuration

The Catalina 27 is a fin-keeler with a raked spade rudder hanging about as far aft as possible, pushed along by a masthead sloop rig that’s tall and efficient. The hull shape is shallow and beamy which is great for initial stiffness to the wind but reduces liveable volume below the waterline. Butler made up for this by drawing deep topsides and a high cabin top all while keeping the design sleek to the eye. The result gives this 27-footer class leading interior headroom and space.

Below deck can best be described as light and spacious, this boat offers so much accommodation that many are willing to forgo her flaws. The companionway and hatch is wide which poses a water ingress hazard at sea but is responsible for her spacious feel in the cabin while at anchor. There’s technically berths for six in the standard aft-galley layout – two in the forepeak and the port side settee will really only fit kids or very short adults, while the starboard settee converts to a cozy double berth, and finally there’s a starboard seagoing quarterberth. The galley with its two burner stove is located on port below the companionway while the head is located just aft of the forepeak on starboard and is comfortably sized. Opposite the head is a locker, but note, as is typical of boats this size, locker and stowage space is in short supply.

Construction

Construction was pretty light. The hull is of solid fiberglass and much thinner than typical offshore counterparts, particularly above the waterline where small impacts that would normally lead to just a scratch may result in fractures for the Catalina 27. Early boats, as a cost cutting measure, lacked proper backing plates on deck hardware, stanchions, and rails, which lead to cracked gelcoat and in some cases fiberglass delamination. This was remedied in later boats.

The feel of the helm is very light and she sails responsively, or to quote the ever humorous John Vigor in 20 Small Sailboats to Take you Anywhere, “She handles like a dinghy, which is hardy surprising since that’s what she basically is – a dinghy with grandeur”. She is relatively stiff and holds her canvas well in a breeze. All this makes for a fast boat that’s easily controlled. The downside is seaworthiness. For best results Vigor recommends keeping her cruising weight down, as reduced weight will reduce stresses on the rig and hull at sea.

Note that the Catalina 27 is a beamy boat, and like others, there is a tendency for weather helm on greater angles of heel that will require either reefing the mainsail to maintain balance.

Buyers Notes

More than 6,600 Catalina 27s were made, so there’s plenty to choose from. If you’re on the hunt for a boat to sail protected coastal waters at a good price then she’s a good choice. For offshore work do your research and make sure you’ve modified your boat according to recommendations – probably the most important are enlarging the cockpit drains, reworking the companionway hatch area to help direct water into the cockpit, and uprated rigging including chainplates for the aft lower shrouds.

Some known weaknesses with this boat are listed below:

• As mentioned, early boats lacked backing plates on hardware, leading to cracks in the gelcoat and in some cases delamination of the GRP.
• Through-hull fittings were poorly installed and secondary bondings of attachments in some cases were poor.
• Leaky chain plates have caused bulkheads to deteriorate which in turn has increased the risk of rig failures.
• Fuel tank installations were poor on early inboard models.
• The original spreader sockets were made of cast aluminium which tended to crack when overstressed.
• Through-hull fittings in early boats were simply pipe nipples glassed into the hull and will need swapping out for proper flanged, bolt-through bronze fittings.
• While heeled, some have reported seawater back flowing into the icebox via the drain. Fit a proper seacock to the through-hull.

Links, References and Further Reading

» The Catalina 27/270 Owners Association » Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere by John Vigor, (Ch8, p45-52) an in depth look at the Catalina 27. ISBN:978-0939837328 » Used Boat Notebook, Catalina 27, review by John Kretschmer, SAILING Magazine, Nov 2002, volume 37, no. 3 » Jaguar Owners Association for European Catalinas under the brand name Jaguar » A biography of Forbes Cooper of Cooper Yachts who built the Canadian Catalina 27s » Cruising World Magazine’s article on Patrick Childress’ two circumnavigations , first in his Catalina 27 and then in his Valiant 40 two decades later.

Embed this page on your own website by copying and pasting this code.

Discover Related Sailboats

Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere

John Vigor turns the spotlight on twenty seaworthy sailboats that are at home on the ocean in all weather. These are old fiberglass boats...

Blue Water Boats

This collection of capable blue water boats features time-tested sailboats with rich histories.

Catalina 30

Albin Vega 27

Catalina 270

Pearson Triton

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• Event calendar
• Annapolis Sailboat Show
• Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
• Miami International Boat Show
• Oceanis 30.1
• Oceanis 34.1
• Oceanis 37.1
• Oceanis 40.1
• Oceanis 46.1
• Oceanis 51.1
• Oceanis Yacht 54
• Oceanis Yacht 60
• FIGARO BENETEAU 3
• Heritage Sailing Yacht
• Flyer 7 SUNdeck
• Flyer 7 SPACEdeck
• Flyer 8 SUNdeck
• Flyer 8 SPACEdeck
• Flyer 9 SUNdeck
• Flyer 9 SPACEdeck
• Antares 7 Fishing
• Antares 8 Fishing
• ANTARES 11 FLY
• Gran Turismo 32
• Gran Turismo 36
• Gran Turismo 41
• Gran Turismo 45
• Swift Trawler 35
• Swift trawler 41 Sedan
• Swift trawler 41 Fly
• Swift Trawler 48
• Swift Trawler 54
• Grand Trawler 62
• Heritage Powerboats
• Future Owners
• A REMARKABLE ANNIVERSARY
• Our History
• Our Architects and Designers
• Our philosophy
• Our Innovations
• Your way to ownership
• Tests and Awards

• Description
• Key Features

Specifications

First 27 SE brings high-tech performance, events and community know-how from the cutting edge of racing sports into recreational sailors' hands. She delivers extraordinary sailing experiences that were once reserved for professional racers. Sailors can challenge themselves on One Design long-distance races or enjoy fast adventure cruises in the best sailing spots, as she is also wholly trailable.

