Watkins 27 P Buyer's Guide
The Watkins 27P is a pilothouse variant of the Watkins 27, with all seven examples completed by Watkins Yachts in a single 1981 production run. As a one-off custom concept that reached a tiny series, it is a scarce boat on the used market, and any purchase is effectively a custom-hull transaction with few sisters to compare against.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 27P shares the same Walter Scott layout: a pilothouse over the former 27 deck, sleeping five on a bow V-berth, main settee, and double quarter berth. The enclosed head is to port aft of the forward cabin, and the starboard aft galley carries an icebox and a gimbaled two-burner stove. Six opening ports and 74 inches of main cabin headroom define the enclosed volume; there is no alternate layout to choose from, only condition and owner-added equipment.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The as-built boat carries a Japanese Yanmar 15 hp diesel on a 20-gallon tank and 40 gallons of water, with a two-burner gimbaled stove as the original galley heat. On the used market, power and energy upgrades such as house-battery banks and charging additions matter most for livability, since the standard engine is modest. Canvas and sail-handling changes around the raised boom and pilothouse are the most consequential rig modifications, given the adjusted masthead sloop sailplan. Navigation gear and comfort additions vary by owner, but the boat’s small run means most changes are individual rather than a known refit pattern.
What to Inspect
The plywood coring in the cabin roof, deck, seats, and cockpit sole is the structural area to probe for softness or delamination, since those panels were cored for stiffness. Confirm the teak veneer cabinets and teak parquet sole for rot or previous repairs, as all woodwork is teak and the cabin sole is a parquet design. Verify the pilothouse moulding integrity, since the prototype was used to create the production pilothouse mould and any deviation shows in fit.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The boat’s entire production was seven hulls from Clearwater, Florida. For a shopper, the checklist is short and specific:
- Confirm the seven-built, 1981-only provenance and active Watkins Owners club support
- Survey the plywood-cored deck and cabin roof for moisture
- Check teak veneer cabinets and parquet sole for repair history
- Verify pilothouse mould match and raised-boom clearance
- Inspect the 15 hp diesel and 20/40-gallon tank condition