CS 27 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design Brief & Intent

Raymond Wall’s mandate for the CS 27 was to deliver a family cruiser capable of competitive club racing under the International Offshore Rule (IOR) of the era. To achieve this, Wall drew a hull characterized by a narrow, tucked-up stern, a clean entry, and a distinct bustle fin extending from the aft edge of the keel to the lower rudder bearing. In a market crowded with competitors like the C&C 27, the Catalina 27, and the Mirage 27, the CS 27 distinguished itself through its exceptional structural integrity. Unlike many contemporaries that relied on lightweight laminates or cored hulls to save on production costs, CS Yachts utilized a solid, hand-laid fiberglass hull that was heavily reinforced 3.

The interior of the CS 27 was designed with a "big boat" feel in mind, maximizing the boat's nine-foot, four-inch beam to provide full standing headroom in the main cabin. Wall integrated an all-fiberglass structural grid system with the cabin sole, which simultaneously stiffened the hull and provided solid, clean mountings for the interior joinery. The primary bulkheads were glassed to both the hull and the deck around their entire periphery—a high-end construction technique rarely seen in production boats under thirty feet. This uncompromising structure is complemented by a clean deck layout. Consistent with CS Yachts’ signature styling, exterior wood trim was intentionally omitted, save for the companionway drop-boards and tiller, resulting in a low-maintenance deck that has aged remarkably well.

Variations & Configurations

Throughout its production life, the CS 27 was offered in two primary draft configurations to accommodate regional sailing conditions. The standard deep-draft model featured a 2,400-pound cast-iron fin keel drawing five feet, two inches. For shallower waters, CS Yachts produced an optional shoal-draft model drawing just under four feet. To offset the loss of depth, the shoal-draft keel was cast in lead rather than iron and weighed 2,800 pounds, successfully maintaining a high ballast-to-displacement ratio of 43 percent compared to the standard keel’s 39 percent. Roughly 90 of the 480 hulls were delivered with this lead shoal keel, which remains highly sought after by sailors on shallow estuaries.

In 1980, the model underwent a notable mid-production update. The original mast, built by Proctor with round pipe spreaders, was replaced by a more modern, rigid Isomat spar section featuring integrated T-terminal slots 5. Simultaneously, the interior received aesthetic upgrades: the molded fiberglass cabin sole was replaced with traditional teak-and-holly flooring, and the cabin locker doors were finished with woven cane fronts, elevating the boat's belowdecks appeal. Propulsion also evolved, transitioning from the heavy, horizontal single-cylinder Yanmar YSE8 diesel to the vertical, higher-revving, and significantly smoother Yanmar 1GM diesel engine.

Sailing Performance & Handling

Under sail, the CS 27’s performance ratios tell the story of a lively, responsive, and stiff cruiser. With a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 39.34 percent, the boat exhibits excellent initial stability and carries its canvas well into a breeze. Its sail area-to-displacement ratio of 21.71 reveals an exceptionally powerful sail plan for its era, enabling the boat to move smartly in light air and accelerate quickly out of tacks. However, this high ratio also means that the boat is easily overpowered in a blow, requiring skipper vigilance and early reefing of the mainsail as wind speeds climb.

With a displacement-to-length ratio of 198.97, the CS 27 sits comfortably in the moderate displacement category, indicating a hull that is light enough to remain agile while retaining enough physical mass to punch through a heavy chop. The comfort ratio of 19.38 denotes a relatively active motion in a seaway; while the hull does not exhibit the sluggish, dampening movement of a heavy-displacement full-keel cruiser, it feels remarkably secure. Owners frequently note that the boat has a reassuring tendency to "crouch" into heavy weather rather than feeling out of control.

At the helm, early models suffered from a heavy feel and a tendency to fight the rudder when heeled, a result of the high-aspect, transom-mounted spade rudder’s original design. CS Yachts resolved this in 1977 by offering a redesigned rudder with an additional two inches of surface area added to its leading edge, which significantly balanced the helm forces. The boat’s capsize screening ratio of 2.04 places it right at the traditional safety limit for serious offshore passages, indicating that while it is an incredibly robust coastal cruiser and Great Lakes racer, it is best suited for coastal and semi-protected waters rather than prolonged blue-water voyaging.

