Leisure 27
Designed by Frank Pryor and launched in 1977, the Leisure 27 provided over 6 ft headroom throughout and with a beam of 9 ft 2 in, offered outstanding accommodation for a 27 footer.
Around 120 Leisure 27s were built and proved to be remarkably sturdy, sea going yachts.
Production ceased after four years when Cobramold ceased trading in 1980.
The hull is built in solid GRP, with foam ribs and stringers providing great strength and minimum maintenance. The deck is in balsa sandwich which maximises insulation.
There is a choice of either twin keels or a fin keel, with a moulded skeg and rudder.
Some owners complain of weather helm, but this can be solved by careful attention to the rig trim and early reefing of the main sail when beating to windward.
Off the wind, under just a large genoa, the L27 can be sailed under finger tip control.
Two deck mounted halyard winches, two-speed sheet winches and cleats are standard fittings.
All standing rigging is 6 mm stainless steel wire, shroud chain plates are anchored to internal steel brackets through bolted and bonded to the hull.
Halyards are internal to the mast and rundirect via deck mounted turning blocks to winches and cleats.
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Black anodised aluminium toerails, incorporating four fairleads run from stem to stern.
A combined stemhead roller and fairlead is fitted. A 25lb CQR anchor is standard, stowed in an anchor well with a two piece hinged hatch.
The non-slip moulded deck is clean and uncluttered with a flat foredeck for safe anchor handling.
Double lifelines run through stanchions from a butterfly shaped pulpit to the pushpit.
Teak handrails are fitted each side of the coach roof which is fitted with four ventilators for the main saloon, toilet and hanging locker.
Accommodation
This is where the L27 really impresses. High topsides give an immense amount of room below with full 6 ft 1 ½ in headroom throughout, making this a really dry boat but without creating excess windage.
Down below the cabins are fitted out in teak veneers and quality furnishings.
Double lined throughout to eliminate condensation, the interior has long tinted windows which make thesaloon light and airy by day.
The usual arrangement is a dinette which will seat five people in comfort with four more on the berth opposite.
A separate toilet compartment and hanging locker are fitted between the main saloon and fore cabin.
A full galley is fitted with cooker, sink andicebox. Seawater and freshwater pumps are standard.
The companion way steps are easily removed to give good access to the engine.
The standard engine was a 7.5 hp Volvo diesel Saildrive unit, though many boats were fitted with the larger twin cylinder 13 hp engine. The original 7.5 hp diesel was never powerful enough.
A twin battery installation is standard.
Tiller steering is standard but some L27s were fitted with wheel steering.
Specification
Length Overall 8.23 m 27 ft
Length Waterline 6.70 m 22 ft
Beam 2.81 m 9 ft 2ins
Headroom 1.87 m 6 ft1 ½ in
Draft
Fin 1.49 m 4 ft 11 in
Twin 1.19 m 4 ft 11 in
Displacement 2.8tonnes 2 ¾ tons
Keel Mass 1527 kg 3360 lbs
Total 3068 kg 6750 lbs
Ballast Ratio49.77%
Mast
Standard 9.9 m 3 2 ft 6 in
Lake Rig 10.6 m 35 ft
Mainsail 11.91 sqm 128 sqft
No.1 Jib 12.73 sqm 137 sqft
No.1 Storm Jib 5.39 sqm 58 sqft
No.1 Genoa 25.1 sqm 270 sqft
No.2 Genoa 20.8 sqm 224 sqft
Spinnaker 57 sqm 617 sqft
Performance
For cruising boats, The RYA has updated the Portsmouth Yardstick scheme with the National Handicap for Cruisers (NHC). More up to date information may be obtainable from the RYA NHC site and the Byron web site.
The only racing handicap information we have are Portsmouth Yardstick (PY), Secondary Yardstick (SY), various Recorded Numbers (RN) and Club Numbers (CN) as shown below.
Keel Engine Propeller Number (Year/Source)
Twin Inboard 2 Blade CN1170 (1999) CN1164 (1996) RN1230 (1988)
Twin Inboard Folding CN1160 (1999) CN1127 (Byron)
L27-Brochure.pdf