The Vancouver 27 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Vancouver 27, an aft-cockpit cutter, was designed by Robert Harris and built in Canada, the USA and the UK.

A Vancouver 27 cutter moored in the River Yealm, Devon, UK

Published Specification for the Vancouver 27

Hull Type: Long keel with transom-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 27' 0" / 8.2m

Waterline Length: 22' 11" / 7.0m

Beam: 8' 8" / 2.6m

Draft: 4' 4" / 1.3m

Rig Type: Cutter

Displacement: 8,960lb / 4,064kg

Designer: Robert Harris

Builder: Pheon Yachts Ltd (UK), Northshore Yachts Ltd (UK) and Philbrook's Boatyard (Canada)

Year First Built: 1973

Number Built: More than 250

Owners Association: Vancouver Yachts Association

Published Design Ratios for the Vancouver 27

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 14.2

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 38.7

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 332

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 33.2

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.7

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Vancouver 27

'How to Avoid Buying the Wrong Sailboat', an eBook by Dick McClary

Download this eBook to make sure you buy wisely!

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 14.2 suggests that she'll need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 38.7 means that unless the bulk of the ballast is concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her keel, she'll have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and she'll need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 332, tells us she's clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline. Not an ideal choice for coastal sailing, but she'll come into her own on an offshore passage in testing conditions.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 33.2 suggests that crew comfort in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. Her Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.7 tells us that she would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.