Known Issues & Triage

Despite its superior build quality, the passage of decades has highlighted several specific areas of concern that prospective buyers must evaluate:

Anchor Locker Drainage: One of the most persistent design flaws of the CS 27 is the drainage arrangement for its forward chain locker. Unlike modern boats with dedicated, outboard-draining bow lockers, the CS 27 features a deck-mounted hawsepipe that drops the rode into a compartment under the forward V-berth. Because this compartment does not drain cleanly into the main bilge, any rainwater or saltwater brought in by the anchor rode pools under the berth, leading to localized dampness, mold, and potential wood rot in adjacent bulkheads.
Engine Vibration: The early horizontal-cylinder Yanmar YSE8 diesel engines are notoriously vibration-heavy. Over years of operation, this extreme shaking can compromise the engine beds, crack the rubber motor mounts, and loosen the propeller shaft coupling. Buyers should closely inspect the fiberglass engine bed molding for stress cracks and verify the alignment of the shaft.
Cockpit Drain Degradation: The cockpit drains on the CS 27 cross over beneath the cockpit sole before exiting the hull. If the boat is kept in cold-weather climates without proper winterization, water trapped in these hoses can freeze, causing them to split. Because these hoses sit below the waterline when the cockpit is loaded, a cracked hose can quickly flood the engine compartment and bilge.
Chainplate Seals and Bulkhead Rot: The chainplates are through-bolted to the main structural marine plywood bulkheads. If the deck-level caulking around the chainplates is not regularly maintained, water will seep down, causing the plywood bulkheads to rot. Because the rig tension relies entirely on these bulkheads, any softening of the wood poses a major structural risk.

Modernization & Upgrades

Modern owners of the CS 27 focus their refit efforts on system reliability, ease of handling, and electrical efficiency:

Repowering: Many owners have retired the original single-cylinder Yanmar diesels in favor of modern twin-cylinder replacements. The Beta Marine 14 or 16 and the Yanmar 2YM15 are popular drop-in replacements, offering a dramatic reduction in cabin noise and hull vibration while providing reliable power against strong tides and currents.
Bow Roller and Anchor Upgrades: Since the original deck casting did not include an integrated bow roller, owners frequently install custom stainless-steel bow rollers designed to overhang the stem. This allows for the secure stowing of modern, high-holding-power anchors.
Electrical Overhauls: The sparse factory wiring harness of the 1970s is routinely replaced with modern, tinned marine-grade wiring. Owners frequently convert the house bank to lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, which are often relocated to the cockpit lazarettes to improve weight distribution and balance the boat’s trim.
Rudder Retrofitting: For older 1975 and 1976 hulls, sourcing or fabricating the post-1977 upgraded rudder remains one of the most effective modifications to improve handling and reduce helm fatigue on long passages.

The Verdict

The CS 27 is a highly successful cruiser-racer that has stood the test of time far better than many of its 1970s contemporaries. Thanks to the pedigree of designer Raymond Wall and the uncompromising build standards of Canadian Sailcraft, it remains an excellent entry-level yacht for those seeking a stiff, secure, and low-maintenance pocket cruiser. While it displays some of the quirks of its era, its robust solid-fiberglass hull, high ballast ratio, and standing headroom make it a remarkably practical choice for coastal cruising, Great Lakes exploring, and weekend club racing.

Pros:

Exceptionally strong construction with a solid-fiberglass hull and bulkheads glassed directly to both hull and deck.
Standing headroom and a spacious, highly functional cabin layout for a 27-foot boat.
Low-maintenance deck design with virtually no exterior wood trim to maintain.
High ballast-to-displacement ratio offering excellent stiffness and predictability in heavy weather.
Responsive sailing performance with an active, lively feel in light-to-moderate conditions.

Cons: