Design and Construction
The hull shows a displacement of 5,800 pounds with 2,175 pounds of ballast, yielding a D/L ratio of 227 that marks her as a moderately light coastal cruiser rather than a heavy offshore slug. The keel is the headline item: a shallow-draft winged form with winglets starting at about the 35 percent chord position at the tip and a planform deliberately lacking taper so there is plenty of meat at the tip innovative shallow draft winged keel. Perry's design review judged that this planform paired with the winglets should produce a low vertical center of gravity for the ballast and a stiff boat. The rudder is an outboard hung blade placed as far aft as possible, with a slight bend to reduce its leading-edge angle; the review called it the best and most cost-effective design available, noting it avoids a rudder tube and stuffing box and keeps the tiller conveniently located.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck she is a masthead sloop with single lower shrouds and slightly swept-back spreaders, carrying 330 square feet of sail and an SA/D ratio of 16.35. The backstay is split to clear the outboard rudder, which makes fitting a simple adjuster at the stern convenient split backstay. Sail handling is cockpit-centered: all controls lead aft, the main has jiffy reefing, the genoa rolls on furling gear, and the mainsheet traveler sits on the house top with self-tailing primary winches to handle the loads. That layout keeps the cockpit clear but puts the traveler forward of the helm, a detail that matters more to a singlehander than to a couple sailing short-handed.
Accommodations
Inside, the layout pushes the traditional V-berth aft and wraps it around into a settee-dinette that converts into a full 7-foot double, while a hanging locker and large storage bin occupy the forward extremity. To port lies an enclosed aft stateroom; opposite to starboard is a large enclosed head. The galley amidships places the stove and sink to port, with a big ice box under a spacious chart table and countertop to starboard. Headroom is six feet in the main cabin, enough that the sail plan still reads as well proportioned rather than cramped. The broad stern that gives the boat her stability is the same volume that lets her carry double quarter berths and an aft head without feeling like a tunnel.
Known Issues
The wing keel's tip geometry and the outboard rudder's exposed linkage are design choices a surveyor would examine closely.
The Verdict
The Pearson 27 is a thoughtfully packed small cruiser from the Shaw era at Pearson, using a winged keel and broad transom to deliver stiffness and private sleeping cabins on a 26-foot hull. Her cockpit-led rig and amidships galley suit a cruising couple, and the outboard rudder keeps steering simple and cheap to maintain. She is light on her feet for her length but offers none of the heavy-displacement seakeeping of an older Alberg Pearson.
Pros
- Winged keel gives shallow draft with a stiff, low-VCG ballast profile
- Enclosed aft stateroom and head provide separation rare at this length
- Outboard rudder avoids tube and stuffing box, simplifying steering gear
- All sail controls in the cockpit with furling and jiffy reefing
Cons
- Split backstay and house-top traveler limit helm-side mainsheet tweaking
- Broad transom and light displacement favor careful sail balance in a seaway
- Six-foot headroom is adequate but not generous for taller owners
