Only 136 of these moderate-displacement family cruisers left the molds. Even so, the model drew considerable praise from the yachting press and remains a tidy example of British fiberglass construction from a period when Seamaster ranked among the country’s largest boatbuilders.
Design and Construction
Seamaster’s earlier Laurent Giles–designed sailing yachts had fairly traditional lines. The 815 departed from that lineage with a much more modern profile than the chunky Westerlys of the same era, while retaining the marque’s reputation for tough construction.
The solid-fiberglass hull came with either an iron fin keel or twin iron bilge keels, with a transom-hung rudder aft. The boat measures 26 feet 9 inches overall, with a 21-foot waterline and 8 feet 11 inches of beam. Displacement is 3.17 tons—heavier than the slightly longer and beamier, but very similar-looking, Moody 27.
A ballast ratio of 31 percent and a displacement-length figure of 342 place the 815 among heavy cruisers. Its capsize screening value of 1.86 falls within accepted offshore-leaning limits for a boat of this size.
Rig and Handling
The 815 is a masthead sloop with enough sail area for good performance. The standard sail plan includes a 117-square-foot mainsail and a 152-square-foot No. 1 jib. Optional genoas range up to 257 square feet, and a storm jib was also available.
The theoretical hull speed is 6.1 knots. An immersion rate of about 653 pounds per inch indicates a hull that settles predictably under load.
Owners could choose between a 4 foot 6 inch fin keel and a 2 foot 11 inch bilge-keel arrangement. The fin offers more upwind bite, while the bilge keels allow the boat to dry out or enter shallow marinas. The bilge-keel draft varies modestly with load.
Accommodations
Below, the 815 has a simple but quite spacious interior. It feels light and open, with a saloon and separate forecabin providing berths for four or five people. Maximum headroom is about 5 feet 10 inches.
The removable saloon table opens up the cabin when it isn’t needed. It can also be lowered to extend the port settee berth into a nominal double, though that berth is wider at its forward end than at its aft end.
Practical Boat Owner described the Seamaster 815 as a tough and roomy little cruiser, a fair summary of the accommodation philosophy.
Machinery and Tankage
The usual engine fitted was an 8 hp Yanmar. Some had a 12 hp Yanmar or, according to other records, an inboard Volvo Penta diesel. The builder’s archive also notes an illustrated hull whose original engine had been replaced with a 12 hp Yanmar YSB12.
Fuel capacity is 14 gallons, and fresh-water capacity is 20 gallons. Both are modest, but in keeping with a 26-footer intended for coastal family cruising rather than long, self-sufficient passages.
Verdict
The Seamaster 815 is a compact, sturdily built Holman & Pye cruiser. Its interior feels unusually open for its length, and its modern silhouette distinguishes it from the boxier boats of its era. The choice of fin or bilge keels also gives owners some flexibility in matching the boat to their cruising grounds.
Limited production and the loss of the original builder mean that any surviving example calls for careful scrutiny of its systems. Even so, the design’s comfort ratios and sailor-friendly layout make it a sensible small-family coastal cruiser.
Pros
- Tough fiberglass construction and modern styling for its era
- Light, open interior with a removable table and four or five berths
- Choice of fin or bilge keels for different cruising grounds
- Comfort and ballast ratios competitive with those of larger, similar designs
Cons
- Only 136 were built, and the builder ceased trading in 1981
- Modest 8–12 hp engine options and limited tankage
- About 5 feet 10 inches of headroom, low by modern standards
