The design combines moderate-racer proportions with the practical choices of a coastal racer-cruiser rather than a bluewater cruiser. It was also available in home-completed form, so the quality of individual boats can vary widely.
Design and Construction
The UFO 27 measures 27 feet overall, with a waterline length of 22.67 feet and a beam of just under 9.83 feet. Displacement is 5,358 pounds, including 2,640 pounds of lead ballast, and sail area is a modest 450 square feet.
Both the hull and deck are solid fiberglass. Colvic Craft molded the hulls and decks, and boats were offered either finished or to be home-completed. As a result, construction and finish can vary considerably from one example to the next.
Both available keel options are lead fin keels. One version draws about 1.52 to 1.62 meters, depending on load, which allows access to most marinas. A shoaler fin keel draws only 1.19 to 1.29 meters and can reach even shallow harbours.
The fin-keel and spade-rudder configuration, ballast ratio near 40 percent, and displacement-length ratio of 211 place the UFO 27 in the moderate-racer category rather than among heavy or bluewater cruisers.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The UFO 27 has a masthead rig and is considered slightly overrigged for her size, with more rig than 69% of all similar sailboats. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 16.3 using the ISO reference sail and rises to 19.6 with a 135 percent genoa.
A Relative Speed Performance figure of 58 and a theoretical displacement-hull speed of 6.4 knots describe a lively coastal performer. The capsize screening value is 2.21, which would exclude her from ocean-race acceptance. Her Motion Comfort Ratio of 16.9 and immersion rate of about 772 pounds per inch indicate a stiff but motion-active hull.
Standing and running rigging dimensions are thoroughly specified. They range from a 24.6-meter mainsail halyard at 8 mm to a 20.6-meter mainsheet at 10 mm, confirming a conventional masthead control layout.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below, the UFO 27 has one cabin and a 2+2 berth arrangement, comprising settee berths and two additional berths. This layout is better suited to short-handed coastal cruising than extended liveaboard use.
The boat also includes a toilet facility, a 100-liter fresh-water capacity, and a 40-liter fuel tank. That modest fuel capacity supports auxiliary use rather than long-range motoring.
Engine and Equipment
The UFO 27 was offered with several engine alternatives. One documented option is an inboard Volvo Penta MD7A diesel producing 14 horsepower through a saildrive transmission.
With that engine, the boat cruises at 5.0 knots and reaches a maximum of 7.0 knots, exceeding her theoretical displacement speed under power. The compact diesel saildrive and modest tankage reinforce her role as a trailer-sailable or marina-based racer-cruiser rather than a passage-maker.
Verdict
The UFO 27 is a purpose-built 1970s Holman & Pye design that favors light-displacement performance and a choice of shoal-draft configurations over offshore capability or interior volume. Her lead fin keels, slightly overrigged masthead sail plan, and Colvic fiberglass molding make her a practical club racer and weekend coastal cruiser. Because boats were available for home completion, however, buyers need to assess each example on its own merits.
Pros
- Two lead fin-keel drafts broaden marina access, including access to very shallow harbours
- Slightly overrigged masthead layout with strong relative speed performance for her length
- Offered finished or for home completion, allowing varied budget entry into the class
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.21 excludes her from ocean racing
- Home-completed boats may have inconsistent build quality
- One cabin and a 2+2 berth layout limit accommodation for more than a short-handed crew
