Design and Construction
The solid-fiberglass hull displaces 5,071 pounds on a 21.65-foot waterline. It carries 2,205 pounds of lead ballast fixed in the keel, giving a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 43.48 percent. Together with a displacement-to-length ratio of 223.09, these figures place the Rethana 27 firmly in the moderate-weight category—neither a featherweight racer nor a heavy voyager.
With the centerboard raised, draft is just 2.62 feet; lowered, it increases to 4.59 feet. That range is useful for gunkholing in shallow European estuaries while retaining windward bite offshore. A comfort ratio of 20.37 and a capsize screen of 1.91 are consistent with a stable coastal hull that has a good righting capability if capsized.
Rig and Handling
The masthead sloop rig carries 322 square feet of sail on the 100 percent rig, for a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.51. That’s enough canvas to keep the boat lively without requiring a large crew.
Period assessments describe the Rethana 27 as very stable and stiff. Her hull speed is a modest 6.23 knots, appropriate for a boat better suited to coastal cruising than passage-making. The centerboard reinforces her dual-purpose character, providing shallow draft in sheltered water and deeper lateral grip when beating along a coast. Her reasonable performance and documented stiffness make her a confident handler within the conditions for which she was designed.
Accommodations and Systems
The 8.20-foot beam provides a compact but workable interior for a 27-footer of this era. Her original systems, however, show the limits of the boat’s coastal brief.
The original fuel capacity was only 7 gallons of diesel, fed to a single 12-horsepower Farymann engine. Fresh-water capacity was similarly modest at 24 gallons. Reviewers noted the very short water-supply range, positioning the boat more as a weekender or harbor-hopper than a self-sufficient cruiser.
The 12 HP engine is adequate for maneuvering and charging batteries in calm conditions, but it offers little margin when approaching a berth against a strong foul current.
Known Issues
The two documented shortcomings concern endurance rather than structure. The original 7-gallon fuel capacity restricted range under power and made long motoring legs impractical without jerry cans. Likewise, the factory-supplied 24-gallon fresh-water tank gave the boat a very short water-supply range, a limitation that owners living aboard for more than a few days would have noticed quickly.
Neither issue reflects on hull integrity. Both are planning constraints that a buyer can address with portable tanks or stricter cruising habits.
The Verdict
The Rethana 27 is a stiff, stable, moderately built coastal cruiser with a useful centerboard hull and a sail plan suited to short-handed sailing. She is best judged as a sheltered-water weekender whose small tanks and modest engine limit her range more than her seaworthiness does.
Pros
- Very stable and stiff, with good righting capability if capsized
- Centerboard keel provides a shallow draft of 2.62 feet and a board-down draft of 4.59 feet
- Reasonably good performance as a coastal cruiser under a masthead sloop rig
Cons
- Originally fitted with a very small 7-gallon fuel tank
- Very short water-supply range from the 24-gallon tank
- Better suited to coastal use than extended offshore passages
