Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the boat was offered in home-completed form as well as finished, which means the quality of any individual example can vary widely from one hull to the next the boat has also been sold to be home-completed. Colvic Craft built the hulls and decks in fiberglass, and the available keel options are both fin configurations cast in lead. One fin-keel version draws about 1.52 to 1.62 meters depending on load, letting the boat into most marinas, while a shoaler fin keel draws only 1.19 to 1.29 meters and can reach even shallow harbours. The spade rudder and fin-keel arrangement, paired with a ballast ratio near 40 percent and a displacement-length ratio of 211, mark her as a moderate-racer rather than a heavy cruiser.
Rig and Handling
The UFO 27 is built with a masthead rig and is noted as slightly overrigged for her size class, carrying more rig than 69 percent of comparable sailboats more rig than 69% of all similar sailboats. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 16.3 with the ISO reference sail and rises to 19.6 with a 135 percent genoa, while a Relative Speed Performance figure of 58 and a theoretical displacement-hull speed of 6.4 knots frame her as a lively coastal performer. The capsize screening value of 2.21 would exclude her from ocean-race acceptance, and her Motion Comfort Ratio of 16.9 with an immersion rate near 772 pounds per inch describe a stiff but motion-active hull. Standing and running rig dimensions are thoroughly specified, 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
Below, the UFO 27 is equipped with one cabin and a 2+2 berth arrangement, a 100-liter fresh-water capacity, and a toilet facility. The single-cabin layout with settee berths plus two additional berths suits short-handed coastal cruising more than extended liveaboard use, and the 40-liter fuel tank supports the auxiliary rather than long-range motoring.
Power and Equipment
The boat was offered with different engine alternatives, and one documented option is an inboard Volvo Penta MD7A diesel developing 14 horsepower through a saildrive transmission. With that engine she cruises at 5.0 knots and reaches a maximum of 7.0 knots, exceeding her theoretical displacement speed under power. The combination of a compact diesel saildrive and modest tankage reinforces her profile as a trailer-sailable or marina-based racer-cruiser rather than a passage-maker.
The Verdict
The UFO 27 is a purpose-built 1970s Holman & Pye design that prioritizes light-displacement performance and shoal drafting versatility over offshore capability or interior volume. Her lead fin keels, overrigged masthead plan, and Colvic fiberglass molding make her a practical club racer and weekend coastal cruiser, but the home-completion option means a buyer must assess each hull on its own merits.
Pros
- Two lead fin-keel drafts widen marina access, including very shallow harbours
- Slightly overrigged masthead layout with strong relative speed performance for her length
- Sold as home-completed or finished, allowing varied budget entry into the class
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.21 excludes her from ocean racing
- Home-completed hulls may show inconsistent build quality
- Single cabin with 2+2 berths limits accommodation for more than a short-handed crew
