Hunter 27 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Hunter 27 means looking at a Cherubini-designed, Hunter Marine-built cruiser produced from 1974 through 1984, with around 2,000 examples afloat. She is a popular first auxiliary for small-boat sailors moving up, and her standard diesel and factory-fitted gear make her a turnkey proposition compared with many peers of the era.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 27-foot hull carries a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, a 9-foot-2 beam, and a claimed six-foot-plus headroom beneath a high cabin trunk. Below you'll find a forepeak double, a full-width head, settee berths in the main cabin, a port quarterberth with folding chart table, and a starboard galley with alcohol stove and icebox. Newer boats (later builds) added a holding tank and more opening ports; older ones likely show portable heads and fewer vents. The T-shaped cockpit is comfortable and gained a bigger feel with wheel steering, though the lazarette and starboard seat locker are given over to steering gear and the fuel tank, so do not expect those for stowage.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Autopilots and biminis are commonly fitted, and a chartplotter is often seen; a dodger, swim platform, simplified short-handed rigging, and a furling main turn up as owner upgrades. For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are few: power and energy rest on the original 8 hp Renault or early Yanmar diesel with good companionway access but only fair output, so a modern charging setup matters more than a stereo. Canvas and sail handling center on the bimini and any added dodger for the sloping bulkhead, plus furling main if present. Navigation is usually anchored by the chartplotter. Comfort items like the swim platform are nice but secondary to the rig's fixed toerail sheeting and absent traveler, which limit easy sail-control upgrades.
What to Inspect
Practical Sailor found that the connection between keel and hull has given trouble on certain boats, and the narrow lead fin places leverage on the hull when heeled anchor. Chainplates are U-bolts through the toerail with no backing plates, a weak primary load path. Owners have reported leaking strut bolts and shaft wear from improper alignment, and at least one Renault's shifting attachment vibrated loose. There is no grounding jumper between the fuel fill and tank, and the transom joint fairing was sloppy on every examined boat. The winch islands accept only standard Lewmar 7s, so verify no forced oversize mounts.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats appear across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, and Italy. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm keel-bolt and hull joint integrity; inspect chainplate U-bolts for deck crushing; check shaft alignment and strut bolts; verify fuel fill grounding; and assess whether the simpler rig and 8 hp power suit your waters. A clean, lightly upgraded example rewards the first-time cruiser with room and low cost.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Hunter 27. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 16 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 1 | $7,500 | — |
| Apr 25 | 1 | $5,200 | -30.7% |
| May 25 | 3 | $21,468 | +312.8% |
| Jul 25 | 4 | $9,950 | -53.7% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $5,000 | -49.7% |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $30,089 | +501.8% |
| Oct 25 | 3 | $8,000 | -73.4% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $18,500 | +131.3% |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $8,000 | -56.8% |
| Feb 26 | 2 | $12,500 | +56.3% |
| Mar 26 | 5 | $39,000 | +212.0% |
| Apr 26 | 18 | $23,200 | -40.5% |
| May 26 | 3 | $15,000 | -35.3% |
| Jun 26 | 7 | $29,000 | +93.3% |
| Jul 26 | 6 | $16,450 | -43.3% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $7,750 | -52.9% |
Where they're listed
Hunter 27 listings appear across 6 countries. United States has the most listings with 45 (88.2%), followed by United Kingdom and Australia.
Country view
51 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $21,500 | 45 | 13 | 88.2% |
| United Kingdom | $20,382 | 2 | 1 | 3.9% |
| Australia | $39,410 | 1 | 0 | 2.0% |
| Canada | $24,900 | 1 | 0 | 2.0% |
| Italy | $30,277 | 1 | 0 | 2.0% |
| Netherlands | $39,011 | 1 | 0 | 2.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter 27You are here | — | $ 24,900 | 54 | 16 |
| Hunter 30 | 30.4' | $ 22,250 | 46 | 12 |
| Moody 27 | 27.67' | $ 14,947 | 28 | 9 |
| Sabre Yachts 27 | 27' | $ 5,435 | 12 | 3 |