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Tartan 27 Yawl
Designer: Sparkman & Stephens  ·  Builder: Tartan Marine  ·  First built: 1961
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About the Tartan 27 Yawl

Built during Tartan's early years as a respected American sailboat manufacturer, this 27-foot yawl represents classic coastal cruising design from an era when split rigs were more common among recreational sailors. The yawl configuration, with its distinctive mizzen mast aft of the rudder post, offers versatile sail handling options that made these boats particularly appealing to couples and small crews seeking manageable performance. Tartan's reputation for solid construction and attention to detail carried through to this model, delivering the kind of robust build quality that has kept many of these boats sailing decades after their launch. The yawl rig provides excellent balance and the ability to reduce sail area progressively in building conditions, making it well-suited for coastal cruising and weekend adventures. While detailed specifications remain limited, the 27-foot length places this boat in the sweet spot for trailerable coastal cruising, offering enough interior space for comfortable short-term cruising while remaining manageable for a small crew. The traditional yawl configuration appeals to sailors who appreciate classic sailing characteristics and the tactical advantages of a split rig for both cruising and informal racing scenarios.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 27.00 ft / 8.23 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 21.42 ft / 6.53 m
Beam 8.58 ft / 2.62 m
Max Draft 6.33 ft / 1.93 m
Min Draft 3.17 ft / 0.97 m
Displacement 7,400.00 lb / 3,357 kg
Ballast 2,400.00 lb / 1,089 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 393.00 ft² / 36.51 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Keel/Cbrd.
Rigging Type Masthead Yawl
Construction FG
Designer Sparkman & Stephens
Builder Tartan Marine
First Built 1961
Last Built 1980
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Performance Ratios
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
16.61
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
28.27
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
1.76
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. 6.2
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
1.36
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. 656.68
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 33.5
J (Foretriangle Base) 9.83
P (Mainsail Luff) 29.5
E (Mainsail Foot) 13.0
SA Fore 164.65
SA Main 191.75
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