Design and Construction
The hull and deck use unidirectional and biaxial glass vacuumed over a foam core and set in vinylester resin. Carbon fiber stiffens the critical structure beneath the mast and around the root of the swinging keel. This GRP vacuum-infusion construction produces a powerful, stiff hull, while the aggressive hard chines lock the boat upright when it heels hard.
Buoyancy chambers in the bow and beneath the cockpit to port and starboard will keep the boat afloat in the event of a hull breach. The stern also incorporates storage for a life raft.
Both the keel and rudders retract, allowing the boat to gunkhole in shoal water with the rudders pulled up as well as the keel. The complete package—boat and trailer—fits inside a standard 40-foot shipping container and can be towed by a modest SUV.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
Manuard gave the Seascape 27 a carbon-fiber rig with a high-aspect, square-topped mainsail and a long retractable sprit for headsails. An inner forestay is provided for a small jib when conditions turn ugly.
Test sailors found the helm precise and smooth rather than twitchy. In a fresh 15-to-25-knot breeze, with higher gusts, the twin outboard rudders maintained control without faltering, even when the boat was laid over. Playing the traveler during those gusts produced a noticeable response at the helm.
Under jib alone, testers made 6 knots closehauled at a tight 28-degree apparent-wind angle. In 13 to 15 knots of true wind, the boat exceeded 10 knots under a large A-sail with the course cracked just off a beam reach. The builder’s hosts claimed 15 knots under the furling gennaker in 20 knots, while one tester was confident that nearly 20 knots was possible if the boat were pushed in the right conditions.
A hefty amount of ballast carried more than 6 feet below the hull produced a reassuringly stable ride. The boat also strictly followed CE Category B (Offshore) and ISAF OSR Category 3 safety rules.
Accommodations
Belowdecks, the Seascape 27 sleeps four comfortably and six in a pinch. The forward V-berth cabin doubles as a wet room and sail locker. Just aft, a marine head has folding doors that allow the area to serve as a wet locker or storage space; a proper head with a lightweight, folding magnetic door is also described.
The main cabin has two bench seats that double as berths, plus two more berths aft beneath the cockpit. Outboard storage incorporates hanging gear bags that carry kit on and off the boat.
A central table converts into a navigation station using either a folding leaf or a waterproof case on the keel box. A folding, motorcycle-style seat attaches to the keel box for the navigator.
The galley arrangements include dedicated space for a cooler and a swinging stove. An icebox beneath the companionway steps can accept a small refrigeration unit, and there is provision for a water tank.
Equipment and Deck Layout
Cockpit controls lead through four Andersen winches and Spinlock clutches, with Ronstan blocks and hardware used elsewhere. An articulating multifunction display swings horizontally in and out for use underway.
The amidships hideaway outboard well is a clever feature. One test boat carried a 6 hp outboard lying on its side in a cockpit-sole compartment. The compartment articulates downward through a hatch in the bottom of the boat. The specification record also lists a 9.8 hp outboard.
A simple, manually powered hydraulic system operates the swinging keel. It includes an easily replaced fuse that allows the keel to kick up on impact. A proper anchor locker is fitted forward.
Verdict
Blue Water Sailing called the Seascape 27 an inventive, offshore-capable racer-cruiser that provides quite a thrill. Yet it remains practical to own, thanks to its trailerability and modular interior. Light displacement, deep ballast, and hard chines make it quick yet composed, while the retractable keel and rudders give access to shallow water that similar performers can’t reach.
Pros
- Fits with its trailer inside a 40-foot container and is towable by a modest SUV
- Carbon rig and square-top mainsail help deliver speeds above 10 knots under an A-sail
- Retractable keel and rudders suit shoal-water gunkholing
- Buoyancy chambers and CE Category B offshore certification
Cons
- The modest 8-foot-4 beam limits interior volume compared with larger cruisers
- The outboard well and modular galley require owner assembly on each trip
