Back to Search
Santa Cruz 27
Designer: Bill Lee  ·  Builder: Santa Cruz Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1974
+ Add to Compare
About the Santa Cruz 27

Bill Lee's Santa Cruz 27 represents a pivotal moment in sailing design when the California builder was revolutionizing yacht racing in the 1970s. Built from 1974 with only 134 hulls produced, this masthead sloop showcases Lee's philosophy of light displacement and efficient hull forms that made Santa Cruz Yachts legendary. With a displacement of just 3,000 pounds and 1,500 pounds of ballast, the SC27 delivers impressive performance characteristics. The fin keel with spade rudder configuration provides responsive handling, while the generous sail area of 301 square feet generates plenty of power. These proportions create a sail area to displacement ratio of 23.21, indicating strong light-air performance and spirited sailing in moderate conditions. The boat's 27-foot length overall with an 8-foot beam creates a sleek profile typical of Lee's racing-influenced designs. While the low comfort ratio of 11.64 reflects the performance-oriented nature rather than cruising luxury, the capsize screening value of 2.22 suggests reasonable stability for coastal sailing and club racing. This design appeals to sailors seeking a responsive daysailer or weekend cruiser that prioritizes sailing performance over interior volume, making it ideal for coastal waters and competitive racing scenarios.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 27.00 ft / 8.23 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 24.08 ft / 7.34 m
Beam 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Max Draft 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Displacement 3,000.00 lb / 1,361 kg
Ballast 1,500.00 lb / 680 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 301.00 ft² / 27.96 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Bill Lee
Builder Santa Cruz Yachts (USA)
First Built 1974
Number Built 134
Associations Santa Cruz 27 Class
Related Sailboats J/27 · C&C 27 · Cs 27 · Hotfoot 27 · Cascade 27
Owner Reviews

No owner reviews yet — be the first to share your experience with this boat.

Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 144
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 23.21
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 50
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 95.92
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 11.64
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.22
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.58 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 5.32
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 688.32 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 23.2
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 32.70 ft / 9.97 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 10.90 ft / 3.32 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 28.20 ft / 8.60 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 8.70 ft / 2.65 m
SA Fore 178.22 ft² / 16.56 m²
SA Main 122.67 ft² / 11.40 m²
SA Total (100%) 300.89 ft² / 27.95 m²
Est. Forestay Length 34.47 ft / 10.51 m
How It Compares

vs. C&C 27, Cascade 27, Cs 27, Hotfoot 27, J/27

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Santa Cruz 27 ★
27.0 ft
C&C 27
27.0 ft
Cascade 27
27.0 ft
Cs 27
27.0 ft
Hotfoot 27
27.0 ft
J/27
27.0 ft
LWL
Santa Cruz 27 ★
24.1 ft
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
21.5 ft
Cs 27
23.9 ft
Hotfoot 27
22.0 ft
J/27
22.0 ft
Beam
Santa Cruz 27 ★
8.0 ft
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
8.8 ft
Cs 27
9.3 ft
Hotfoot 27
9.3 ft
J/27
9.8 ft
Displacement
Santa Cruz 27 ★
3 lbs
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
6 lbs
Cs 27
6 lbs
Hotfoot 27
3 lbs
J/27
4 lbs
Ballast
Santa Cruz 27 ★
1 lbs
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
2 lbs
Cs 27
2 lbs
Hotfoot 27
1 lbs
J/27
1 lbs
Sail Area
Santa Cruz 27 ★
301 sq ft
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
348 sq ft
Cs 27
453 sq ft
Hotfoot 27
347 sq ft
J/27
338 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Santa Cruz 27 ★
144 s/nm
C&C 27
186 s/nm
Cascade 27
215 s/nm
Cs 27
204 s/nm
Hotfoot 27
150 s/nm
J/27
126 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Santa Cruz 27 ★
23.2
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
16.2
Cs 27
21.8
Hotfoot 27
23.7
J/27
22.0
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Santa Cruz 27 ★
50.0 %
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
35.6 %
Cs 27
—
Hotfoot 27
—
J/27
40.0 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Santa Cruz 27 ★
11.6
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
23.5
Cs 27
19.4
Hotfoot 27
12.1
J/27
19.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Santa Cruz 27 ★
2.22
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
1.91
Cs 27
2.05
Hotfoot 27
2.44
J/27
1.79
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Santa Cruz 27 ★
95
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
287
Cs 27
—
Hotfoot 27
—
J/27
84
Hull Speed
Santa Cruz 27 ★
6.6 kts
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
6.2 kts
Cs 27
6.6 kts
Hotfoot 27
6.3 kts
J/27
7.0 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Santa Cruz 27 ★
5.3
C&C 27
—
Cascade 27
1.8
Cs 27
2.6
Hotfoot 27
4.2
J/27
—
Find a Santa Cruz 27 For Sale
Y YachtWorld Brokerage listings S Sailboat Listings Sailboats only C Craigslist National search F Facebook Marketplace Local listings B boats.com Global marketplace