NAVAL ARCHITECT : Samuel Manuard INTERIOR DESIGN : Sito Concept and R&D : Seascape

WHY FIRST 27 SE ?

First 27 SE is a real high-performance planing sailboat, easily achieving thrilling double-digit speeds and delivering an incomparable sailing experience, resulting from modern design and building technologies.

Her superb seaworthiness, which crowned the boat with the B category, results from exceptional boat design, cutting-edge building technology and many safety features: three separate unsinkable chambers, a swinging keel system in case of grounding and increased bow volume with crash box.

The One Design racing calendar is comprised of fully crewed windward-leeward races and adventurous long-distance double-handed or solo challenges. Whichever you choose, you can count on the friendly community that will give you a proper challenge.

Sitting low on the trailer due to her hydraulically operated swinging keel, light structure, beam just below the width limit and light carbon mast, she is wholly trailable to different locations, for racing or cruising purposes. 

SAILING EXPERIENCE

Planing at double-digit speeds is easier than ever. The First 27 SE promises a thrilling and pure sailing experience. Her performance is rooted in her modern hull design and light but stiff vacuum-infused hull construction. She has a hull with very high initial stability, a deep lead-bulb keel, and an easily handled carbon rig with a large square-top mainsail without a backstay or runners. All this power is nothing if you can't manage it, so she's been designed with well-thought cockpit ergonomics and a balanced twin-rudder steering system. No matter if you're sailing solo, double-handed or fully crewed, First 27 SE will reward you with an astonishing sailing experience and pure joy under sail. 

LIVING ONBOARD

The First 27 SE is the only B category, trailerable 8m boat on the market with a fully functional interior. While it may look minimalistic, her extremely weight-sensitive interior is outfitted with components that also function as part of the boat's structure. She can accommodate up to 6 adults, two in a separate bow cabin and 4 in the saloon. Thanks to innovative magnetic doors, the mid-section of the boat can be converted to a proper marine toilet, front cabin extension, or "wet-room" for sail-changes. The interior also offers crew bags for personal belongings, a fridge, foldable table and sail-locker. Combined with other practicalities, these make her the ultimate adventure cruiser for sailing connoisseurs. The entire interior is modular, so you can quickly empty it and reduce weight for racing needs.

The International Owners Community and events calendar enable owners to challenge themselves on long-distance One Design challenges across the continent as a part of a great company of supportive, like-minded sailors.

Equipped With SEANAPPS

The easiest way to keep your boat safe and ready to cruise anytime.

The new Seanapps  app is the ultimate solution to help you indulge your passion for boating. With the touch of your finger, you can easily connect, monitor and order services for your boat – from routine maintenance, to requesting a wash or fuel or having us complete a repair.

The information below is intended for general informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice and does not constitute a contractual agreement. Any descriptions, representations, or statements made in this document are not to be considered binding unless explicitly stated otherwise in a formal contractual agreement.

Length Overall

Beam overall

Light displacement

3417,17 lbs

Air Draft Max

Max. engine power

CE Certification

F27SE solo offshore European Championship – the gap to high-end racing bridged

If you wanted to sail competitively offshore and solo, you would have found that you are left with very few options.

Beginner Sailing Guide: How to choose the right sailboat and learn how to sail

The epic legend of the First : 40 years on

Customer care.

Buying a BENETEAU doesn’t have to be a daunting task. We have teams of experts to guide you through the entire process – everything from sea trials, financing, and customization to after-sale commissioning, service, and maintenance. We are proud to have one of the largest, most highly-regarded dealer networks in the world. We’re ready to provide you with the assistance and expertise needed to launch you and your BENETEAU on a lifetime of happy, rewarding, and memorable voyages.

Other models in the range

4.3 m / 14’ 1’’

1.7 m / 5’ 7’’

5.55 m / 18’3’’

2.38 m / 7’ 10’’

7.29 m / 23’11’’

2.5 m / 8’2’’

Select your area and your language

• Chinese, Simplified

• New Sailboats
• Sailboats 21-30ft
• Sailboats 31-35ft
• Sailboats 36-40ft
• Sailboats Over 40ft
• Sailboats Under 21feet
• used_sailboats
• Apps and Computer Programs
• Communications
• Fishfinders
• Handheld Electronics
• Plotters MFDS Rradar
• Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
• Anchoring Mooring
• Running Rigging
• Sails Canvas
• Standing Rigging
• Diesel Engines
• Off Grid Energy
• Cleaning Waxing
• DIY Projects
• Repair, Tools & Materials
• Spare Parts
• Tools & Gadgets
• Cabin Comfort
• Ventilation
• Footwear Apparel
• Foul Weather Gear
• Mailport & PS Advisor
• Inside Practical Sailor Blog
• Activate My Web Access
• Reset Password
• Customer Service

• Free Newsletter

Mason 33 Used Boat Review

Beneteau 311, Catalina 310 and Hunter 326 Used Boat Comparison

Maine Cat 41 Used Boat Review

Cheoy Lee Clipper 36 & 42 Used Boat Review

Tips From A First “Sail” on the ICW

Tillerpilot Tips and Safety Cautions

Best Crimpers and Strippers for Fixing Marine Electrical Connectors

Thinking Through a Solar Power Installation

Stopping Mainsheet Twist

Working with High-Tech Ropes

Getting a Clue for the Blown-Out Clew

Monel Seizing Wire is Worth the Extra Cost

Fuel Lift Pump: Easy DIY Diesel Fuel System Diagnostic and Repair

Ensuring Safe Shorepower

Sinking? Check Your Stuffing Box

The Rain Catcher’s Guide

Boat Maintenance for the Technically Illiterate: Part 1

Whats the Best Way to Restore Clear Plastic Windows?

