Cape Dory 270 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · centerboard

Rig

Cutter

LOA

27.25' · 8.31 m

Displ.

8,380 lbs · 3,801 kg

First year

1984

The Cape Dory 270 represents a pivotal departure from the traditional design lineage that defined Cape Dory Yachts for decades. Introduced in the mid1980s as the successor to the highly successful Carl Albergdesigned Cape Dory 27, the 270 was the work of naval architect Fred Hood. While earlier models were celebrated for their full keels and narrow beams, the Cape Dory 270 embraced a more modern approach to coastal cruising, utilizing a fin keel and a skegmounted rudder. This shift allowed the builder to compete with contemporary European and American builders who were prioritizing interior volume and maneuverability. Despite the modernized underwater profile, the 270 maintained the high construction standards and "yachtlike" aesthetic—characterized by bronze portlights and significant teak trim—that were the hallmarks of Andrew Vavolotis’s Massachusetts yard.