Design and Construction
Tanzer Industries built the 27 as a fiberglass hull with a transom-hung rudder, a solid layup beneath the waterline paired with a balsa-cored deck to keep top weight down on this mid-sized model. The move to a deck-stepped mast distinguished the Tanzer from the Paceship PY 26 it descended from, and the hull itself measured slightly longer than that predecessor while enclosing a reworked cabin plan. With a fin keel as standard and a shoal-draft option available, the 27 carried a lead ballast of 2,250 pounds against a 6,200-pound displacement, a 36 percent ballast-displacement ratio that speaks to a reasonably stiff coastal cruiser rather than a featherweight racer.
Rig and Handling
The masthead sloop rig drives a sail area of 319 square feet, and the PHRF record places the standard-keel boat at an average handicap of 204, ranging from a high of 198 to a low of 210 across fleets. The shoal-draft variant fell well off that pace at a PHRF average of 231, the penalty reflecting the expected loss of lateral grip and increased wetted surface of the shallower foil. A transom-hung rudder and 9.5-foot beam on a 26.6-foot overall length give the boat a practical cockpit-to-helmsman relationship for a two-person crew, and the 38-foot mast height from the waterline keeps the rig manageable for short-handed sailing.
Accommodations
Where the Paceship PY 26 had its own cabin arrangement, the Tanzer 27 was given a different interior, though the sources stop at that distinction without itemizing berths or galley specifics. The 22.5-foot waterline and 25-gallon water capacity suggest a compact but usable cruising footprint for a couple, and the deck-stepped mast separated the Tanzer from the keel-stepped PY 26 configuration. Practical cruising range is bounded by a 12-gallon diesel tank that supplies one direct-drive engine.
The Verdict
The Tanzer 27 is a modest, well-balanced small cruiser that inherited a proven Paceship hull form and refined it under a recognized design name. Its deck-stepped mast and balsa-cored deck mark a thoughtful update to the PY 26 theme, and the fin-keel PHRF numbers put it squarely in the casual club-racing conversation without pretending to be a lead-mine racer. The shoal keel is a clear penalty on the racecourse but broadens gunkholing access.
Pros
- Continuation of the proven Paceship PY 26 with a redesigned interior and deck-stepped mast
- Solid fiberglass hull below the waterline with weight-saving balsa-cored deck
- Fin-keel PHRF band of 198 to 210 for the standard version
Cons
- Shoal-draft keel carries a meaningful PHRF penalty at 231
- Limited documented detail on interior layout beyond its difference from the PY 26
- Small fuel and water capacities constrain extended independent cruising
