Design and Construction
Anderson's revision of the Bowman 26 — itself a GRP development of his strip-planked Sirius — raised and extended the topsides by roughly six inches, pushing overall length to 27 feet and lifting the coachroof forward to create standing headroom in the forepeak anchor. Yachtsnet describes the result as a very solidly built small cruiser from the 70s, a folkboat derivative that nonetheless carries full standing headroom where folkboats did not. The hull is fibreglass with a lead long keel; sources describe a traditional long keel and a long full keel, consistent with a heavy-displacement cruiser whose ballast ratio sits at 50 percent. At 5,824 lbs displacement with 2,912 lbs of lead, the boat is categorized by its displacement-length ratio of 386 as an ultra-heavy cruiser anchor, and the immersion rate of about 552 lbs per inch speaks to a stiff, slow-to-react hull.
Rig and Handling
The Hurley 27 is a masthead sloop carrying 532 square feet of sail with main and genoa, and period sail plans list sheet lengths of 26.5 feet for jib and genoa, 66.3 feet for the mainsheet, and 58.3 feet for spinnaker gear, all on 3/8-inch line. Despite the heavy hull, the boat sailed very well and the raised topsides made her a very dry boat in a seaway anchor. The theoretical hull speed is 6.0 knots, and the capsize screening value of 1.59 placed her within accepted offshore-participation limits by that formula. With a length-beam ratio of 3.34 and a transom-hung rudder, she is a compact, beamy hull whose motion comfort ratio spans 25.8 to 35.4 — predictable rather than lively, and well suited to short-handed coastal work.
Accommodations
The raised coachroof pays off below: the forecabin is a vee-berth with infill to make a double, and the saloon to port holds a dinette converting to a narrow 74-by-38-inch double. To starboard, a deep quarterberth and a galley with chart table fill the space, while a heads compartment with a pull-out washbasin serves the forepeak. The Hurley Owners Association notes a deep cockpit and spacious feel; Yachtdatabase records two berths and 77 liters of fresh water, while Yachtsnet lists 4/5 berths — the difference explained by the convertible dinette and quarterberth. Above-average headroom runs throughout, a genuine step up from the folkboat template.
Refits and Ownership
A variety of engine installations were fitted when new, from small Sabb diesels to outboard-only versions, with BHP ranging 7 to 15. Most boats will by now have been re-engined, a normal consequence of the four-decade gap since production. After Hurley Marine closed in 1974, the moulds passed to Dockrell Yachts of Tavistock, Devon, who altered the keel to create the shallower-draught Dockrell 27; that derivative remained in production until the mid-1980s and should not be confused with the original Hurley.
The Verdict
The Hurley 27 is a quietly capable heavy cruiser that trades sparkling performance for dryness, volume, and traditional long-keel behavior. Anderson's mould revision turned a modest folkboat offshoot into a proper small cruiser with headroom and a deep, safe cockpit. For a buyer wanting a solid glass boat with real accommodations at 27 feet, she remains a sensible, unpretentious choice.
Pros
- Full standing headroom from raised coachroof and topsides
- Very dry ride due to lifted topsides
- Traditional long keel with 50% ballast ratio for stable handling
- Genuine four-to-five berth layout with enclosed heads
Cons
- Ultra-heavy displacement limits light-air speed
- Shallow original equipment engine options often already replaced
- Confusion risk with Dockrell 27 derivative
