Design and Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass, with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder. Neither the hull nor the deck uses a cored laminate. The deck is finished with Shedeck, the builder’s proprietary simulated-wood resin layer, set off by black anti-skid caulking lines. This cosmetic treatment was distinctive to the marque’s output during the 1970s.
With an overall length of 26 feet and a beam of 8.5 feet, the She 27 has a length-to-beam ratio of 3.15. That was relatively narrow for the era and keeps wetted surface to about 215 square feet. Combined with a displacement of 5,255 pounds and lead ballast, this gives an immersion rate of roughly 638 pounds per inch, so the boat sits sensibly to her load.
The fin keel draws between 4.76 and 5.06 feet, depending on load. That allows her to use shallow marinas without the compromises of a centerboard.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The She 27 is a masthead sloop with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 14.75. Her displacement-length ratio is 267, placing her among moderate racers rather than heavy cruisers.
Sail handling follows the conventions of the period. The jib and genoa sheets are both 27.9 feet long and 3/8 inch in diameter. The mainsheet is 69.7 feet long at the same diameter, while the spinnaker sheet measures 61.4 feet.
The theoretical hull speed for a displacement hull of this length is 6.1 knots. The engine’s calculated maximum speed is about 3.3 knots—useful for marina maneuvering, but not for passage-making. The boat has a Relative Speed Performance of 4 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 19.5.
Her capsize screening value is 2.03, which would bar her from recognized ocean races.
Accommodations
Below, the She 27 has four berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. It’s a compact but functional arrangement for a 26-footer of her generation. The narrow beam means a snug cabin rather than an open-plan interior.
Verdict
The She 27 is a small Sparkman & Stephens cruiser-racer with honest construction and a clear design brief. She is light on her lines, easy to tuck into shallow harbours, and built to a recognized laminate standard.
Her limitations are equally clear. She doesn’t meet offshore-racing screening standards, and her engine is a low-speed auxiliary at best. For a sailor looking for a manageable vintage SHE with period character, she makes a coherent choice.
Pros
- Hand-laid, solid-fiberglass hull built to Lloyds 100 A1 specifications
- Fin keel drawing less than 5.1 feet, suitable for modest marinas
- Four berths, a galley, and a head in a 26-foot package
- Moderate-racer displacement-length ratio of 267
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.03 would bar her from ocean racing
- Calculated maximum engine speed of only 3.3 knots
- Narrow 3.15 length-to-beam ratio limits interior volume
