With a beam of 13 feet 10 inches and a centerboard-up draft of just 9 inches, the Stiletto sits between a trailerable racer and a spare, lightweight cruiser.
Design and Construction
The Stiletto’s defining feature is its construction: epoxy-saturated fiberglass over a Nomex honeycomb core. This material came from helicopter blades and aircraft parts rather than conventional boatbuilding. The builder claimed that, for a given weight, a Nomex-cored panel is stronger, stiffer, less brittle, and more puncture-resistant than panels cored with foam or wood. It also noted that the nylon-based honeycomb is impervious to water, so a ruptured skin will not let water migrate between cells.
The fiberglass cloth was pre-impregnated with epoxy. After layup, the mold was baked at 250 degrees for 90 minutes while the skins were vacuum-bagged to the core. A blotter and 16 spigots spread the vacuum. Because gelcoat couldn’t survive this process, each hull was faired with putty and finished with polyurethane paint.
Both the hulls and bridgedeck are Nomex-cored. The solid bridgedeck runs between the hulls aft of the mast. Each hull weighed only 220 pounds, while the bridgedeck weighed 125 pounds. Total displacement ranged from 1,100 to 1,570 pounds, depending on options.
Rig, Foils, and Handling
The Stiletto carries a rotating aluminum mast built using conventional technology, paired with a fractional sloop rig and a ball-bearing mainsheet traveler. The original mainsheet provided only a 6-to-1 purchase.
On older masts, athwartships diamond shrouds alone controlled mast bend. Later boats added a third diamond forward to check fore-and-aft bend in a strong breeze.
A single centerboard runs on the centerline through a slot in the bridgedeck, except on the rare GT models. Early centerboards were wooden airfoils; later boards were molded fiberglass and more resistant to damage. With the board raised, draft is only 9 inches. Combined with the polypropylene mesh trampoline forward of the mast, that shallow draft makes the boat a natural for beach launching.
The rudders have strong aluminum heads and double lower pintles. Test sailors found that they worked smoothly and positively on the boats they sailed.
Accommodations
The Special Edition was the cruising trim. It came with a galley, head, berths, carpeted interior, running lights, and standard bridgedeck cushions. It was also the only version fitted as standard with both running and interior lights.
The original interior was completely carpeted, including the ceiling, overhead, and sole. Molded-in benches run along both sides of the bridgedeck. Conical, vacuum-formed polycarbonate companionway hatches give the Stiletto its distinctive jet-fighter appearance.
There’s one berth in each hull. At 31 inches wide, they’re narrow, but each runs a generous 14 feet. A self-contained head sits beneath one berth. The compact galley includes a sink, hand-pump faucet, and two-gallon water tank.
Equipment and Power
An outboard provides auxiliary power. It hangs from a dedicated bracket on the aft crossbeam, leaving the hulls available for living space.
The combination of light displacement and a powerful rig places the Stiletto firmly among performance multihulls. Its lean interior is the trade-off for speed and ease of trailering.
The Verdict
The Stiletto 27 Spec. ED. is a clever piece of engineering, combining an aircraft-derived core with baked epoxy skins. The result is a catamaran that can displace as little as 1,100 pounds yet provide two unusually long berths and basic pocket-cruising equipment.
It’s best understood as a beach cat that learned to cook, not a cruiser that learned to race.
Pros
- Nomex honeycomb core resists water migration if the skin is breached
- 9-inch centerboard-up draft suits beach launching and shallow-water access
- Long 14-foot berths and standard cruising amenities in the Special Edition
- Smooth, positive rudder feel reported during test sailing
Cons
- Narrow 31-inch berths limit sleeping comfort
- Original 6-to-1 mainsheet purchase is modest
- Two-gallon water tank limits time aboard without resupply
