C&C 27
C&C Yachts
- Production years
- 1970–1982
- Total built
- 975
- Designer
- Robert W. (Rob) Ball / C&C Design
Dimensions & rating
- LOA
- 27' 11"
- Beam
- 9' 2"
- PHRF
- 183 (174–205)↗
- Displacement
- 5,500 lb
The quick verdict
Fast, classic 1970s C&C that is cheap to buy. Survey the balsa deck, chainplate/bulkhead area, rudder and engine. Later Mk III/IV sail better, and the Mk V is a different boat.
Swift, light and rigid; Handsome lines; Affordable cruiser-racer; Active class association; Standing headroom for most
Balsa deck core vulnerability; Poor ventilation; Narrow dinette double; Narrow cockpit footwell with wheel steering; Needs strong cradle; keel can't support hull ashore; Balsa deck core rot around stanchion bases and deck hardware; Bulkheads not tabbed to deck; cracking at chainplates; Weak pulpit/stanchion bases lacking backing plates; Original Mk I rudder can take on water and split in freeze; Aging Atomic 4 engine and fuel system; Poor ventilation
Should I buy this boat? →
Find out whether this design suits your sailing plans with The Boat Picker.
Standardized sailing characteristics
Speed
PHRF 183
Lower PHRF means a faster racing handicap. Published configurations: 174–205. Rig, keel, and region affect ratings.
Reference source ↗Comfort at Sea
18.22
Raw Brewer Motion Comfort Ratio, a comparison of design motion at sea. It does not rate cabin space or guarantee comfort.
Measurements
Figures here are for the Mk III. Rig and sail-area figures are published for the Mk I only.
Rig diagram & sailing measurements
| SA/D · SAIL AREA TO DISPLACEMENT | 19.10 Below 16 is considered conservative sail power, 16–20 moderate sail power, and above 20 high sail power. |
|---|---|
| D/L · DISPLACEMENT TO LENGTH | 205 |
| S-NUMBER | 2.88 Calculated from SA/D and D/L (Brewer) |
| CSF | 2.08 Above 2.0: generally does not meet the traditional offshore screening guideline (not a seaworthiness rating). |
| Waterline length | 22' 11" |
| Ballast | 2,116 lb |
| Advertised sail area | 372 ft²↗ |
Construction & Equipment
Production history
Number built: 975
Mk I
1970–1972
- Original C&C 27: 27 ft 4 in LOA, 4 ft 3 in draft, 2,512 lb of ballast, with a single upper and single lower shroud.
- Mainsail traveller sat aft in the cockpit. Tiller steering and an Atomic 4 gas engine were standard.
- A taller rig (2 ft taller mast, 'Mark I TM') was also offered.
- Published figures: displacement 5,180 lb, sail area 344 sq ft.
- Published figures: length overall 27.33 ft, waterline 21 ft, beam 9.17 ft, draft 4.25 ft, ballast 2,512 lb.
- Sources disagree: Waterline: owners' association says 21 ft 0 in; sailboatdata.com says 22.17 ft. The association figure is used.
- Sources disagree: PHRF: PHRF-NE lists 207 for the 27-1; Wikipedia gives an average of 195 and Practical Sailor about 200.
- Sources disagree: Last Mk I hull: the association's text says hull 215 but its table and other sources say 167.
Mk II
1972–1974
- Same hull and sail area as the Mk I, but the high-aspect rig is two feet taller.
- Standing rigging changed to one upper and two lower shrouds.
- Aft traveller, Atomic 4 engine and tiller steering were carried over from the Mk I.
- Displacement given as 5,500 lb against 5,180 lb for the Mk I; ballast stays 2,512 lb.
- Published figures: length overall 27.33 ft, waterline 21 ft, beam 9.17 ft, draft 4.25 ft, ballast 2,512 lb.
- Published figures: displacement 5,500 lb.
- Sources disagree: PHRF: PHRF-NE lists 201 for the 27-1 TM (which its variants sheet equates to the Mk II); Practical Sailor says about 195 and Wikipedia 192.
- Sources disagree: Hull numbers: the association's text says Mk II starts at hull 216, its table says 168, and sailboatdata.com says 168-452.
Mk III
1974–1981
- Cast from a new mould: LOA grew from 27 ft 4 in to 27 ft 10.5 in and waterline from 21 ft to 22 ft 10.5 in.
- Draft increased from 4 ft 3 in to 4 ft 6 in, and ballast fell from 2,512 lb to 2,116 lb.
- Taller rig with more sail area, and the traveller moved forward to a bridgedeck mount.
- Wheel steering became an option in 1975, and a Yanmar diesel became an option in 1978.
- Published figures: sail area 372 sq ft.
- Published figures: displacement 5,500 lb.
- Published figures: length overall 27.88 ft, waterline 22.88 ft, beam 9.17 ft, draft 4.5 ft, ballast 2,116 lb.
- Sources disagree: Draft: the association says 4 ft 6 in; sailboatdata.com gives 4.75 ft, sailboat.guide 4 ft 9 in, and the PHRF-NE sheet 4.46 ft. The association figure is used.
