Also known as the Balboa 27 8.2 for its 8.2-meter deck length, the design evolved from the earlier Balboa 26. Hess stretched the hull slightly to improve the accommodations while retaining the swing keel that made its predecessor attractive for shallow-water access and trailering. The result belongs to the small group of Hess-designed pocket cruisers that punched above their length, and it retains the Balboa 26’s appeal.
Design and Construction
The Balboa 27 measures 26.5 feet overall and 23 feet on the waterline, with an 8-foot beam. Displacement is 4,900 pounds, including 2,600 pounds of iron ballast. That gives the boat a ballast-to-displacement ratio near 53 percent and a settled, seakindly posture for her size.
The solid fiberglass hull and deck are straightforward products of their era. The swing keel retracts for a minimum draft of 2.42 feet, useful for launching and gunkholing, and extends to 5.5 feet for sailing.
Rigged weight is about 4,500 to 5,000 pounds, keeping the boat towable by a mid-size vehicle. That ability defines the Balboa 27 as a coastal cruiser that can be kept at home and launched as needed, rather than a marina-bound 27-footer. The swing keel also allows the boat to be pulled for bottom work in a driveway instead of being hauled at a yard.
Rig and Sail Plan
The masthead sloop rig carries a mainsail of roughly 144 square feet and a 115-percent jib of nearly 160 square feet, for a working sail area close to 295 square feet. For lighter air, a 150-percent genoa adds nearly 248 square feet. An asymmetrical spinnaker of about 409 square feet—or a full spinnaker near 505 square feet—makes the boat a credible light-air coastal runner. A 57-square-foot storm jib is intended for stronger conditions.
The rig dimensions are modest, with a 30.5-foot foretriangle and a 26-foot mainsail luff. That keeps loads manageable for the short-handed crews of two to four the boat was designed to carry. The swing keel’s draft range also allows a couple to anchor where deeper fin-keelers can’t.
Accommodations and Intended Use
The slightly longer hull was a deliberate effort to improve on the Balboa 26’s accommodations. With its 8-foot beam, the Balboa 27 offers the roominess expected of a Hess pocket cruiser and can sleep a small crew without the compromises of a pure daysailer.
Water capacity is 21 gallons, and auxiliary power comes from a Lister Petter diesel. The boat is set up primarily as a weekender for short-handed coastal cruising: exploring anchorages within a day’s reach, trailering to a different coast, and carrying two to four people. It isn’t intended for offshore passage making.
Ownership and Upkeep
Ownership follows the boat’s trailerable premise. The ability to tow it behind a mid-size vehicle, combined with the swing keel’s shallow-draft range, means much of the upkeep can be done at home. The modest rig also keeps sail handling within a couple’s reach.
The Lister Petter diesel and solid fiberglass structure suit low-complexity cruising. However, the small production run means the Balboa 27 is not a high-volume class with plentiful spares. Any surviving example is instead likely to be a known quantity among owners.
The Verdict
The Balboa 27 8.2 is a thoughtfully evolved pocket cruiser. It trades the Balboa 26’s tighter hull for genuine accommodations while retaining the swing keel that makes trailering and gunkholing easy. Hess’s influence shows in the high ballast ratio and manageable rig. For a short-handed crew seeking practical, low-overhead coastal cruising, it remains an appealing proposition.
Pros
- Swing keel provides a 2.42-foot trailering draft and a 5.5-foot sailing draft
- Near-53-percent ballast ratio in a 4,900-pound hull
- Towable by a mid-size vehicle at a rigged weight of about 4,500 to 5,000 pounds
- Masthead sloop rig sized for short-handed crews of two to four
Cons
- Limited production of about 100 to 200 hulls constrains class support
- Coastal-cruiser scope only; not an offshore design
