Design and Construction
Pryor's hull is a solid GRP shell stiffened by foam ribs and stringers, a combination the builder cited for strength and low upkeep, while the deck uses a balsa sandwich to maximize insulation against cold and condensation hull is built in solid GRP. The interior is double-lined throughout to kill condensation, and the coach roof carries four ventilators serving the saloon, toilet, and hanging locker. A moulded skeg supports the rudder, and buyers could choose a fin keel drawing 1.49 m or twin keels at 1.19 m; both share the same 2.8-tonne displacement and 1,527 kg of keel mass for a 49.77 percent ballast ratio. High topsides generate an immense amount of room down below yet keep the boat notably dry without excess windage.
Rig and Handling
Standing rigging is 6 mm stainless wire anchored to internal steel brackets through-bolted and bonded to the hull, with halyards run internally to deck-mounted turning blocks. Standard deck gear includes two halyard winches, two-speed sheet winches, and cleats, while black anodised toerails with four fairleads run stem to stern and a combined stemhead roller and fairlead eases ground-tackle work on the flat, uncluttered foredeck. Off the wind under a large genoa alone the boat can be sailed under fingertip control. Some owners complain of weather helm, but careful rig trim and early mainsail reefing resolve it weather helm, but this can be solved. Writing in no-frills-sailing.com, a tester found the original 6 mm standing rig still in place and a touch oversized, and noted she is not fast but well-tempered rather than racy. Forum commentary the reviewer relayed attributes her great interior volume to a huge freeboard that leaves her vulnerable to wind gusts.
Accommodations
Below, the cabins are finished in teak veneers and quality furnishings, and a 1.88 m sailor can stand upright through the saloon and even the forecabin. The basic plan sets a dinette seating five comfortably with four more berths opposite, a separate toilet compartment and hanging locker dividing saloon from forecabin, and long tinted windows keeping the saloon light by day. A full galley with cooker, sink, and icebox sits alongside standard seawater and freshwater pumps, and the companionway steps lift out to expose the engine.
Known Issues
The original 7.5 hp Volvo diesel Saildrive was never powerful enough, and many hulls received the larger twin-cylinder 13 hp unit instead. A tester inspecting one boat discovered a flooded rudder, a fault worth checking on any candidate. Weather helm remains the other recurring owner note, manageable through trim and reefing discipline rather than structural change.
Refits and Ownership
Standard electrical provision is a twin-battery installation, and the easily removed companionway steps simplify engine service. The 25 lb CQR anchor stows in a hinged-hatch well, double lifelines run butterfly pulpit to pushpit, and teak handrails flank the coach roof. With around 130 built and a simple, robust structure, the design lends itself to owner upkeep rather than specialist refit yards.
The Verdict
The Leisure 27 is a room-driven seventies cruiser that trades outright speed for standing headroom, dry riding, and straightforward construction. She suits a couple or small family wanting sheltered-water and coastal volume without racer pretension, provided the engine and rudder are sorted and the rig is kept trim.
Pros
- Over 6 ft headroom and genuinely huge interior for the length
- Solid GRP hull with foam stiffeners and insulated balsa deck
- Choice of fin or twin keels; dry hull with manageable windage
- Simple, owner-serviceable systems with removable companionway steps
Cons
- Original 7.5 hp diesel underpowered; many need the 13 hp upgrade
- High freeboard invites gust vulnerability per owner forum reports
- Weather helm needs active trim and early reefing
- Rudder flooding documented on at least one inspected boat
