Design and Construction
The 27P began as a custom boat based on the existing Watkins 27 hull and deck. Watkins then used the prototype to create a mould for the pilothouse and put the design into series production to compete with Morgan Yachts and Pearson Yachts.
The hull and deck are fiberglass built with polyester resin. Plywood coring stiffens the cabin roof, deck, seats, and cockpit sole. The interior has teak trim throughout: the bulkheads, cabin accents, and cabinets are teak veneer over plywood, and the cabin sole is teak parquet.
The boat displaces 7,500 pounds, including 3,500 pounds of internal iron ballast. Its shoal-draft fin keel draws 3.67 feet. A skeg-mounted rudder works with wheel steering, while the hull has a raked stem and vertical transom.
Rig and Handling
In revising the Watkins 27 into the 27P, Scott shortened the mast and raised the boom to clear the new pilothouse. He adjusted the sailplan accordingly while retaining a masthead sloop rig on 6061-T6 aluminum spars. Sail area is 272 square feet.
The boat measures 27 feet overall, with a waterline length of 23.25 feet and a beam of 10 feet. Its hull speed is 6.46 knots. The shoal keel and skeg-hung rudder suit sheltered cruising grounds where limited draft matters more than performance.
Accommodations
The pilothouse is the main departure from the Watkins 27. Below, the 27P sleeps five in a bow V-berth, a main-cabin settee berth, and a double quarter berth.
The fully enclosed head is to port, aft of the forward cabin. Opposite, the galley sits aft to starboard and includes an icebox and a gimbaled two-burner alcohol or gas stove. Six opening ports ventilate the interior, and the main cabin has 74 inches of headroom. Teak throughout gives the compact interior a warm, consistent finish rather than a mix of materials.
Ownership and Class Support
Watkins built only seven 27Ps, all in a single batch in 1981. Four were reported still in existence by 2008. An active class club, the Watkins Owners, gives this tiny production run a continuing community and a place to find pilothouse-specific knowledge.
The Verdict
The Watkins 27P is an unusual, low-volume offshoot: a pilothouse version of a proven 27-foot hull, built in a single seven-boat run and now rarely seen. Its appeal lies in its sheltered helm and teak-lined interior, not in production numbers or resale depth.
Pros
- Pilothouse added to the established Watkins 27 hull for weather protection
- All-teak interior, with plywood coring to stiffen key structures
- Shallow 3.67-foot draft expands its gunkholing range
Cons
- Only seven were built, and four were known to survive by 2008, limiting spares and comparable sales
- Shortened mast and raised boom alter the parent boat’s sailplan
- Single-year production allowed no evolutionary improvements
