Pearson Renegade 27 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Pearson Renegade 27 means chasing a short-run Shaw design built between 1967 and 1970, with roughly 170 to 173 examples completed. These are fin-keel, spade-rudder boats from Pearson's Portsmouth, Rhode Island plant, and their scarcity means any purchase is as much about the individual hull's care as about the model's reputation for nimble handling.
Layouts on the Used Market
Two interior generations exist. The earliest boats show a conventional settee layout with the cook's station aft on the port side and the head and V-berth up forward. From 1968, Pearson switched to a dinette to port with a quarter-berth and starboard galley, giving an enclosed toilet room and more stowage via a large lazarette and sail lockers. Both share a 6-foot 4-inch cockpit and a 20-gallon tank under the V-berth; the inboard version adds a 16-gallon Monel tank under the cockpit. Later hulls have vinyl-covered sides rather than painted fiberglass, a quick visual clue to model year.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The Renegade was sold with inboard or outboard power; the inboard carried a 30-hp Universal Atomic Four. Standing rigging is a strong point—forestay and backstay at 7/32 inch and shrouds at 3/16 inch, with oversized chainplates and hardware. The signature owner upgrade is a raised boom and shortened mainsail, usually done to fit a dodger or bimini and tame the long boom. Original spruce spreaders and balsa-cored deck are the age-sensitive items; later boats with mahogany coamings instead of teak are worth noting.
What to Inspect
The long boom that sweeps the cockpit in a jibe is the headline hazard—on a boat with the original rig, stand in the cockpit and measure whether the boom end clears the sidedeck; if a dodger or bimini is present, confirm the boom was raised and the sail recut rather than just canvas bolted under a full-length boom. Check the balsa-cored deck for soft spots around winch islands and ports, since trapped moisture rots the core; probe with a knuckle tap and look for crazed gelcoat or stained teak caps at the inward-turned hull/deck flange. The original spruce spreaders should be examined for rot at the mast attachment. With low freeboard, inspect the self-bailing cockpit scuppers and forward seat drains for blockage, since a wet ride in chop means these must clear quickly to avoid cockpit flooding. Verify the Universal Atomic Four's fuel system if inboard, given the 16-gallon Monel tank under the cockpit.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Availability is not tracked by region for this model. Before you commit, walk the following short list:
- Confirm which interior generation the hull is and whether it fits your plans.
- Check the boom length and any raised-boom modification for jibe safety.
- Tap the deck for balsa-core softness near hardware and ports.
- Inspect spruce spreaders and the hull/deck flange for moisture.
- Test cockpit scuppers and seat drains for free flow.
- Verify inboard fuel tank and engine condition if not outboard.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Pearson Renegade 27. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 1 | $4,695 | — |
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 |
| Moody 27 | 27.67' | $ 14,957 | 28 | 9 |
| Sabre Yachts 27 | 27' | $ 5,439 | 12 | 3 |
| Mirage Yachts 27 | 27.17' | $ 5,000 | 9 | 4 |