Hill’s brief was to create a yacht that the average wage earner could afford and that could take the whole family on a week’s cruise. That purpose remains clear in the Sabre 27’s proportions and accommodation.
Design and Construction
The Sabre 27 has a solid fiberglass hull with a thick lay-up that the Sabre 27 boat review found would take a few hard knocks when coming alongside. She is 27 feet long, with a waterline length of 22 feet, a 9-foot beam, and a displacement of 7,168 pounds, including 3,090 pounds of iron ballast. The fin-keel version draws 4 feet 8 inches, while the twin-keel version draws just 3 feet.
Early in production, a GRP interior moulding replaced the original plywood interior. After the first 25 boats—the Mark I—the mast was lengthened by 2 feet 6 inches, with a consequential ballast modification. The deck moulding was also altered at the scuppers, and the cockpit floor was raised slightly. These changes defined the Mark II.
Further changes came in the mid-1970s, when the deck moulding was modified to include an anchor locker. Fixed polycarbonate windows also replaced the aluminium-framed sliding units.
Sabre 27s were offered at several stages of completion, from a bare hull and deck through staged kits for home finishing to fully fitted, sail-away boats.
Rig and Handling
The Sabre 27 is a masthead sloop with a deck-stepped mast slotted into a tabernacle. The rig can therefore be lowered easily to pass beneath low bridges, making the boat ideal for canal use. She sports a single-spreader rig with fore-and-aft lowers and a split backstay, and sets a small genoa relative to her mainsail.
Both the foresail and mainsail sheets can be trimmed from the helm. The mainsheet traveller runs across the bridgedeck, an arrangement the Sabre 27 boat review found great for sail trimming.
The Sabre 27 handles easily and can be tacked and gybed with alacrity. She is easy to manage under sail or power. She isn’t as close-winded as a modern fin-keeler, but she can maintain respectable boatspeed on passage. The fin-keel version is faster than her twin-keel sisters.
The relatively small genoa shifts the balance aft, so the mainsail needs to be reefed early to maintain helm harmony. For comfort and performance, the boat should also be sailed as upright as possible. One owner uses a maximum heel angle of 15 degrees as a rule of thumb.
Accommodation and Deck Layout
The Sabre 27 offers generous accommodation for her size, with six feet of headroom and enough space for a family of four. The foredeck provides plenty of room for handling the anchor. The chain passes through a hawse pipe into a forward chain locker, so it doesn’t impinge on the forecabin.
The sidedecks are spacious enough for a crewman to get forward safely, while the cockpit gives four people enough elbow room to relax. The boat would suit a small family on a modest budget. She also makes a good starter boat, a capable coast-hopper for a cruising couple, or an easily managed singlehander.
Mainsheet Traveller
Although the bridgedeck traveller is useful for sail trim, it can be a hazard to unwary crew during an accidental gybe. It can also impede access to the cabin.
One owner dealt with the access problem by fitting snap shackles at both ends of the mainsheet tackle, allowing him to unclip it when moored. The same arrangement can be used for man-overboard retrieval by inverting the mainsheet and using the jammer cleat at the top of the haul.
Performance Envelope
The Sabre 27 has better form stability than most yachts of her era, which also means less rolling at anchor.
The fin-keel version is faster than the twin-keeler, but surprisingly doesn’t seem to point much higher despite her deeper draught. The twin-keel boat has different advantages: she can dry out upright on a cheap half-tide mooring and is far more versatile on rivers, canals, and shoal waters.
The Sabre 27 would be OK if caught out in a blow, but the Sabre 27 boat review would hesitate to recommend her for deep-ocean or high-latitude work. As a coastal cruiser, she remains a viable alternative to the benchmark Westerly Centaur and its fin-keel variant, the Pembroke.
The Verdict
The Sabre 27 is a thoughtfully realised small cruiser. Her modest dimensions contain a roomy, family-oriented interior, while her easily lowered rig suits short-handed sailing and inland waterways alike. Her thick hull and straightforward layout make her a forgiving first boat. The Mark II refinements and later deck changes also show how the design evolved through small, sensible steps.
Pros
- Generous accommodation for four, with six feet of headroom
- Tabernacle-mounted mast is easy to lower for canal use
- Foresail and mainsail sheets can be adjusted from the helm
- Bridgedeck traveller aids sail trim
- Thick hull lay-up tolerates knocks while berthing
- Twin-keel version dries upright and can explore shoal waters
Cons
- Mainsheet traveller can endanger crew during an accidental gybe and impede cabin access
- Mainsail needs early reefing to maintain balance
- Not recommended for deep-ocean or high-latitude passages
