Wall conceived the boat as a family cruiser that could also race under the International Offshore Rule, bringing his Camper and Nicholsons pedigree to a distinctly Canadian production yacht. Its lines and details remain recognizably those of a period IOR cruiser-racer, but the engineering beneath the styling earned the CS 27 a reputation as a robust small ocean-going yacht.
Hull Design and Construction
The IOR strongly influenced the CS 27’s hull shape. It has a narrow, tucked-up stern, pronounced tumblehome amidships, high topsides, and a flat sheer. A contrasting stripe—red, “Nicholsons’ blue,” or yellow—helped disguise the height of the topsides. The aluminum toe rail rises toward the bow and stern, reaching its lowest point amidships, while the reverse-sheer transom sits about ten degrees from vertical.
CS Yachts introduced its “no-wood-trim-on-the-exterior” styling with this model. The companionway drop-boards and tiller are the only wood on deck. A bustle fin runs from the keel’s aft edge to the lower bearing of the partially supported outboard spade rudder, defining the hull’s run aft. The well-proportioned outboard rudder is transom-hung.
Pat Sturgeon of Pat Sturgeon Yachts noted that the original moulds were built in England. He also reported that the bulkheads were glassed to the hull around their entire periphery, an unusual construction detail in a boat of this size. Sturgeon described the CS 27 as one of the first models to use an all-fibreglass grid system with the cabin sole to stiffen the hull, and characterized it as a robust, ocean-going boat.
The balsa-core deck and coachroof age well and do not suffer from the chronic deck problems seen on many early balsa-core boats.
Keel, Ballast, and Principal Dimensions
The deep-keel CS 27 carries a 2,400-pound cast-iron fin bolted to the hull, giving it a ballast-displacement ratio of 0.39. The optional shoal-draft version has a longer, bolt-on lead keel casting weighing 2,800 pounds, for a ratio of 0.43. About 90 boats were built with these lead fins.
Displacement is 6,100 pounds, and waterline length is 23 feet 11 inches. With a displacement-length ratio near 200, the design falls into the moderate-displacement category. Standard draft is 5 feet 2 inches.
Rig, Helm, and Sailing Performance
The CS 27 carries a masthead sloop rig. In 1980, the mast section changed from Proctor to Isomat.
CS increased the rudder area in 1977 and offered a retrofit kit that added two inches to the rudder’s forward edge to improve helm balance. Owners could apply the change to older boats. Some have addressed residual weather helm by moving the mast to the furthest-forward hole in the mast step and extending the backstay tang to remove rake.
On the race course, Don Stark reported that the CS 27 is a good heavy-air boat that can point well and remain competitive. He found it easy to drive at five and a quarter knots to windward, with no comparable boat out-pointing it to weather. Its PHRF rating is 216 seconds per mile in white sail, dropping to 198 with a spinnaker.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The deep cockpit sits above the narrow stern, leaving no space below for a quarter berth. Instead, the galley and navigation station occupy the aft end of the interior. The stove and sink are to starboard, while a poorly insulated icebox forms the base of the port-side navigation station. The icebox has a capacity of 5.8 cubic feet.
In the saloon, a shallow U-shaped dinette with a folding table sits to port and converts into a small double berth. Opposite, a straight settee extends its foot into the hanging locker forward, producing an overall berth length of 6 feet 6 inches.
The brochure claims six feet of saloon headroom, although one reviewer who was under six feet tall found the overhead liner pressing against his head. Forward, a multiple-folding panel screens the head and forepeak.
The holding tank carries 32 gallons, twice the capacity of the fresh-water tank.
Changes During Production
Along with the change from a Proctor to an Isomat mast section, 1980 brought several interior updates. A teak-and-holly cabin sole replaced the fibreglass sole, and cupboard doors gained woven-cane fronts.
The auxiliary engine also evolved during production. The original Yanmar YSE horizontal-cylinder diesel gave way to the 1GM Yanmar, a smoother, higher-revving unit with similar output.
One owner considered the narrow side decks and high topsides an acceptable trade-off for the interior comfort.
Known Issues and Anchor Handling
The CS 27’s propensity to blister is well known on the second-hand market. Many boats have had their gelcoat stripped before receiving an epoxy barrier coat, and one estimate suggests that nearly half of all CS 27s have suffered boat pox at some point.
Anchor handling is another weak point. There’s no bow roller for an anchor locker forward, although most boats have a hawsepipe near the bow cleats that leads the rode into the fore peak below.
The Verdict
The CS 27 is a thoughtfully engineered small IOR cruiser-racer. Its structural grid, fully glassed bulkheads, and balsa-cored deck have aged better than those of many contemporaries. It offers unusual upwind pointing ability for its size, good heavy-air performance, and a practical, if compact, interior.
Its blistering record is the main caveat for buyers. The awkward arrangement for handling and stowing the anchor rode also deserves consideration.
Pros
- Early all-fibreglass grid stiffening and bulkheads bonded around their full periphery create a robust hull structure
- Strong upwind pointing and heavy-air performance, with competitive PHRF numbers
- Balsa-cored deck that has avoided the chronic failures common to many boats of its era
Cons
- Well-known tendency to blister, with many hulls requiring gelcoat removal and an epoxy barrier coat
- No bow roller; most boats route the anchor rode through a hawsepipe into the forepeak
- The claimed six-foot headroom may not accommodate some adults who are close to six feet tall
