Design and Construction
Watkins offered the 27 with a centerboard/stub keel, a shoal fixed keel, or a deep fixed keel, though of the 514 built nearly all carry the shoal fixed keel anchor. The popular shoal draft measures 3 feet 8 inches, with 3,500 pounds of ballast in a total displacement of 7,500 pounds; the centerboard version draws just 3 feet with the board up and 7 feet down. The long fin keel is encapsulated lead, and the rudder hangs from a partial skeg. Fiberglass work used woven roving and mat, while the deck and hatches were reinforced with encapsulated plywood. Early boats through 1978 used a shoebox hull-to-deck joint that was prone to leaking, but post-1979 boats adopted an outward flange for a more secure union.
Rig and Handling
The W27 is a masthead sloop with double inboard lower shrouds and a mainsheet led to the end of the boom anchor. Stainless steel bow and stern pulpits are joined by single lifelines. Underwater, the displacement/length waterline ratio of 252 and a sail area/displacement ratio of 14.8 place her in the moderate-displacement family cruiser band, and most fleets rate her at a PHRF of 234 seconds per mile. The 10-foot beam gives her a steady, roomy platform without the extremes of a racing hull.
Accommodations
The 10-foot beam yields a wide saloon, and Watkins fitted long settees wide enough to serve as berths anchor. Because the saloon is so broad, the boat really needs overhead grab rails for safe movement offshore. The foredeck is quite wide but has no anchor locker, and the cockpit is roomy yet rather shallow—comfortable for lounging, less protective in a seaway. The Mk II’s all-opening portlights and new interior addressed ventilation and livability in the later generation.
Known Issues
The one clear weak point on early hulls is the leaky shoebox joint used before 1979. Buyers and owners of early hulls should expect to inspect that seam carefully. Later outward-flange boats avoided the weakness by construction change rather than by repair.
Refits and Ownership
Power came from a variety of Yanmar diesels rated at 8, 12, or 22 horsepower, with a few boats fitted with gas inboards or outboards anchor. The pilothouse W27P remains a rare 1981 sub-model for those seeking shelter at the helm. The Mk II upgrades—outward flange, new keel, opening ports, revised interior—mark the most consequential factory refit line and are worth seeking out on the used market.
The Verdict
The Watkins 27 is a thoughtfully built small cruiser that punched above its price against better-known contemporaries. Scott’s hull, paired with Watkins’ solid glass and plywood-reinforced decks, makes for a durable weekender, while the broad beam delivers uncommon cabin volume for 27 feet. The shoal keel dominates the fleet and suits gunkholing, though the early shoebox joint is the one clear weak point to survey.
Pros
- Better hardware and construction than the Catalina 27 at the same price point
- Encapsulated lead keel and partial-skeg rudder for straightforward underwater gear
- Wide saloon with berth-length settees and (post-1979) outward-flange deck joint
- Rare pilothouse variant and well-documented Mk II improvements
Cons
- Pre-1979 shoebox hull-to-deck joint prone to leaking
- No anchor locker on a wide foredeck
- Shallow cockpit offers limited crew protection
