The Varne 27 Sailboat

The Varne 27, designed by Duncan Stewart and built in the UK by Varne Marine Ltd is a good performer under sail.

A masthead-rigged Varne 27 close hauled in light conditions.

One owner says:

"The Varne 27 is an old school classic in the mould of the Nicholsons, Contessas and Rustlers of her day. She is fast and formidable in a good blow while remaining impeccably mannered. Her motion at sea is supremely smooth, as you'd expect from a deep-veed hull with long overhangs, and she is built to withstand a storm at sea with little consequence"

Published Specification for the Varne 27

Hull Type: Fin keel & skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (fibreglass)

Length Overall: 27' 9" / 8.5m

Waterline Length: 21' 0" / 6.4m

Beam: 9' 0" / 2.74m

Draft: 4' 3" / 1.3m

Rig Type: Masthead Sloop

Displacement: 6,200lb / 2,812kg

Designer: Duncan Stuart

Builder: Varne Marine Ltd (UK)

Year First Built: 1974

Year Last Built: ?

Number Built: 70

Owners Association: Varne Owners Association

Many thanks to Phil Eccleston for submitting this photograph of his yacht.

Published Design Ratios for the Varne 27

Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 16.4

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

Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 41.9

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

Displacement/Length Ratio: 299

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

Comfort Ratio: 22.3

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

Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

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

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Summary Analysis of Published Design Ratios for the Varne 27

She's a reasonably good performer under sail;
She's stiffer than most other vessels in her class;
She's in the heavy displacement category;
Crew comfort in a seaway is commensurate with that of a coastal cruiser;
She's less suited for ocean passages than most other similar vessels in her class.