BoatsVancouver 27

Vancouver 27

Cutter · Long Keel w/trans. Hung Rudder · First built 1973

A Robert B. Harris-designed cutter with a long keel, built across two continents to provide a stiff, comfortable passage

Designed by Robert B. Harris, built by Pheon Yachts Ltd.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Long Keel w/trans. Hung Rudder

See her sail

The Vancouver 27, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Songbird

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 32 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 32
CoastalBluewater

At 1.67 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.67
LightHeavy

332 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 332
EasygoingPowered-up

14.2 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 14.2
TenderStiff

39% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 39%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

What the fleet has seen

The Vancouver 27, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Vancouver 27 is a cutter-rigged sailboat with a long keel and transom-hung rudder, designed by Robert B. Harris and built from 1973 to the present. It measures 8.2 meters LOA, with a 2.6-meter beam, 1.4-meter draft, and 4064 kg displacement. Production began in British Columbia, Canada, with Tradewind Boats, Philbrooks Shipyard, and Seair Marine Ltd., before North American production ceased in 1988; it was later built in England by Pheon Yachts Ltd. and Northshore Yachts Ltd. Aboard *Songbird*, a Vancouver 27 without an engine, solo sailor Luke completed a 40-day passage from Mexico to Nuku Hiva, relying on manual navigation and communication after electronic systems failed. He managed heavy trade winds and rough seas, navigating into anchorages under sail alone, and used a dinghy to tow *Songbird* when the windlass malfunctioned.13:17 The boat's wing-on-wing configuration during a Pacific crossing led to significant rolling motion, and an autopilot malfunction caused a severe heel.7:50

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

The channels sailing this model, and where they were last seen.

Sailing SongbirdSolo sailor Luke documents his ongoing circumnavigation of the Pacific aboard the 27-foot sailboat Songbird, focusing on remote island navigation and local cultural experiences.

Seen 21 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Vancouver 27 on video

Escaping a Pacific Atoll with NO Engine | Ep. 18A solo sailor without an engine secures a tow from locals to exit a lagoon before passage.Sailing SongbirdScuba Diving with a WHALE in the Remote Pacific | Ep. 17A solo sailor completes scuba certification in Rangiroa and encounters a humpback whale during a training dive.Sailing SongbirdLife in the Remote Pacific—Exploring Ragniroa | EP 16Government-subsidized staples in French Polynesia are marked with red labels and cost significantly less than others.Sailing SongbirdExploring an Atoll in French Polynesia with Locals | Ep. 15Local guidance is essential for safe spearfishing in French Polynesia to avoid the risk of ciguatera poisoning.Sailing SongbirdWhere Have I Been This Past Year??Luke plans to resume YouTube uploads for his Vancouver 27, Songbird, starting from his time in Rangiroa.Sailing SongbirdWhite-Water Engineless Sailing Into an Atoll—Most Dangerous Sailing I've Done | Ep. 14A sailor enters the Rangiroa atoll pass under sail alone, relying on favorable wind and shore-based scouting.Sailing SongbirdNo Sleep for These Poor Ocean Sailors | Ep. 13The crew prepares for an engine-less entry into Rangiroa atoll by timing the tide and visual spotting.Sailing SongbirdTwo Bros, One Boat— Life Offshore | Ep. 12The crew of Songbird recovers from an autopilot failure and a backwinded mainsail during a Pacific passage.Sailing SongbirdGoing to Sea with a French Polynesian local for a WEEK! | Ep. 11Songbird departs the Marquesas for a 600-mile passage to Rangiroa Atoll with a newly serviced outboard engine.Sailing SongbirdTraditional Earthen Oven "Umukai" Feast for my Birthday! Ep. 10A solo sailor prepares for a passage from Nuku Hiva to Rangiroa after a traditional Marquesan feast.Sailing SongbirdExploring Ancient Cannibalism Grounds | Ep. 9Luke explores Nuku Hiva archaeological sites and stays with locals after anchoring Songbird in Hakaʻui.Sailing SongbirdTrying Not To Fall Off A Cliff: Tattooed In The Bush At A HUGE Waterfall | Ep. 8Luke receives a traditional swallow tattoo on Nuku Hiva after completing 5,000 miles of sailing.Sailing Songbird

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

  • FailedStarlink

    The Starlink terminal became waterlogged and stopped working, leaving the sailor without internet.

    aboard Sailing Songbirdseen October 202413:13

  • WorkingGoPro

    The speaker has a GoPro attachment on his mask for spearfishing.

    aboard Sailing Songbirdseen March 20269:45

  • WorkingOpenCPN

    The speaker used OpenCPN charts on his laptop for navigation while approaching the anchorage at night.

    aboard Sailing Songbirdseen November 2024watch

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Vancouver 27 may be fitted out entirely differently.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
38.7%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
14.2
Displacement / length
332.2
Comfort ratio
32.3
Capsize screening
1.67
Hull speed
6.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
710
Hull
Hull type
Long keel w/trans. hung rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Cast Iron
Production
Years built
First built 1973
Designer
Robert B. Harris
Builder
Pheon Yachts Ltd, Northshore Yachts Ltd

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More boats like her, on the water

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Vindo 328.95 mSame hull family0.7 m longerA classic Carl Andersson-designed masthead sloop featuring a long keel and traditional build for stable, comfortable cruising
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Cape Dory 288.56 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA classic Carl Alberg full-keel masthead sloop designed for steady, comfortable cruising
Delivering a 1983 Cape Dory 28 Sailboat from Oxnard To Dana Point, California3:28from Sailing Triteia
Alberg 309.22 mSame hull family1.0 m longerA 25-year production classic with a heavy displacement-to-length ratio that remains a capable choice for offshore passages
Solo Ocean Sailing: Expert Tactics & Survival Tips for Sailing Alone at Sea4:42from Practical Sailor
Pacific Seacraft Dana 248.31 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA heavy-displacement W.I.B. Crealock cutter designed for offshore stability and serious coastal cruising
Diagnosis, Troubleshooting, and a mini shakedown in San Diego - Dana 24 - (Dec 2018)from keeldragger
Nor'Sea Marine 278.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with a versatile rig and ballast configuration, designed for trailerable offshore cruising
Problems in Paradise2:15from Garrett’s Adventure
Cape Dory 30C9.21 mSame hull family1.0 m longerA cutter-rigged cruiser with a full keel and a 1.27-metre draft, built for steady performance between 1976 and 1987
DIY Retractable Solar Panels on Speed Rail Arch0:21from Atom Voyager

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Vancouver 28A Robert B. Harris-designed cutter with a long keel, offering a versatile sail plan as an extended version of the 27Vancouver 32A Robert B. Harris-designed cutter with a long keel, built for offshore stability and global cruising versatilityVancouver 36 (Harris)A Robert Harris-designed cutter with a long keel and heavy displacement, built for steady, comfortable blue-water cruisingVancouver 36A Tony Taylor-designed cutter with a heavy-displacement hull and long keel, built for steady offshore passage-makingVancouver 34 ClassicA Robert B. Harris-designed cutter featuring a long keel and a balanced hull form refined with lead ballast for stabilityVancouver 32 Pilot House (Harris)A Robert Harris-designed cutter with a long keel and pilot house, built for heavy-weather stability and offshore comfort

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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