Mastering Precision Drilling: How to Use Drill Guides

Giving Bugs the Big Goodbye

Galley Gadgets for the Cruising Sailor

Those Extras you Don’t Need But Love to Have

UV Clothing: Is It Worth the Hype?

Preparing Yourself for Solo Sailing

How to Select Crew for a Passage or Delivery

Preparing A Boat to Sail Solo

On Watch: This 60-Year-Old Hinckley Pilot 35 is Also a Working…

On Watch: America’s Cup

On Watch: All Eyes on Europe Sail Racing

Dear Readers

Chafe Protection for Dock Lines

• Sailboat Reviews

Stiletto 27: The Beachcat Grown Up

S27: performance multihull meets trailerable, pocket-cruiser..

It’s hard to mistake the Stiletto 27s appearance-typically with blazing topside graphics and aircraft-style, pop-top companionway hatches. It’s also hard for the average sailor to appreciate the sophistication of the Stilettos construction-epoxy-saturated fiberglass over a Nomex honeycomb core.

Florida-based Force Engineering was formed to build the Stiletto in the late 70s. Forces then marketing director, Larry Tibbe, had been an aircraft account salesman for Ciba-Geigy, which manufactured Nomex. Nomex coring is used in a variety of aircraft parts (like helicopter blades), as well as the Stilettos hulls.

The 27, or Stiletto Classic, was offered in several versions. The Standard Stiletto had a mainsail, a nearly naked interior, and no options. The racing version, the Championship Edition, came with a few options like deck hatches, rubrails and removable berths, plus extra racing sails, winches, and a knotmeter. The Special Edition, the most expensive of the three, was equipped with pocket-cruising options like a galley, head, berths, carpeted interior, and running lights. The GT (Grand Tourismo) model came with daggerboards in each hull rather than a centerboard (as did the Stiletto 23 and Stiletto 30).

About 500 Stiletto 27s were built during the 10-year production run from 1976 to 1986, and most were Special Edition models; only six boats were GTs. However, like most older boats, custom buyer options and owner modifications over the years mean current Stilettos can vary widely in design details, deck hardware, sail options, rig sizes, etc.

Force engineers (and brothers) Ron and Andy Nicol bought the Stiletto brand in 1983 and continued to build new boats until 1986. After production ceased, the Nicols Stiletto Catamarans became a supplier of Stiletto parts and offered refurbishing and modification services. Recently, the Nicols partnered with the North Carolina-based Stiletto Manufacturing, which was founded by Jay Phillips to re-launch Stiletto boatbuilding. Stiletto Manufacturing has just begun producing the new Stiletto X-Series boats. (See Stiletto Foiler on Horizon accompanying this article on right.) Stiletto Catamarans, which continues to offer parts and services for the classic Stiletto models in Venice, Fla., will be regional distributors for the new X-Series boats.

Photos courtesy of Sail Stiletto and Ben Appel

Classifying Cats

Multihulls larger than 20 feet can usually be classified as cruising or performance boats. The cruising multihull is characterized by beamy hulls, with a cabin house across the bridgedeck, stubby rigs, monohull-like displacements, and spacious interiors. Their design priority is comfort. Performance multihulls feature light displacement, powerful rigs, and lean interiors. Custom ocean-racing trimarans fall into this latter category, as do a few production catamarans like the Stiletto 27.

The 27 has become a popular choice for owners looking for a more affordable option for multihull class racing. You’ll find active fleets of 27s racing in many parts of the country, but they’re likely most popular in Florida, the birthplace of Stiletto. In fact, the Stiletto Nationals are annually held in PSs homewaters of Sarasota, Fla.

While the Stiletto does offer ripping speed, its also a good family boat. Its trailerable and beachable, making it a fun platform for weekend camping trips aboard or exploring desolate beaches and sandbars with the kids. It doesn’t have the creature comforts of a typical cruising cat, but for a low-maintenance crew, it makes near-shore and inshore cruising accessible. It offers a stable ride and can easily accommodate six to eight people on deck. Its also a forgiving boat for new multihull skippers or sailing newbies; with only 9 inches of draft (centerboard up) and weighing only 1,100 pounds, there’s no need to worry about soft groundings as it can easily be pushed off the bottom.

Construction

Very few boats are cored with the Nomex honeycomb that make up the 27s hulls and bridgedeck. Sandwiching a core material between two layers of fiberglass laminate is not a new technique, but most boatbuilders use cores of balsa wood, Airex foam, or Klegecell foam. Core construction offers several advantages over single-skin construction. It is stiffer for a given weight, lighter for a given stiffness, makes the boat quieter, and reduces condensation.

Honeycomb is rarely used for boatbuilding because the molding procedure is far more sophisticated (and expensive) than with balsa or foam cores. Honeycomb can be made of several materials: paper, aluminum, and nylon. Using paper or aluminum honeycomb in boats is questionable because of their susceptibility to water damage should the cores outer laminate be breached. However, the Stilettos Nomex honeycomb core is made of nylon.

According to Stiletto, a Nomex honeycomb-cored panel, for a given weight, is stronger, stiffer, less brittle, and more puncture resistant than foam or wood cores. Nomex is also said to be impervious to water, so there is no water migration between the honeycomb cells should the outer skin be ruptured.

