LM 27 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Both the hull and the deck are fiberglass, with the deck built as a sandwich construction that improves the indoor climate. The interior is finished in mahogany, a traditional choice that lends warmth below. At 28 feet 4 inches overall with a 9 foot 2 inch beam and a 3 foot 1 inch draft, the LM 27 carries 3,968 pounds of ballast against a displacement that sources differ on, though the builder's record places her around 8,818 pounds. Her ballast ratio of 45 percent and a displacement-length ratio of 311 place her firmly among heavy cruisers, while a length-to-beam ratio of 3.04 underscores a beamy, volume-driven hull rather than a slender racer. The long keel and double-ended form reflect her lifeboat ancestry more than contemporary pleasure-boat fashion.

Rig and Handling

The LM 27 is a masthead sloop carrying a documented sail area of 408 square feet in main and genoa, with sheet dimensions that run to 8.3 meters for the jib and genoa, 20.9 meters for the mainsheet, and 18.4 meters for the spinnaker, all at 10 millimeter diameter. For such a small motorsailer, with bluff bow and long shallow keel, the sailing performance is remarkably good anchor, and period British reports caught that early: Yachting World noted she "sails surprisingly fast" when introduced, while Yachting Monthly found "Can she sail? Undoubtedly this one can, in a very satisfactory way." A capsize screening value of 1.75 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 29.5 reinforce the picture of a stable, sea-kindly hull. Calculated maximum speeds run about 7.3 knots with several engine options and 7.0 knots with the Bukh DV20ME, against a theoretical displacement-hull maximum of 6.5 knots.

Accommodations

The LM 27 provides two cabins and 4 to 6 berths, with headroom described as above average for the size. The saloon has doors to the heads to port and a large hanging locker to starboard, then opens to two settee berths with a central table; both settees convert to doubles. Forward, the forecabin holds a conventional vee-berth with infill to make a double and usually a folding concertina door. The heads itself has a marine WC with a pull-out washbasin above. In the wheelhouse there is a compact galley on the port side and a hatch that opens above the helm, with a second internal steering position that defines the type. Most boats have a fold-out two-section table stowing flat against the aft end of the cockpit well beneath the tiller head, and a tiller that lifts out can also be placed in the cockpit for sailing.

Power and Equipment

The LM 27 is normally fitted with a Bukh diesel, typically 20 horsepower with some upgraded to 35, and shaft drive is universal across the engine range including Volvo Penta MD17, MD 17C, MD 11C, Bukh DV36, and Bukh DV20ME. The wetted surface runs about 215 square feet, a figure relevant to any bottom-service calculation, and the immersion rate of 732 pounds per inch speaks to a stiff, heavily loaded hull that sits deep for her length.

Refits and Ownership

Production ran from 1972 to 1986, with the design reworked into the LM28 around 1983/84. When LM Glasfiber ceased yacht building the moulds came to the United Kingdom, where derivative builds followed. For an owner, the sandwich deck, solid glass hull, and encapsulated long-keel ballast make for a structurally straightforward boat, while the wheelhouse and dual steering extend usable season and comfort in northern waters.

The Verdict

The LM 27 is a genuinely capable small motorsailer whose traditional double-ended hull and pilothouse layout deliver comfort and surprising sailing ability for the type. She is a heavy, stable cruiser with a practical interior and a builder's production run that means parts familiarity and community knowledge are widespread.

Pros

Remarkably good sailing performance for a long-keel motorsailer anchor
Above-average headroom and versatile 4 to 6 berth layout with dual steering
Sandwich deck improves cabin climate; solid glass hull with lifeboat-derived lines

Cons