Hurley 27 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Hurley 27 means looking at a short-production British cruiser built between 1971 and early 1974, with around ninety hulls extant and five kit boats that never carried Hurley or sail numbers. Ian Anderson's redesign of the Bowman 26 gave these boats full standing headroom and a deep cockpit, and the folkboat-derived hull remains a solid glass cruiser today.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Hurley 27 carries a vee-berth forecabin with infill to a double and a saloon with a convertible dinette to port and a deep quarterberth to starboard, alongside a galley, chart table, and heads with a pull-out washbasin. Berth counts are quoted as both two and four-or-five depending on whether the dinette and quarterberth are counted, so inspect the actual cushions and infills rather than trusting a listing's number. The raised coachroof and six-inch topside extension make the interior feel roomy for 27 feet, and the deep cockpit is a defining trait.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used Hurley 27s commonly carry a dodger, cabin heating, autopilot, and chartplotter as found equipment. For a 27-foot heavy cruiser, the meaningful clusters are power and energy — heating extends shoulder-season use — and navigation and steering, where a chartplotter and autopilot reduce short-handed effort on the long-keel hull. Canvas such as a dodger protects the deep cockpit. Engine installations varied new from Sabb diesels to outboards, and most survivors have been re-engined, so verify what sits in the bay rather than assuming original machinery.
What to Inspect
The Hurley 27's known construction points are straightforward: the hull is fibreglass with a lead long keel, and the coachroof was raised and topsides lifted about six inches from the Bowman 26 anchor. Because five boats were kit-built without Hurley or sail numbers, confirm provenance through hull details rather than documentation alone. The major change from the Bowman 26 was the forward coachroof raise for forepeak headroom, so check that joint and the topside extension for stress. The boat's age means any glass repair history should be reviewed on its merits.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in the United Kingdom, Italy, and Ireland. For a buyer, the checklist is brief: confirm the boat is a true Hurley 27 and not the later Dockrell 27 derivative; verify berth layout against the actual interior; check the engine installation since most are re-engined; and inspect the raised coachroof joint. A solid, dry, headroom-generous cruiser at modest size — worth a look where found.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Hurley 27. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 | 1 | $18,460 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $2,709 | -85.3% |
| May 26 | 1 | $10,995 | +305.9% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $1,355 | -87.7% |
Where they're listed
Hurley 27 listings appear across 3 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 2 (50.0%), followed by Ireland and Italy.
Country view
4 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $2,032 | 2 | 1 | 50.0% |
| Ireland | $18,460 | 1 | 0 | 25.0% |
| Italy | $10,995 | 1 | 0 | 25.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moody 27 | 27.67' | $ 14,901 | 27 | 10 |
| Sabre Yachts 27 | 27' | $ 5,419 | 12 | 4 |
| Hurley 27You are here | — | $ 6,852 | 4 | 1 |