- Sources disagree: Displacement: sailboatdata.com and Wikipedia give 5,500 lb; Practical Sailor's review says it rose to 5,800 lb.
- Sources disagree: Sail area: sailboat.guide gives 372 sq ft total; sailboatdata.com lists a reported 344 sq ft.
Mk IV
1981–1982
- Same dimensions as the Mk III, but the forestay moved aft about four inches to make room for a bow roller.
- The shorter forestay base reduced J from 11.75 ft to 11.17 ft.
- Interior mostly cosmetic changes: teak replaced with off-white melamine trimmed in teak and dark-anodized aluminum.
- Auxiliary power became a Yanmar 2GM diesel.
- Published figures: length overall 27.88 ft, waterline 22.88 ft, beam 9.17 ft, draft 4.5 ft, ballast 2,116 lb.
- Sources disagree: Hull numbers: the association text says Mk IV ends at hull 984, its table says 979, and sailboatdata.com says 972.
- Sources disagree: Wikipedia credits the Mk IV with 56 boats built, while the association hull numbers imply about 65.
Full specifications
Every figure links to the page it came from. Anything not shown is not yet confirmed by a published source.
Identity
Builder
C&C Yachts cc27association.com ↗
Designer
George Cuthbertson cc27association.com ↗
Wikipedia lists Robert W. Ball as designer; the association page is the higher-authority source.
Lineage note
The Mark V is a different design (1984-1987, outboard rudder); Marks I-IV share one hull design. practical-sailor.com ↗
Another source gives The Mk V (1984-87) is a completely new boat, not a version of the Mk I-IV design.
First year built
Mk I: 1970 cc27association.com ↗
Association page gives hulls 1-215; the association constitution table gives hulls 1-167 and 'To 1972'.
Mk II: 1972 cc27association.com ↗
Mk III: 1974 cc27association.com ↗
Mk IV: 1981 cc27association.com ↗
Last year built
Mk I: 1972 cc27association.com ↗
Mk II: 1974 cc27association.com ↗
Mk III: 1981 cc27association.com ↗
Mk IV: 1982 cc27association.com ↗
Number built
975 en.wikipedia.org ↗
Association and Practical Sailor say 'nearly 1,000'. No per-version count is stated.
Country built
Canada practical-sailor.com ↗
Other builders / license builders
Trapper (England, 620-650 boats); Schiffswerft Korneuburg (Austria, number unknown) cc27association.com ↗
Korneuburg detail is on https://www.cc27association.com/evolution2.html.
Hull type
Monohull en.wikipedia.org ↗
Hull measurements
Length overall
Mk I, Mk II: 27.33 ft cc27association.com ↗
27 ft 4 in converted to feet.
Mk III, Mk IV: 27.88 ft cc27association.com ↗
27 ft 10.5 in converted to feet.
Waterline length
Mk I, Mk II: 21 ft cc27association.com ↗
Mk III, Mk IV: 22.88 ft cc27association.com ↗
22 ft 10.5 in converted to feet.
Beam (widest)
Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, Mk IV: 9.17 ft cc27association.com ↗
9 ft 2 in
Draft (standard keel)
Mk I, Mk II: 4.25 ft cc27association.com ↗
4 ft 3 in converted to feet.
Mk III, Mk IV: 4.5 ft cc27association.com ↗
4 ft 6 in converted to feet.
Air draft (clearance height)
Mark III: 41 ft cc27association.com ↗
An owner cites the original C&C Mark III brochure. This is the published mast height above water, not a measured clearance including masthead accessories.
Displacement (light / design)
Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, Mk IV: 5,500 lb cc27association.com ↗
Class rules list 5,500 lb for Marks I to IV
Ballast weight
Mk I, Mk II: 2,512 lb cc27association.com ↗
Mk III, Mk IV: 2,116 lb cc27association.com ↗
Ballast material
Trailerable
Yes cc27association.com ↗
Road transport on a suitable trailer is feasible, but owners indicate that launching and retrieving normally require a crane or travel lift. Not a conventional ramp-launchable trailer sailer.
Construction
Hull material
Fiberglass cc27association.com ↗
Hull cored below waterline
Hull cored above waterline
Hull core material
None (solid fiberglass) cc27association.com ↗
The class construction specifications describe a fiberglass hull. Practical Sailor separately confirms solid-glass hull construction and balsa-cored decks. Applies to the original Mark I-IV design.
Deck cored
Deck core material
Balsa cc27association.com ↗
Hull-to-deck joint
Bolted practical-sailor.com ↗
Another source gives Bolted with carriage bolts
Structural grid / pan liner
Molded fiberglass pan with cabin sole and berth foundations; it does not extend higher practical-sailor.com ↗
Keel type
Keel material
Keel attachment
Bolted practical-sailor.com ↗
Rudder type
Spade cc27association.com ↗
Partially balanced spade rudder for Marks I-IV.
Number of rudders
1 en.wikipedia.org ↗
Wikipedia says internally mounted; the association says partially balanced spade. Single rudder implied.
