MG had started as a racing-boat builder, and that influence carried into its fairly high-performance cruiser-racers of the 1980s. The Mg-C27 belongs squarely to that lineage: a fast, modern-styled small cruiser. Northshore later took over MG Yachts, and for a time the MG-branded boats were sold through Northshore. Various yards, including Jaguar Yachts and Northshore, moulded hulls along the way.
Design and Construction
The Mg-C27 is a compact monohull measuring 27 feet 5 inches overall, with a 23 foot 5 inch waterline and a 10 foot beam. Displacement is 6,000 lbs, and buyers could choose a fin or lifting keel.
Roughly 150 Contessa 27s and MGC27s were sold in total, most of them with the fin keel. The drop-keel variant is the rarer of the two. It draws between 3 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 10 inches with the keel raised or lowered, while the fixed-fin model draws 5 feet.
The original design was intended as a replacement for the Contessa 28. The hull moulds and Humphreys’ design passed from Rogers to MG and eventually to Northshore without any alteration to the underlying shape.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The boat has a fractional sloop rig. As built, the Contessa 27s and MGC27s carried a self-tacking jib on a curved deck track forward of the mast. Paired with a narrow blade jib, this arrangement keeps sheet loads low and makes the boat easy to handle without sacrificing pace.
The Mg-C27 has an excellent reputation for sailing performance and handling. Period assessments described its performance as excellent in its own right, yet the boat was never difficult to manage. With 413 square feet of sail area in the main and blade jib, the design delivers the lively, modern feel promised by MG’s cruiser-racer lineage.
On the illustrated example, the self-tacking track had been removed and the jib sheeted conventionally—a refit that shows how readily the foredeck can be reconfigured.
Accommodation
Below, the Mg-C27 has two cabins and berths for four or five. The saloon places the galley to port and an aft-facing chart table to starboard, with two settee berths in the main cabin. Forward of the chart table, a raised berth area is separated from the saloon by a zipped curtain. Aft of the galley, a large quarterberth completes the sleeping plan. It is nominally a double, though a small one.
On lifting-keel versions, the keel winch is mounted at the aft end of the saloon table and operated with a removable handle. A clear panel in the keel box allows the crew to see the keel’s position. Apart from the centreboard case, the fin-keel interior closely matches the lifting-keel layout.
Machinery, Refits, and Ownership
The usual engine is a 9 BHP Volvo Penta 2001 diesel, a modest but fitting auxiliary for a 6,000 lb hull.
The most visible owner-level alteration is the removal of the original self-tacking jib track in favor of conventional sheeting, as on the reviewed example. Lifting-keel models require a little more from the owner because of the keel winch and the sight panel used to monitor keel travel, but the mechanism is simple and hand-operated.
The Verdict
The Mg-C27 is a Humphreys-designed small cruiser that turns a racing-bred pedigree into a package suited to single-handed sailing. The fin-keel version accounts for most boats built. The rarer lifting-keel boats suit the shoal-draught cruiser without significantly changing the core layout. Its reputation rests on genuine handling qualities rather than size.
Pros
- Excellent reputation for sailing performance and handling
- Fractional rig and narrow blade jib keep sheet loads low and make short-handed sailing easier
- Practical two-cabin layout with four or five berths and a distinct forward sleeping area
- Lifting-keel option with a clear sight panel showing keel position
Cons
- Lifting-keel versions are rarer and add winching gear to the saloon
- Quarterberth is a small double at best
- Only about 150 boats were built, limiting the used-boat pool