Getting the honeycomb to bond to the fiberglass skins isn’t easy. First, the fiberglass cloth must be pre-impregnated with epoxy resin. Most boat builders use polyester resin, which lacks the adhesive strength of epoxy, and saturate the fiberglass after it has been laid into the mold-a messy and inexact procedure. Pre-impregnated cloth, or prepreg, has an exact resin-to-cloth ratio, which means that the builder always has the optimum strength-to-weight ratio. Most boat builders must err on the resin-rich side when saturating cloth, which increases weight but not strength.

To cure the prepreg after layup, the mold was baked at 250 degrees for 90 minutes. At the same time, the fiberglass skins were vacuum-bagged to the honeycomb to ensure proper adhesion.

Most builders vacuum-bagging process entails laying a sheet of plastic into the mold and sucking the air out with a single pump. Force Engineering used a blotter to absorb excess resin and 16 spigots to distribute the vacuum, a more effective technique. When finished, each of the Stiletto 27s hulls weighed only 220 pounds and was impressively strong and stiff.

Unlike the high-tech hull and bridgedeck, the aluminum mast and crossbeams were built with conventional technology. All-up, the Stiletto weighed 1,100 to 1,570 pounds, depending on optional equipment.

Gelcoat cannot be used in the Stilettos molding process. Instead, each boat must be faired with putty and painted with polyurethane. Paint has the advantage that it will not chalk like gelcoat and is much easier to repair yourself, but it is more susceptible to nicks, scrapes and peeling, especially if improperly applied.

Except for the handful of GT models, the Stiletto 27 was designed with a single centerboard mounted on centerline through a slot in the bridgedeck. It is held snugly in place by a latticework of stainless-steel tubes designed to collapse in the event of a hard grounding. The airfoil centerboard on older models was made of wood, and chipped trailing edges were a common problem. Later boards were molded of fiberglass and more resistant to damage.

Some performance-minded Stiletto owners have done away with the centerboard all together, opting instead for a high-aspect daggerboard in each hull, with added bulkheads to support the daggers. This increases the boats pointing ability and boosts overall performance.

Few Classics still have the original aluminum spars and crossbeams. Common modifications on the 27s include moving the forward crossbeam forward 18 inches (increasing overall stiffness and adding sail area in the foretraingle) and extending mast heights three feet to accommodate a larger, square-top mainsail. Many of these modifications, along with the daggerboard refits, were carried out by the Nicols at Stiletto Catamarans.

The Stiletto 27 gets high marks for its rudders. They have strong aluminum heads and double lower pintles. To be beachable, a catamaran must have kick-up rudders; these kick-up systems often refuse to work when you need them most. However, the Stilettos rudders worked smoothly and positively on the boats we test sailed.

Trailerability

One of the Classics selling points is its trailerability. But while it is light enough to be pulled by a vehicle with a tow capacity of 3,500 pounds (stripped-down racing 27s may get away with only 2,000 pound capacity, but wed err on the side of caution), rigging and launching the Stiletto is not a simple chore. Owners say it takes several people (two to four) several hours (three or four). To shrink the beamy (13 feet, 10 inches) Stiletto down to legal highway trailering width (8 feet typically), both the Stilettos crossbeams and the trailer collapse. The compression tube that spans the bows must be removed for trailering, as must the dolphin striker beneath the mast step and the 125-pound bridgedeck.

To raise and lower the mast, the headstay is shackled to a short, pivoting gin pole mounted just aft of the trailer winch. The winch is used to pull the gin pole, which in turn provides leverage to hoist the heavy mast. Owners say that lifting the bridgedeck and manhandling the spar is next to impossible with just a couple. As long as you have the muscle, this clever system does work.

The Stiletto is a performance catamaran. In a breeze, owners report, she is as fast or faster than a Hobie 16. Most have been upgraded with genoas, drifter/reachers, and spinnakers. Many also sport deep reefs and storm jibs, required to keep the boat manageable in a blow.

According to owners, the Stiletto does not have some of the bad heavy-air habits of smaller catamarans. It is relatively dry to sail up to about 12 knots, does not hike up and fly a hull too easily, has no tendency to pitchpole, and does not get light as it comes off a big wave sailing upwind.

Like most cats, the Stiletto has a fully battened mainsail. The advantage is that it can have a much larger roach, and because the battens dampen luffing, the sail will last longer.

The Stiletto also has a rotating mast. The older masts have only athwartships diamond shrouds; the later 27s have an added third diamond extended forward to control fore-and-aft bend in a strong breeze. This three-diamond system is strongly welded together and a real plus for heavy-weather sailing.

Deck Layout

The Stiletto has a solid bridgedeck stretched between the two hulls aft of the mast, and a polypropylene mesh trampoline forward of the mast. You’ll find varying trampoline setups; some are laced with a series of hooks and others have bolt rope edges that slide into tracks on the hull and crossbeams.

The bridgedeck, which is where crew spends the most time, has no proper seats, but it does have molded-in benches running the length of each side of the bridgedeck. These are not the most comfortable for seating underway, but some owners have reported that using marinized beanbags for lounging is a practical option. Bridgedeck cushions were standard on the Special Edition, and many owners have added them over the years-some also have added a backrest for the helmsman.

A wire stretched between the bows forward of the headstay acts as a traveler for the optional reacher/drifter. Many owners have added roller-furling headsails and main halyard winches; headsail winches were standard on the Championship Edition but were an extra-cost option on the other models as sheet loads on such a light boat are not that high.

