Yachtsnet describes the LM 27 as probably the world’s most successful small wheelhouse sailing cruiser. The production figures help explain how she earned that reputation.
Design and Construction
The LM 27 measures 28 feet 4 inches overall, with a beam of 9 feet 2 inches and a draft of 3 feet 1 inch. Sources differ on displacement, though the builder’s record puts it at around 8,818 pounds. She carries 3,968 pounds of ballast.
Her 45 percent ballast ratio and displacement-length ratio of 311 place her firmly among heavy cruisers. A length-to-beam ratio of 3.04 points to a beamy, volume-driven hull rather than a slender racing shape. The long keel and double-ended form reflect the boat’s lifeboat ancestry more than contemporary pleasure-boat fashion.
The hull is solid fiberglass, while the deck uses fiberglass sandwich construction intended to improve the indoor climate. Ballast is encapsulated in the long keel. Below, the mahogany interior adds traditional warmth.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The LM 27 has a masthead sloop rig with a documented 408 square feet of sail area in the mainsail and genoa. The 10 millimeter-diameter sheets measure 8.3 meters for the jib and genoa, 20.9 meters for the mainsheet, and 18.4 meters for the spinnaker.
For a small motorsailer with a bluff bow and long, shallow keel, her sailing performance is remarkably good. British reports recognized this early. When the LM 27 was introduced, Yachting World noted that she “sails surprisingly fast,” while Yachting Monthly concluded: “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 are about 7.3 knots with several engine options and 7.0 knots with the Bukh DV20ME, compared with a theoretical displacement-hull maximum of 6.5 knots.
The heavy displacement and shallow long keel do, however, limit agility in tight quarters.
Accommodation and Cockpit
The LM 27 has two cabins and between 4 and 6 berths, with headroom described as above average for a boat of this size. In the saloon, doors lead to the heads on the port side and a large hanging locker to starboard. Farther forward are two settee berths with a central table; both settees convert into doubles.
The forecabin contains a conventional vee-berth with an infill that makes it into a double. It usually has a folding concertina door. The heads compartment includes a marine WC and a pull-out washbasin mounted above it.
In the wheelhouse, a compact galley sits to port, and a hatch opens above the helm. The second, internal steering position is a defining feature of the design.
Most boats also have a two-section fold-out table. It stows flat against the aft end of the cockpit well, beneath the tiller head. A removable tiller can be fitted in the cockpit for sailing, though some layouts depend on an owner-fitted tiller.
Engine and Equipment
The LM 27 normally has a Bukh diesel, typically rated at 20 horsepower, although some boats were upgraded to 35 horsepower. Shaft drive is universal across the engine range, which includes the Volvo Penta MD17, MD 17C, and MD 11C, as well as the Bukh DV36 and Bukh DV20ME.
The wetted surface is about 215 square feet, a relevant figure when calculating bottom-service requirements. An immersion rate of 732 pounds per inch reflects a stiff, heavily loaded hull that sits deep for its length.
Production, Refits, and Ownership
Production ran from 1972 to 1986. Around 1983/84, the design was reworked into the LM28. When LM Glasfiber stopped building yachts, the moulds went to the United Kingdom, where derivative builds followed.
For an owner, the sandwich deck, solid fiberglass hull, and encapsulated ballast in the long keel make the LM 27 structurally straightforward. The wheelhouse and dual steering also extend the boat’s usable season and improve comfort in northern waters.
Verdict
The LM 27 is a genuinely capable small motorsailer. Its traditional double-ended hull and pilothouse layout provide comfort and surprisingly good sailing ability for the type. It’s a heavy, stable cruiser with a practical interior, widespread parts familiarity, and widespread community knowledge.
Pros
- Remarkably good sailing performance for a long-keel motorsailer
- Above-average headroom
- Versatile 4-to-6-berth layout with dual steering
- Sandwich deck improves the cabin climate
- Solid fiberglass hull with lifeboat-derived lines
Cons
- Heavy displacement and a shallow long keel limit agility in tight quarters
- Modest theoretical hull speed compared with documented engine maxima
- Small wheelhouse galley
- Some layouts depend on an owner-fitted tiller
