Design and Construction
The SR 27 is a monohull of conventional glass construction, its 27.50 ft overall length sitting on a 24.00 ft waterline with a 9.50 ft beam. The hull carries a nearly plumb stem and an open reverse transom, a profile that reads as purposefully contemporary for a 1992 racer. Beneath the waterline the boat uses a lifting fin keel that draws 5.92 ft when extended and retracts to just 1.50 ft, a range that lets the 3,750 lb hull be trailered without a crane. Steering is by an internally-mounted spade-type rudder on a tiller, keeping the appendage clear of the hull structure aft and the cockpit uncluttered for crew work.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck the SR 27 carries a Bermuda fractional sloop rig, the short overlap of the genoa and the masthead-free headsail plan typical of a boat tuned for crewed round-the-buoys racing. The lifting keel is the defining handling feature: extended, it gives the boat a competitive 5.92 ft draft and a hull speed of 6.56 kn, while retracted it permits ground transportation on a trailer between distant regattas. A small outboard may be fitted for docking and maneuvering, reflecting the absence of an inboard and the light displacement that makes a portable motor adequate for the launch ramp and the marina berth.
Performance
The design's racing character is quantified by its PHRF average handicap of 102, with a recorded high of 105 and low of 99 across the fleets that rated it. Those numbers place the SR 27 among the quicker small keelboats of its era when sailed to its fractional rig, and the 6.56 kn hull speed is consistent with the 3,750 lb displacement carried on a 24 ft waterline.
The Verdict
The SR 27 is a narrowly produced, trailerable racing sloop that trades cabin accommodation for a clean fractional rig and a keel that folds up for the highway. Its scarcity means any example is a specialist's boat, but the 1992 design built by C&C Yachts shows a coherent racing brief rather than a compromised cruiser.
Pros
- Trailerable via retracting lifting keel (1.50 ft retracted draft)
- Fractional Bermuda sloop rig suited to buoy racing
- PHRF average handicap of 102 with high 105 and low 99
- Solid fibreglass construction from C&C Yachts
Cons
- Only eight built — limited support network and spares commonality
- No inboard; reliant on fitted outboard for docking