The Stiletto has a ball-bearing mainsheet traveler, but the original mainsheet setup had only a 6-to-1 purchase, which owners say is insufficient in a breeze; an 8-to-1 setup is recommended. The tiller extension passes behind the mainsheet, and the tiller crossbar is adjustable so you can align the two rudders. The jibsheets are led to ratchet blocks (Harken brand on our test boat) to make trimming easier.

The outboard engine bracket is hung off the aft crossbeam. Engines up to 18 horsepower are common on the 27s, giving motoring speeds of 12 to 14 knots, but a 6-horsepower outboard is adequate and more popular with racers.

The Standard Stiletto version is nothing but an empty shell below. The Special Editions original interior was completely covered-ceilings, overhead and sole-with marine carpeting. No doubt, most owners have removed the carpet by now, or at least replaced it.

The Stiletto has the narrow hulls of a fast catamaran, which means that its berths are only 31 inches wide (twin size) but are extra long (14 feet), with one in each hull. There is stowage space under the berths.

Stilettos were offered with an optional mosquito-tight bridgedeck tent. Owners have reported that the tent was bulky and cumbersome, so most have ditched it in favor of popup tents set up on the trampoline or DIY boom tents over an air mattress on the bridgedeck.

The Special Edition had a self-contained head under one berth and a small galley with a sink, a hand-pump faucet, and a two-gallon water tank. There was no standard mounted stove, but many owners keep a portable stove onboard, which is more practical for this boat in our opinion. The Special Edition was also the only model with standard running and interior lights.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Stiletto is its conical, jet-fighter-looking companionway hatches. The canopies are vacuum-formed polycarbonate. These canopies can’t be cracked open like a conventional hatch, so it can get stuffy down below when its raining.

Conclusions

There is probably no production hull built in the U.S. with a better strength-to-weight ratio than the Stiletto. And although the design is 40 years old, the Nomex honeycomb fabrication is still impressive.

The Stiletto seems to appeal to the catamaran sailor hooked on fast performance, but who wants a boat that be taken places-either sailed to nearby weekend destinations or trailered out of state for a race or getaway. There are other options with more creature comforts for the multihull sailor who wants to weekend cruise, but few in this size and price range can offer the same speed performance and trailerability.

As PS contributor and former Stiletto 27 owner Drew Frye put it, How many $10,000, 40-year-old designs can top 20 knots with just Dad and a 10-year-old for crew, and then pull up to the beach so you can look for crabs with your kid?

If you’re considering a used 27, the ones in ready-to-sail shape run $15,000 to $25,000, but they hold their resale value. Replacement parts can still be bought from Stiletto Catamarans, and there is a very active and knowledgable owners group online.

The Stiletto 27 is certainly a niche boat-somewhere between beachcat and performance cruiser-but it serves that niche well, as its 40-year history can attest.

Thanks to its Nomex core and slick design, the Stiletto 27 is much lighter than most multihulls in its size range.

• Stiletto Catamarans
• Stiletto Manufacturing
• Stiletto Owners Group
• Stiletto Foiler on Horizon

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

I had a 27′ Stiletto. Took it to the nationals and trailered it everywhere. I would do it again, if my wife would let me

Get another wife!

I worked for Hawaiian Tropic and sailed the 23 and 27 for 9 years loved both . Sucks I had 2 stroke’s recently and have been looking in my area for one. Should get back pay soon watch out!

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Log in to leave a comment

Latest Videos

The Perfect Family Sailboat! Hunter 27-2 – Boat Review

Pettit EZ-Poxy – How to Paint a Boat

The Boat From True Spirit – Sparkman & Stephens

Top 5 Boat Hacks – Boat Maintenance Tips and Tricks

Latest sailboat review.

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Online Account Activation
• Privacy Manager

• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Newsletters
• Sailboat Reviews
• Boating Safety
• Sails and Rigging
• Maintenance
• Sailing Totem
• Sailor & Galley
• Living Aboard
• Destinations
• Gear & Electronics
• Charter Resources
• Ultimate Boat Giveaway

11 Best Pocket Cruiser Sailboats to Fit a Budget

• By Cruising World Staff
• Updated: May 24, 2024

Looking for a trailerable pocket cruiser that offers that liveaboard feeling? This list features 11 small sailboats with cabins that have the amenities often found on larger vessels. They may not be ocean crossing vessels, but they’re certainly capable of handling big bays and open waters.

What is a pocket cruiser? It’s a small trailerable sailboat, typically under 30 feet in length, that’s ideal for cruising big lakes, bays, coastal ocean waters, and occasionally bluewater cruising. Pocket cruisers are usually more affordable, compact, and offer a level of comfort that’s comparable to bigger liveaboards.

Small cruising sailboats are appealing for many reasons, but if you’re like most of us, you want to maintain a certain level of comfort while on the water. We took a poll and these are what we found to be the best cruising sailboats under 30 feet.

– DON’T LET CARBON MONOXIDE SNEAK UP ON YOU – Install detectors on your boat to sniff out any buildup of carbon monoxide gas. Avoid running engines or generators while anchored or stopped for extended periods. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

Open and airy below deck, the Andrews 28 doesn’t sacrifice comfort for speed. Designed by Alan Andrews, the Southern California naval architect renowned for his light, fast raceboats, this 28-footer will certainly appeal to the cruiser who also enjoys a little club racing. Sporting a total of 6 berths, a galley, head and nav area, you might forget you are on a boat small enough to be easily trailered. The retractable keel allows the Andrews 28 to be easily launched and hauled and ensures it’s as comfortable as a daysailer as it is a racer. Click here to read more about the Andrews28.

