Sabre 27 (Hill)

BoatsSabre 27 (Hill)

See her sail

The Sabre 27 (Hill), on the water

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

Footage from The Sailing Brothers

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 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24

CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.90

LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 279

EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 14.3

TenderStiff

46% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 46%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Sabre 27 (Hill), as the fleet has seen it

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

The Sabre 27 (HILL) is a masthead sloop designed by Alan F. Hill and built by Marine Construction Ltd. from 1969 to 1979. It features a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg, measures 8.2 meters LOA, has a 2.7-meter beam, a 1.4-meter draft, and displaces 3084 kg.7:00 A twin keel version was also available, with a draft of 0.91 meters.7:09

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

45.6%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Masthead Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

14.3

Displacement / length

278.6

Comfort ratio

23.8

Capsize screening

1.90

Hull speed

6.3 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

713

Hull

Hull type

Fin with rudder on skeg

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

1969–1979

Units built

400

Designer

Alan F. Hill

Builder

Marine Construction Ltd

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 Chris2:02 from 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!)8:18 from Salt & Tar

Islander Yachts 288.51 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop with over 400 built, favored by the designer himself for her balanced performance

The ONE Question That Changes Everything About Buying a Boat7:09 from Be The Captain

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

Bad Weather and Excuses - Episode 6 - DIY Free Sailboat Refit from 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.49:10 from A Son de Mar

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' Meetup7:43 from Allende los Mares · Vuelta Vertical

The family

Boats like this

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

Sabre Yachts 28-1A Roger Hewson-designed masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a stiff 42% ballast ratio for coastal cruising Sabre Yachts 30-1A limited 100-hull production run featuring a 1.52-metre draft and a 3900-kilogram displacement for coastal stability Sabre Yachts 28-3A short-run production of 48 hulls, offering a compact 8.66-metre footprint with a stable 40% ballast ratio Sabre Yachts 36A 1985-1990 production cruiser with a 41% ballast ratio and a 1.93-metre draft for deep-water coastal performance Sabre Yachts 30-2A short-run masthead sloop from the Sabre design team, featuring a skeg-mounted rudder for stability and control

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