Design and Construction
The Witus 27 has a single-laminate fiberglass hull without a core. An externally mounted iron keel is bolted to the long-keel hull, and the boat has a transom-hung rudder.
The iron ballast is quoted at 2,205 pounds (1,000 kg), giving a ballast-to-displacement ratio of nearly 37 percent. With a displacement of 5,952 pounds and a beam of 8.2 feet, she’s narrow and heavy for her length. Her 21.33-foot waterline and 3.94-foot draft reflect a traditional full-length keel profile rather than a fin-and-bulb arrangement.
Motala Boatyard built the Witus 27 in Sweden during the 1970s; the original account also describes production as being by Motala Varv during that decade.
Rig and Handling
The Witus 27 carries a fractional 7/8 sloop rig, with the mast stepped on deck. Reported sail area is about 309 square feet (28.7 m²), and listed hull speed is 6.19 knots.
Her long keel and transom-hung rudder suggest the steering and tracking behavior of a traditional Scandinavian cruiser: predictable and directionally stable rather than quick to spin.
Auxiliary power comes from a 10-horsepower diesel, identified by the Swedish source as either a Volvo Penta MD6A or a Yanmar. That’s enough for harbor work and light motoring to windward, rather than sustained progress under power against a sea.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below, the interior is finished in mahogany. Cabin height is about 1.78 meters (5.9 feet) on the centerline. The result reflects the Scandinavian interior standards of the period: compact, wooden, and functional.
Water capacity is 11 US gallons (40 liters), while fuel capacity is 17 gallons (65 liters). Those modest capacities suit a simple weekend or coastal-cruising layout more than long-range liveaboard use.
Known Issues and Maintenance
The externally mounted iron keel is the most obvious area where age and moisture could affect the fasteners and hull-to-keel joint.
Given the boat’s 1970s vintage, a buyer or owner should also expect typical age-related maintenance. That includes inspecting the keel bolts, rudder stock, and transom hardware, as well as refreshing the usual systems associated with a half-century-old diesel and electrical plant.
No professional inspection of the design has been completed, so each hull should be surveyed on its own merits.
Ownership and Class Support
With only 46 boats built, the Witus 27 is a rare class. Owners in Sweden, including named individuals, have expressed interest in contacting other owners—a sign of the small, close community around the type.
The Verdict
The Witus 27 is a small, traditional, limited-production Swedish cruiser with straightforward solid-fiberglass construction and a long-keel pedigree. She isn’t a modern performance boat. For a sailor looking for a simple, narrow coastal sloop with mahogany joinery and modest dimensions, however, she’s a coherent design.
Pros
- Traditional long-keel hull with a transom-hung rudder
- Solid-fiberglass, single-laminate construction
- Mahogany interior with 5.9-foot headroom
- Fractional 7/8 rig, deck-stepped mast, and about 309 square feet of sail area
- Only 46 built, with a small, community-minded class
Cons
- No completed professional class inspection on record
- Externally mounted iron keel requires careful inspection of its fasteners and hull joint
- Modest 10-horsepower diesel and 17-gallon fuel capacity limit motoring range
