Newport 27 S Buyer's Guide
The Newport 27 S is an American recreational keelboat built by Capital Yachts in Harbor City, California, from 1974. Designed by C&C Design as a cruiser, she pairs a masthead sloop rig with a fixed fin keel and an internally mounted spade rudder on tiller steering, making her a straightforward small boat to evaluate on the used market.
Layouts on the Used Market
The most common interior arrangement places a V-berth, a head, and a small hanging locker forward of the main bulkhead, with six-foot settees along both saloon sides and a table that folds flush against the bulkhead to serve as a navigation station under way. A port counter aft of the settees holds sink and icebox access, opposite a counter with a recessed two-burner alcohol stove. Buyers will also encounter variations: a starboard quarter berth, a fixed dinette with raised seating fore and aft, or an aft-placed head. Early boats draw 4 foot 3 inches; Mark II versions draw 5 foot 2 inches for improved upwind performance.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats came with an inboard auxiliary — a gasoline Atomic 4 or, on later hulls, an 11-horsepower Universal diesel — and engine access is excellent on either version, a real advantage for upkeep. Beyond the standard rig, the traveler sits forward of the companionway, a layout that keeps the cockpit open but demands attention to track condition. Given the boat's size, the meaningful buyer-relevant upgrades cluster around power and energy — a modern battery bank to support the inboard and cabin needs — and canvas and sail handling, where a replaced mainsheet traveler and track address the friction problem at source.
What to Inspect
The standout handling defect is friction between the traveler and its track that makes adjustment dangerous under load, so check the track for wear and free movement. All through-hulls are bronze but fitted with PVC gate valves rather than seacocks; inspect each for cracking or stiffness. Confirm the hull is hand laid with a lead keel and look for any undocumented repairs, since the boat is tender and builds weather helm as she accelerates.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Regional availability follows the boat's building location in Harbor City, California. For a shopper, the checklist is short: verify which auxiliary is fitted and its service history, confirm the traveler track runs freely or budget a replacement, examine the PVC gate valves on every through-hull, and decide between the early 4-foot-3-inch draft and the Mark II 5-foot-2-inch keel for your sailing grounds. The 27 S rewards a careful buyer with a roomy, easy-to-maintain coastal cruiser.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Newport 27 S. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 | $7,500 | — |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $5,405 | -27.9% |
Where they're listed
Newport 27 S listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 3.
Country view
3 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $5,405 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 27 | 26.83' | $ 7,900 | 77 | 20 |
| Pearson 27 | 26.92' | $ 11,000 | 15 | 3 |
| Northshore 27 | 26.97' | $ 17,954 | 11 | 3 |
| Newport 27 SYou are here | — | $ 5,405 | 3 | 0 |