Steering type
Mk I, Mk II: Tiller cc27association.com ↗
Mk III: Wheel cc27association.com ↗
Wheel was an option; tiller was also available.
Fuel tank material
Mark I (1971): Mild steel cc27association.com ↗
Documented original tank in a 1971 Mark I. Tank materials changed during production.
Mark II (1974), Mark III (1975): Monel cc27association.com ↗
Owner confirms material from the original tank label on a 1974 Mark II.
Mark III (1979), Mark IV: Aluminum cc27association.com ↗
Reported by an owner of a 1979 Mark III.
Holding tank material
Mark II: Polypropylene cc27association.com ↗
Association member describes the molded holding tanks fitted outboard of the head in Mark II and Mark III boats. Another Mark II owner reports an original fabric bladder, so individual installations v
Rig and sails
Rig type
Sloop cc27association.com ↗
Another source gives Masthead sloop
Rig options offered
Mk II: Tall Rig (also called Mark IA), 35 ft rig height cc27association.com ↗
Number of masts
1 cc27association.com ↗
The class association identifies the original Mark I-IV boats as sloops, which have one mast. Mark V is a different design and is excluded.
Mast material
Aluminum cc27association.com ↗
Another source gives Aluminium (aluminum alloy extrusion with integral sail track)
Mast stepping
Deck-stepped cc27association.com ↗
Confirmed in a C&C 27 Association discussion by a Mark IV owner responding to a Mark I owner.
Sail area (base / working)
Mk I, Mk II: 343 sq ft cc27association.com ↗
Magazine text gives 348 sq. ft. before the 1974 change.
Mk III, Mk IV: 372 sq ft cc27association.com ↗
Rig dimension I (foretriangle height)
Mk I: 33 ft cc27association.com ↗
Mk II: 35 ft cc27association.com ↗
Mk III, Mk IV: 37 ft cc27association.com ↗
Rig dimension J (foretriangle base)
Mk I, Mk II, Mk III: 11.75 ft cc27association.com ↗
Maximum permitted J measurement from the sail specifications.
Mk IV: 11.17 ft cc27association.com ↗
Maximum permitted J measurement from the sail specifications.
Rig dimension P (mainsail luff)
Mk I: 28.5 ft cc27association.com ↗
Mk II: 29 ft cc27association.com ↗
Mk III, Mk IV: 31 ft cc27association.com ↗
Rig dimension E (mainsail foot)
Mk I: 10.5 ft cc27association.com ↗
Mk II: 9.5 ft cc27association.com ↗
Mk III, Mk IV: 10 ft cc27association.com ↗
Engine, propulsion, systems
Original engine make
Mk I, Mk II: Universal cc27association.com ↗
Gasoline engine. Practical Sailor notes an Atomic 4 was standard on early boats.
Mk III, Mk IV: Yanmar cc27association.com ↗
Original engine model
Mk I, Mk II: Atomic 4 cc27association.com ↗
Mk III: Single-cylinder diesel cc27association.com ↗
Mk IV: Two-cylinder diesel cc27association.com ↗
Wikipedia names this engine as Yanmar 2GM; the association page does not.
Fuel capacity
Mark III, Mark IV: 20 gal cc27association.com ↗
An owner identifies the 20-US-gallon cylindrical tank in a 1975 Mark III. Later Mark III owners also report approximately 76-litre tanks.
Fresh water capacity
Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, Mk IV: 26 gal cc27association.com ↗
The association's design rules give 26 gal for Marks I-IV. Other references list 24 gal for the Mk III.
Holding tank capacity
Mark III, Mark IV: 13 gal cc27association.com ↗
An association member quotes the original C&C brochure for a late-model Mark III. The litre figure in that quoted brochure description is not an exact conversion of 13 US gallons.
Accommodation
Berths (total)
4 practical-sailor.com ↗
Magazine figure.
Heads (count, enclosed or not)
Headroom (saloon)
5.83 ft practical-sailor.com ↗
Magazine gives a range of 5 ft 10 in to 6 ft 2 in; the low end is shown.
Practical ownership
Known issues (sourced to magazines / associations)
Bulkheads not tabbed to deck; chainplate and bulkhead rot risk; deck delamination around hardware; thin portlight lenses practical-sailor.com ↗
Sourced to Practical Sailor.
Strengths (sourced)
Simple systems, easy to maintain; fair value; good upwind and off-the-wind performance practical-sailor.com ↗
Another source gives Smart handling and a good turn of speed; simple systems that are easy to maintain
Owners' association link
Https://www.cc27association.com/ cc27association.com ↗
Surveys and Market Value
No surveys have been contributed for this boat yet.
When owners contribute surveys, we plan to share anonymized recurring issues and used-boat value ranges, helping future buyers know what to inspect and what similar boats are worth. Survey uploads are coming soon.
Coming soon
Your privacy matters.
We plan to remove names, contact details, precise locations and vessel identifiers before sharing aggregated findings and value ranges. Individual survey documents will not be published.
Community contributions
Sign in
Comments
No comments yet.