Conceived as a performance cruiser for sailors seeking faster or longer passages, the 26ft 10in hull had sleek lines, an elegant sheer, a swept fin keel, and a balanced spade rudder. Its sporty image set it apart from the heavier, more pedestrian family cruisers of the early glassfibre era.
Design and Construction
Butler's hull was offered from the outset in two principal forms. The fin-keel model had a swept fin and balanced, swept rudder, an arrangement described as definitely suited to offshore sailing. The alternative had twin keels drawing 3ft 8in, compared with the fin's 4ft 4in draught.
Unlike many twin-keelers of the early 1970s, the Jaguar 27's twin keels proved surprisingly efficient and were hard to distinguish from the fin under cruising conditions. Their fairly long chord also made the boat more directionally stable to windward.
Seamaster moulded the hulls for the UK boats. The construction relied heavily on internal GRP mouldings for the furniture modules and the hull-side and deckhead linings, rather than the framed interiors commonly used by British builders during the decade. This method produced a clean, repeatable finish but concentrated loads through moulded structures instead of a traditional backbone.
The deck-stepped mast bears on a balsa-cored coachroof and is supported below by a substantial kingpost.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The standard masthead rig drew on 1970s IOR thinking. Its cap shrouds and fore-and-aft lowers are set well inboard, allowing good windward ability. Because the cap shrouds sit in line with the mast, the mainsail can be set much squarer on a dead run than it can with a divided-shroud rig.
Some versions had a split mainsheet spanning the aft end of the companionway hatch. On many standard boats, the mainsheet was anchored at the rear of the cockpit instead.
Under sail, the Jaguar 27 is stiff and performs well in light airs, yet remains powerful enough to make to windward when the breeze builds. In a stiff breeze, a test boat reached at around 6 knots and displayed the easy, steady motion of a heavier-displacement yacht rather than the bouncy ride of modern lightweights.
One twin-keel owner reported that the boat points well, has a balanced rig, feels safe, and is easy to handle with a family aboard. Handling under power is straightforward, although going astern demands a firm hand on the tiller.
Accommodation and Cockpit
Two main interior layouts shared a large dinette to starboard, with the principal difference being the galley arrangement to port. The Mk1 had a linear galley with a quarter berth aft. The Mk2 used an L-shaped galley, with a berth or seating area ahead. A third “Aluco” variant replaced the starboard dinette with a C-shaped seating arrangement.
Forward, a small forecabin contains a V-berth and is separated from the saloon by the heads and a hanging locker. Built-in steps in the heads provide access to the large forehatch above this corridor. This arrangement allows sail changes and stowage without wetting the berths. The unusually wide main hatch opens up most of the saloon.
The 8ft cockpit seats six adequately, and its coamings are angled to make them comfortable to sit on. A voluminous lazarette aft accommodates gas, diesel, and bilge pumps. There is also a deep locker to port and a rope locker to starboard above the quarter berth.
Variations and Known Issues
The twin-keel version has no appreciable bilge sump, which is inconvenient if any water gets below, as there is nowhere for it to collect clear of the cabin sole.
The standard winches are also undersized for the sail plan. A prospective owner is likely to notice the shortfall when trimming the large masthead headsail.
Rudder arrangements vary between individual boats. A handful—including the Mk2 Deluxe Sunbird, at the request of her first owner—have a transom-hung but skeg-mounted rudder on a full-depth skeg. Some others have a simple transom-hung rudder like that of the smaller Jaguar 25. Both arrangements depart from the balanced spade rudder fitted to the standard fin-keel model.
Verdict
The Jaguar 27 remains a well-proportioned, genuinely seaworthy small cruiser. Frank Butler's design and disciplined British moulding produced a boat that sails above its length. The twin-keel option reduces the grounding anxiety associated with the fin without the usual performance penalty, while the extensive internal mouldings create a tidy, durable interior.
Its undersized winches and the twin-keel version's lack of a proper bilge sump are the principal caveats. Neither undermines a design that remains well suited to short-handed or family cruising.
Pros
- Stiff, capable performance in light airs, with secure windward ability
- Efficient, directionally stable twin keels, unusual for the era
- Extensive internal GRP mouldings create a clean, robust interior
- Spacious cockpit and well-considered forehatch access for sail handling
Cons
- Undersized standard winches
- No appreciable bilge sump on the twin-keel version
- Rudder configuration varies between boats, with some departing from the standard spade arrangement
