Her moderate 9-foot-1-inch beam carries well aft into a broad transom. That choice trades some stern overhang for stability and enough interior room to accommodate two double berths.
Design and Construction
The Pearson 27 displaces 5,800 pounds and carries 2,175 pounds of ballast. Her D/L ratio of 227 places her among moderately light coastal cruisers rather than heavy offshore boats.
The keel is the most distinctive feature. It’s a shallow-draft winged design, with the winglets beginning at about the 35 percent chord position at the tip. The innovative shallow-draft winged keel has a planform that deliberately lacks taper, leaving plenty of material at the tip. Perry’s design review judged that the combination of this planform and the winglets should give the ballast a low vertical center of gravity and make the boat stiff.
The outboard-hung rudder sits as far aft as possible and has a slight bend that reduces its leading-edge angle. The review called it the best and most cost-effective design available, noting that it eliminates the need for a rudder tube and stuffing box while keeping the tiller in a convenient position.
Rig and Handling
The Pearson 27 carries a masthead sloop rig with single lower shrouds and slightly swept-back spreaders. Sail area is 330 square feet, and the SA/D ratio is 16.35.
A split backstay clears the outboard rudder and makes it convenient to fit a simple adjuster at the stern. Sail handling is centered in the cockpit: all controls lead aft, the mainsail has jiffy reefing, and the genoa uses roller-furling gear. Self-tailing primary winches handle the loads, while the mainsheet traveler sits on the house top.
This arrangement keeps the cockpit clear, but it places the traveler forward of the helm—a detail likely to matter more to a singlehander than to a couple sailing short-handed.
Accommodations
Below, the traditional V-berth is moved aft and wrapped into a settee-dinette that converts to a full 7-foot double. A hanging locker and large storage bin occupy the forward end of the cabin.
An enclosed aft stateroom lies to port, with a large enclosed head opposite to starboard. The amidships galley has the stove and sink to port. To starboard, a spacious chart table and countertop sit above a large icebox.
Headroom in the main cabin is six feet. The sail plan still looks well proportioned rather than cramped. The same broad stern that contributes to the boat’s stability also provides the volume needed for double quarter berths and an aft head without making the interior feel like a tunnel.
Known Issues
The wing keel’s tip geometry and the exposed linkage of the outboard rudder are design choices a surveyor would examine closely.
The Verdict
The Pearson 27 is a thoughtfully arranged small cruiser from the Shaw era at Pearson. Its winged keel and broad transom provide stiffness and private sleeping cabins within a 26-foot hull. The cockpit-led rig and amidships galley suit a cruising couple, while the outboard rudder keeps the steering system simple and inexpensive to maintain.
She’s light on her feet for her length, but she doesn’t offer the heavy-displacement seakeeping of an older Alberg Pearson.
Pros
- The winged keel provides shallow draft with a stiff, low-VCG ballast profile.
- An enclosed aft stateroom and head offer separation that’s rare at this length.
- The outboard rudder eliminates the rudder tube and stuffing box, simplifying the steering gear.
- All sail controls lead to the cockpit, with furling and jiffy reefing.
Cons
- The split backstay and house-top traveler limit mainsheet adjustments from the helm.
- The broad transom and light displacement favor careful sail balance in a seaway.
- Six-foot headroom is adequate but not generous for taller owners.
