sabre 27 yacht review

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Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Coming of age: the 1970s yacht designs that have stood the test of time

• Rupert Holmes
• February 14, 2020

Sailing in the 1970s was characterised by innovation, enthusiasm, mass participation and home boatbuilding. Rupert Holmes reports

The 1970s saw further rapid advances in boat design, with new boats becoming quickly outclassed. It also coincided with a new rule for rating race boats, the International Offshore Rule (IOR).

This had an enormous effect on yacht design – many cruising yachts also sported the narrow, pinched sterns of the era.

IOR severely penalised righting moment, so the bulb keels that had started to gain in popularity in the late 1960s disappeared. Instead, lightly ballasted keels , with their centre of gravity well above the mid point, became the norm.

In my view this set yacht design back by almost two decades. It also had important safety implications in terms of ultimate stability that helped contribute to the Fastnet race disaster at the end of the decade.

Nevertheless yachts became faster and were generally more robust, more reliable and more fun to sail.

For instance, the Macwester 27 of 1972 – a development of the earlier 26 – was one of the first yachts to benefit from tank testing to improve its hydrodynamic efficiency.

The result was significantly deeper bilge keels that were set at more efficient angles and a more effective rudder . This transformed speed and handling and, combined with a new interior, created a desirable yacht.

This was also the heyday of home boatbuilding .

Participation in boating continued to grow at a staggering rate, so the demand for craft far outstripped what the second-hand market could supply.

By contrast, today’s boat buyers reap the benefits of the huge number of boats that were built in the 1970s and now often change hands at very modest prices.

It’s often thought that sensible cruising yachts of this era were built exceptionally strongly.

Incidents today tend to be shared rapidly via social media, but 40 years ago it was easier to keep embarrassing events quiet.

Yet, there were numerous examples of problems, including a near new Westerly Pageant that sank on its tidal mooring in Chichester harbour when one of the keels parted company with the hull.

Similarly, all but a few Westerly GK29s , Fulmars and Konsorts had to have the reinforcement that spreads the keel loads in the bilge replaced with top-hat stringers in place of the original glass-over-plywood frames.

As with 1970s cars, the scale of some problems at this time should not be underestimated – large numbers of near-new boats had to be modified and Westerly was by no means the only manufacturer that suffered.

Fortunately for today’s buyers the appropriate repair procedures were well understood and have usually withstood the test of time well.

Designer profile: Olin Stephens America’s Cup hero and yacht designer Olin Stephens

With a career that started in the 1920s, Olin Stephens was one of the most successful and prolific designers of the 20th century.

In the early and mid-1970s he was still producing craft that excelled at every level in offshore racing and prestigious events including the Rolex Fastnet, Sydney Hobart and Whitbread Round the World races.

His designs also dominated the America’s Cup from its post-war revival in 1958 until 1980.

Stephens’ S&S 34 of 1969 had proved hugely successful, to the extent that former British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath owned one in which he won the Sydney Hobart Race.

The design was to continue to prove successful for many years, including winning a heavy weather Round Britain and Ireland Race in the 1990s, and successfully completing several non-stop circumnavigations via the Southern Ocean. It remains a sought after and very capable classic.

This was also the era of Nautor’s early Swan designs, all of which came from the Sparkman & Stephens office until after Olin’s retirement at the age of 70. The best known by far was the Swan 65, thanks to Sayula II taking overall victory in the first Whitbread and second, third and fifth places four years later. Newer S&S designs won the next two races.

The early part of the 1970s was still an era in which successful offshore racing yachts would also make first-class cruisers and many of these boats still ply the world’s oceans.

Tomahawk 25 – 1970

The Alan Hill-designed Tomahawk 25

Marcon grew to become a huge boatbuilder in the 1970s, having been founded with the launch of the Trident 24 in 1960. Other models, including the Cutlass 27 (1967) and Sabre 27 (1968) followed, heralding a period of rapid growth that at one stage saw the company moulding some 15 designs, including the entire Rival range.

As well as laminating bare hull and deck mouldings for other boatbuilders, Marcon also supplied a large number of boats for home completion. While some of these suffered from a clearly DIY level of fit out, a few were completed to an extremely high standard that would have been unaffordable on a commercial basis.