Beneteau First 20

Small sailboat with a cabin? Check! Fun to sail? Modern design? Capable of flying a spinnaker? Check! Check! Check! The Finot-Conq-designed Beneteau First 20, which replaced the popular Beneteau first 211 nearly a decade ago now, is a sporty-but-stable pocket cruiser suitable for newcomers to the sport who are eager to learn their chops before moving up to a bigger boat or for old salts looking to downsize to a trailerable design. The boat features twin rudders, a lifting keel, and a surprisingly roomy interior with bunks for four. Click here to read more about the Beneteau First 20 .

Conceived as a way to bridge the gap between a safe, comfortable, family cruiser and a competitive racer, Gary Mull’s Ranger 26 does exactly as it was designed to. Undeniably fast, (one won the 1970 IOR North American Half-Ton Cup) the boat sails as well as it looks. However speed isn’t the Ranger’s only strong-suit, with over 7 feet of cockpit there’s plenty of room for socializing after an evening of racing. The Ranger 26 sports a nice balance of freeboard and cabin height ensuring that a handsome profile wasn’t sacrificed for standing headroom. Click here to read more about the Ranger 26.

Catboats were once a common site in coastal waters, where they sailed the shallow bays as fishing or work boats. Their large single and often gaff-rigged sail provided plenty of power, and a centerboard made them well-suited for the thin waters they frequently encountered. In the late 1970s, Canadian builder Hinterhoeller introduced the Nonsuch 30, a fiberglass variation of the catboat design, with a modern Marconi sail flown on a stayless mast, and a keel instead of a centerboard. The boat’s wide beam made room below for a spacious interior, and the design caught on quickly with cruising sailors looking for a small bluewater sailboat. Click here to read more about the Nonsuch 30 .

– SHOW THEM HOW MUCH YOU CARE – Nothing says ‘I love you’ like making sure the kids’ life jackets are snugged up and properly buckled. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

Debuted in 1971 in California, the Newport 27 was an instant success on the local racing scene. For a modest 27-footer, the Newport 27 has an unusually spacious interrior with over 6 feet of standing headroom. With 4 berths, a table, nav station, head and galley the Newport 27 has all the amenities you might find in a much bigger boat, all in a compact package. While quick in light air, the drawback of the tiller steering becomes apparent with increasing breeze and weather helm often leading to shortening sail early. Click here to read more about the Newport 27.

First splashed in 1969, the Balboa 26 continues to enjoy a strong following among budget-minded cruisers. Built sturdy and heavy, all of the boat’s stress points are reinforced. The spacious cockpit comfortably seats 4 and is self bailing, ensuring that sailors stay dry. While only 26 feet, the Balboa still has room for a double berth, galley with stove and freshwater pump, and an optional marine head or V-berth. The Balboa has the ability to sleep five, though the most comfortable number is two or three. Under sail, the Balboa is fast and maneuverable, but may prove a handful in heavy breeze as weather helm increases. Click here to read more about the Balboa 26.

Cape Dory 28

While the sleek lines and the teak accents of the Cape Dory 28 may grab the eye, it is the performance of the boat that make it unique. The Cape Dory comes with all amenities that you might need available, including a V-berth, 2 settees, and a head. Safe, sound and comfortable as a cruiser it is still capable of speed. Quick in light wind and sturdy and capable in heavy air, it is off the wind where the Cape Dory 28 shines with a balanced helm and the ability to cut through chop and still tack perfectly. Click here to read more about the Cape Dory 28.

Islander Bahama 28

On top of being a real eye-catcher, the Islander Bahama 28, with its 5-foot-6-inch draft and 3,300 pounds of ballast, sails beautifully, tracks well, and responds quickly to the helm. Inspired by the International Offshore Rule, it is unusually wide, offering stability in breeze without sacrificing the sheer and lines that make it so attractive. Below deck, the Islander Bahama 28 comes standard with plenty of berths and storage space and a galley complete with stove, icebox and sink. Click here to read more about the Islander Bahama 28.

– CHECK THE WEATHER – The weather changes all the time. Always check the forecast and prepare for the worst case. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

Much like its older sibling, the S2 8.6 still holds its contemporary style, despite its 1983 introduction. Like all other S2 Yachts, the 8.6 is recognized for the quality craftsmanship that allows the boat to hold up today.The S2 8.6 is a very comfortable and easily managed coastal cruiser and club racer. It’s relatively stiff, its helm feels balanced, and it tracks well. On most points of sail, it compares favorably with other boats of similar size and type. Click here to read more about the S2 8.6.

Contessa 26

When the Contessa 26 was released in 1965, it immediately proved itself to be a strong, seaworthy vessel. The Contessa has continued to prove itself throughout its lifetime, being the boat of choice for two solo circumnavigations under the age of 21. While upwind performance leaves some wanting, the boat is sturdy and can carry full sail in up to 20 knots of breeze. Suited more for single-handing, the Contessa lacks standing headroom and the accommodations are sparse. Nonetheless, the Contessa 26 performs well as a daysailer with guests aboard. Click here to read more about the Contessa 26.

The Hunter 27 perfectly encompasses the pocket cruiser ideal. Even if you don’t want a big boat, you can still have big boat amenities. With the generously spacious layout, wheel steering and a walkthrough transom the Hunter feels much larger than 27 feet. Step below deck and any doubts you had that the Hunter was secretly a big boat will be gone. The amenities below are endless; a full galley including stove, microwave and cooler, head with full shower, several berths and not to mention a saloon with seating for 6. The Hunter 27 has reset the benchmark for 27-footers. Click here to read more about the Hunter 27.

