BoatsEricson Yachts 27

Ericson Yachts 27

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1971–1978

A Bruce King-designed masthead sloop with over 1,200 built, offering a stiff, stable platform for coastal cruising

Designed by Bruce King.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Ericson Yachts 27, on the water

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

Footage from Sailing Solé

Is it for you?

Character

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

Shoal draughtDraws 1.19 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

1.92 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.92
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 342
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 14.7
TenderStiff

44% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 44%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Draws less than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1874 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Ericson Yachts 27, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Ericson Yachts 27 is a masthead sloop designed by Bruce King and built by Ericson Yachts between 1971 and 1978, with over 1200 units produced. It features a fin keel with a spade rudder, measures 8.2 meters LOA, has a 2.7-meter beam, and draws 1.2 meters, displacing 2993 kg. Optional features included inboard power and wheel steering, and a T-shaped cockpit was standard.5:10 A "Tall Rig" variant was also available.24:26 An Ericson 27 with a 2GM20 Yanmar engine sold for $1,475 at a Long Beach Marina auction, noted by Sailing Solé for its unusually clean condition.17:56

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen sold
US$1,475Median asking

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
43.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
14.7
Displacement / length
342.0
Comfort ratio
24.4
Capsize screening
1.92
Hull speed
6.1 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
659
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1971–1978
Units built
1250
Designer
Bruce King
Builder
Ericson Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Catalina Yachts 278.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with 6,662 hulls produced over two decades, serving as a staple of coastal cruising since 1971
Ep# 27 Interview with Chris2:02from Sailing Into Oblivion
Cascade Yachts 278.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by Robert A. Smith for balanced coastal cruising
Salt & Tar: Ep.235- Buddy Boating to the Islands (We have Friends!)8:18from Salt & Tar
Puma 268.00 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA masthead sloop derived from an IOR Half Ton prototype, designed by Holman and Pye for competitive performance
💥+250 sailors together!! ⛵🎉 TESTIMONIALS - Sailors' Meetup7:43from Allende los Mares · Vuelta Vertical
Colvic Ltd. Sailor 268.21 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA twin-keeled masthead sloop with hulls moulded by Colvic and finished by various yards, including Atlanta Marine
Asking YOU what to do? (Bulkheads and Masts) - Episode 13 - DIY Free Sailboat Refit0:15from Sailing Puffin
Coronado Yachts 278.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA William Tripp Jr. design featuring a masthead sloop rig and fin keel, sharing a near-identical hull with the Columbia 27
103. Sailors' Meeting. Sea stories told by those who lived them.49:10from A Son de Mar
Shannon Yachts 288.53 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA fin-keeled cutter with a transom-hung rudder, built for coastal cruising with a stiff 38% ballast ratio
The BEST Sailboat EVER?? Episode 164 - Shannon Sailboats - Lady K Sailingfrom Lady K Sailing

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Ericson Yachts 29A 1970s masthead sloop with a 1.32-meter draft and a 45% ballast ratio, balancing coastal stability with shoal accessEricson Yachts 25A 1973-1978 masthead sloop with a transom-hung rudder and a 1.16-meter draft for versatile coastal explorationEricson Yachts 25+A Bruce King-designed fractional sloop balancing a 40% ballast ratio with a nimble fin keel for coastal performanceEricson Yachts 28+A Bruce King-designed fractional sloop built for performance, featuring a stiff fin keel and spade rudder configurationEricson Yachts 30-1A 1967-1971 production masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, offering a balanced 1.47-metre draftEricson Yachts 37An IOR One Ton racer from 1973 featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a balanced 50% ballast ratio

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