• More: 21 - 30 ft , Boat Gallery , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , used boat guide
• More Sailboats

Sailboat Preview: Elan GT6 Explorer

For Sale: 1984 Camper & Nicholsons 58

Alubat Updates OVNI Models

For Sale: Little Harbor 63 Ketch

Top Tools for Sailboat Cruising: Must-Have Gear for 2024

Here's what we know about why a luxury sailing boat sank off the coast of Sicily

Emergency workers in southern Italy are still hunting for six people missing after a tornado sank a luxury yacht early Monday - prompting an air and naval operation off the coast of Sicily.

Fifteen people were rescued from the wreckage, according to Italy's Coast Guard. One body was recovered on Monday and four more on Wednesday, after divers struggled to reach deep inside the yacht around 50 meters underwater (approximately 150 feet).

Two Americans and four Britons were among the six initially reported missing - including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and Chris Morvillo, a prominent lawyer.

Here's what we know.

What happened?

A small waterspout - a type of tornado - spun over the Mediterranean island early Monday, likely capsizing the sailing boat amid lashings of rain and strong thunderstorms.

The British-flagged yacht, called the "Bayesian," was anchored about a half a mile from the port of Porticello, on Sicily's northern coast. The vessel sank after its mast broke in half in the storm, Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily's Civil Protection, told CNN on Tuesday.

Eyewitnesses described furious gales and hurricane-like winds that left an avalanche of debris near the pier.

More than a dozen survivors were spotted in the area hanging onto life rafts, according to the captain of a nearby boat, who steadied his ship to avoid colliding with the Bayesian.

"We got this strong hurricane gust and we had to start the engine to keep the ship in an angled position," Karsten Bower told reporters in Palermo on Monday. "After the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone."

Bower and his crew rescued four injured people, he said, before calling Italy's Coast Guard - who later rescued the remaining survivors.

One of those rescued - a child - was airlifted to the children's hospital in Palermo. Eight people were hospitalized in total, according to the mayor's office.

The girl's mother, Charlotte, described how she battled to hold onto Sofia, her 1-year-old daughter, as reported by Italian news agency ANSA.

"In two seconds I lost the baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves. I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy," she told journalists. "Many were screaming."

The mother and daughter were later reunited with the father, James, according to a doctor at the local children's hospital in Palermo.

"The survivors are very tired and are constantly asking about the missing people," the doctor, Domenico Cipolla, said Monday. "They are talking and crying all the time because they have realized that there is little hope of finding their friends alive."

Italy's fire brigade dispatched helicopters to aid in the search, officials said Monday. After an unsuccessful attempt on Monday, the brigade sent divers to try and enter the sunken ship Tuesday, recommencing the operation on Wednesday.

The depth of the wreck means divers can only work there for limited periods of time, according to Marco Tilotta, an inspector for the diving unit of Palermo's local fire brigade. The Italian fire brigade said Monday its divers had reached the yacht's hull 49 meters (160 feet) below sea level.

The United Kingdom's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it has deployed a team of four inspectors to Palermo which is conducting a preliminary assessment of the scene.

Who was on board?

Twenty-two people were on board the Bayesian, which was flying under a British flag and had mostly British passengers and crew, in addition to two Anglo-French, one Irish and one Sri Lankan person, a spokesperson for Italy's Coast Guard told CNN.

A troupe of high-profile guests are among those missing, including Lynch, the 59-year-old British tech investor who fought a fraud case earlier this year in the United States - which spiraled from the disastrous $11 billion sale of his company to tech firm Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

His 18-year-old daughter was also named missing. Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, survived the accident. Bacares told Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica that she woke up at 4 a.m. local time, as the boat tilted. She and her husband were not initially concerned, she said, but became worried when the windows of the yacht shattered and chaos erupted.

RELATED: Divers find 4 bodies during search of superyacht wreckage after it sank off Sicily, 2 still missing

Bacares spoke to the newspaper while sitting in a wheelchair, at a hospital in the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese. She had abrasions on her feet and bandages on other parts of her body, it reported.

Bloomer, the finance tycoon, and Morvillo, a prominent lawyer - and both their wives - are also among the missing, according to Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily's Civil Protection.

Morvillo, an American partner at Clifford Chance, was involved in successfully defeating the US fraud case against Lynch in June. Another employee of the firm, Ayla Ronald, and her partner, survived the incident, according to a spokesperson for Clifford Chance.

The body that was recovered from the vessel on Monday was identified as the onboard chef Ricardo Thomas, an Antiguan citizen, Reuters reported.

What do we know about the boat?

Built in 2008, the 56-meter (184-foot) yacht was manufactured by Italian company Perini Navi, Reuters reported. According to the Associated Press, the boat has been available for charter for $215,000 (195,000) per week.

Lynch's wife is linked to the yacht. The Bayesian is held by the company Revtom Limited, according to records from the maritime information service Equasis. The company's latest annual return from April lists Bacares as the proprietor.

"Bayesian," the name given to the vessel, is linked to the statistical theory on which Lynch built his fortune, according to Reuters.

The yacht's mast stood 72.27 meters (237 feet) high above the designated water line, just short of the world's tallest mast which is 75.2 meters, according to Guinness World Records. It was the tallest aluminium mast in the world, the Perini Navi website said.

Perini Navi is known for making "good quality boats," according to Caroline White, deputy editor of BOAT International, a media group serving the superyacht industry.

White told CNN that if the Bayesian dismasted, "it should theoretically become more stable." "But it might be a different story if you are in the middle of a violent storm with incredibly strong winds pinning you to the water," she added.

Dangerous weather conditions

Strong storms across Sicily brought torrential rainfall late Sunday. Initial reports suggest a small waterspout, which developed over the area Monday morning, could have been behind the yacht's sinking.

Waterspouts - one of several types of tornadoes - are spinning columns of air that form over water, or move from land out to water. They are often accompanied by high winds, high seas, hail and dangerous lightning. While they are most common over tropical oceans, they can form almost anywhere.

Matthew Schanck, chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told CNN that while waterspouts in Sicily are rare, "there is a risk" they can happen - just not every day.

Waterspouts rely on warm waters to gain energy and the Mediterranean Sea has been very hot, reaching a record daily median of 28.9 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit) last week, according to preliminary data from researchers at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Spain.

Local temperatures have been even higher, with waters around Sicily reaching almost 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), almost 3 degrees more than normal, Italian climatologist Luca Mercalli told CNN.

"Warmer oceans have more energy and more humidity to transfer to the atmosphere, the most important fuels for storms," he said.

(The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

Related Topics

• BOAT ACCIDENT
• U.S. & WORLD

Top Stories

Historic baseball field in Ontario destroyed in fire

17-year-old boy shot outside Ralphs store in Granada Hills

Former pilot who tried to shut down engines in-flight shares his story

• 3 hours ago

At least 5 Secret Service officials on leave in Trump shooting probe

• 21 minutes ago

Multiple arrests made after two burglary reports in Porter Ranch

Chilean man arrested in exploitation of teen girl, Glendora police say

• 34 minutes ago

Last body from sunken superyacht has been found off Sicily

Boyle Heights shooting leaves 1 dead; at least 8 shell casings found

• 15 minutes ago

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Bayesian maker says crew should have had time to rescue passengers

• Bayesian maker says crew should have had time to rescue passengers on x (opens in a new window)
• Bayesian maker says crew should have had time to rescue passengers on facebook (opens in a new window)
• Bayesian maker says crew should have had time to rescue passengers on linkedin (opens in a new window)
• Bayesian maker says crew should have had time to rescue passengers on whatsapp (opens in a new window)

Marianna Giusti in Porticello

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The manufacturer of the superyacht that sank off Sicily, causing the deaths of UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and at least five others, has said the boat was “absolutely safe” and the crew should have had time to evacuate the passengers.

Giovanni Costantino, chief executive of The Italian Sea Group, which owns several boat brands including the yacht’s builder, Perini Navi, told the Financial Times that the Bayesian “was designed to be absolutely stable and carry . . . the world’s second-tallest mast”.

“The boat sank because it took on water,” Costantino said, suggesting that proper procedures were not followed.

He suggested the large opening just above the waterline on the stern, which pivots down to make a bathing platform and launching point for small boats, may have been open and become flooded, and the same might have been true for another waterline opening on the side.

Italian and UK authorities, which are investigating the circumstances of the incident , have not said when the boat started filling with water, whether vulnerable hatches were open, or whether the crew started the engine and tried to manoeuvre out of danger.

Video description

CCTV footage of the Bayesian sinking during a violent storm

The Italian coastguard has said divers had found no breaches in the hull and the mast was intact. The vessel — a 540-tonne, British-registered yacht designed by Ron Holland and built in 2008 — was resting on the seabed on its starboard side.

James Cutfield, the Bayesian’s skipper, did not immediately respond to the FT’s request for comment. His brother told the New Zealand Herald that Cutfield was “a very good sailor” and “very well respected” in the Mediterranean.

Costantino said it took 16 minutes from the time the boat was caught by the wind and started dragging its anchor near Porticello before it finally sank , which should have given the crew time to secure the vessel and save the passengers. 

“The torture lasted 16 minutes. It went down, not in one minute as some scientists have said. It went down in 16 minutes,” Costantino said. “You can see it from the charts, from the [Automatic Identification System] tracking chart.”

The FT has verified that AIS data is consistent with Costantino’s timings, but it is not possible at this stage to confirm his belief about what may have happened during that period.

“The captain should have prepared the boat and put it in a state of alert and of safety, just like the boat [Sir Robert Baden Powell] anchored 350 metres away, which was built in 1957 and handled the [weather] event brilliantly,” said Costantino.

Karsten Borner, the skipper of that boat, described to reporters in Sicily how he turned on his engine and manoeuvred to control his vessel and avoid a collision with the Bayesian. He saw the Bayesian heel over and then lost sight of it, before spotting a red flare from the Bayesian’s life raft. He rescued the 15 survivors. 

Costantino said Cutfield, a 50-year-old New Zealander, “should have locked everything up. He should have gathered all passengers in the safe point. This is protocol. No one should have been in their cabin. [You should] turn on the engine, weigh [raise] anchor, [point the] bow to the wind and lower the keel. This would have added stability, safety and comfort.”  

It has not been confirmed by divers whether the Bayesian’s long retractable keel was in the safer, lowered position or raised to allow entry to shallow water.

According to ISG, when the boat’s keel is raised, the Bayesian can withstand an inclination of up to 73 degrees; when the keel is lowered, she can tilt by up to 88 degrees — a nearly flat position with the mast on the water — without capsizing.

But Costantino does not believe the position of the keel was the issue. He said that once it was clear the boat was taking on water — CCTV footage from the shore showed the lights going out, presumably when water reached the generators or the electrical panels, he said — there should have been time to get everyone off the boat and into the life rafts.

“Jesus Christ! The hull is intact. The water came in from [hatchways] left open. There is no other possible explanation. If manoeuvred properly, the boat would have comfortably handled the weather — comfortably,” he said.

Promoted Content

Follow the topics in this article.

• Maritime accidents and safety Add to myFT
• Michael Lynch Add to myFT
• Sicily Add to myFT
• Marianna Giusti Add to myFT

Comments have not been enabled for this article.