The Tomahawk is an Alan Hill design that was offered in bilge and fin keel formats, both with a skeg hung rudder. This was a spacious design for a boat of its size in this era, both on deck and below.

The cockpit extends almost to the transom, while below decks early boats had a linear galley to port, with a dinette that converted to a double berth opposite. Later models had a more traditional arrangement with two settee berths and a small galley aft. A full-width heads compartment separates the forecabin from the saloon.

LOA: 7.70m (25ft 4in) LWL: 6.10m (20ft 0in) Beam: 2.60m (8ft 6in) Draught (fin keel): 1.40m (4ft 8in) Draught (twin keel): 0.90m (3ft 0in) Displacement: 2,300kg (5,066lb) Ballast: 1,000kg (2,200lb) Price now: £2,500-£7,000 tomahawk25.co.uk

Laser – 1970

Lasers have been hugely popular – with owners ranging from occasional club racers to Olympians

Canadian Bruce Kirby visualised an entirely new type of boat when he first sketched the Laser , a design that was reputedly created on the back of an envelope. It was conceived as a simple car-toppable boat that would be fun to sail, rewarding to race and made use of recent advances in materials.

In some senses this is the ultimate minimal boat – a slender hull with low freeboard, single sail and vestigial cockpit. A key benefit is that, unlike other dinghies of its time, the boat doesn’t need tedious bailing after a capsize. It proved an outstanding success, fleets quickly sprang up around the world and more than 215,000 have now been sold.

For best performance in the standard format the boat needs a big sailor – someone over six feet tall and weighing at least 80kg. Smaller rigs , dubbed Radial and 4.7, were therefore developed for smaller and younger sailors. This further boosted the Laser’s popularity, even though the smaller sails are underpowered relative to the hull weight.

Seven years later the Topper was born of a similar concept, but is a smaller boat of a perfect size for teenagers. It was made of almost indestructible polypropylene and at one time was the biggest injection moulding in the world.

LOA: 4.20m (13ft 9in) LWL: 3.81m (12ft 6in) Beam: 1.39m (4ft 7in) Hull weight: 59kg (130lb) Standard sail area: 7.06m2 (76ft2) Price today: £600-£4,000 laser.org

Contessa 32 – 1971

David Sadler-designed Contessa 32 is still an extremely popular and sought-after yacht

This was the second design from David Sadler to be built by Lymington boat builder Jeremy Rogers, following the long keel Contessa 26 of 1966 . At the time it represented the state of the art, with a separate skeg-hung rudder, high-aspect mainsail and large overlapping genoas.

Low freeboard and narrow beam helped keep total weight in check and contribute to ultimate stability, at the expense of the boat being wet in a seaway and reduced internal volume. The keel-stepped masthead rig is typical of early IOR inspired sail plans, with small mainsails and large overlapping genoas.

Nevertheless the hull shape is excellent for thrashing to windward in a blow and the high angle of vanishing stability – an astonishing 156° – makes for a supremely seaworthy vessel. A Contessa 32 was the smallest boat to finish the 1979 Fastnet race and examples have been sailed all over the globe.

Other designs of the same era have similar shapes, from the Nicholson 55 and Swan 65 to the 22ft Pandora and even the 19ft Squib racing keelboat that evolved into the Hunter 19 and Europa mini cruisers.

LOA: 9.75m (32ft 0in) LWL: 7.31m (24ft 0in) Beam: 3.00m (9ft 10in) Draught: 1.65m (5ft 6in) Displacement: 4,300kg (9,480lb) Ballast: 2,045kg (4,508lb) Sail area: 52.2m2 (562ft2) Price today: £14,000-£40,000 co32.org

Moody 33 – 1973

Wide-bodied Moody 33 was a big leap forward in European yacht design

This this was the first model in a range of Angus Primrose-designed yachts that marked the famous yard’s move from low-volume semi-custom boat building to becoming one of Europe’s most successful new boat sales operations.

Although the original accommodation layout was quite conventional for a centre cockpit boat of the era, it represented a giant step forward in cruising yacht design on this side of the Atlantic.

In particular the wide-beamed hull design was unusual at this time and is even not narrow by today’s standards. The later 333 models adopted a walk through to the aft cabin, albeit with limited headroom, while the 33S had an aft cockpit arrangement with a double quarter cabin.

The boat’s sailing qualities also surprised many at the time of her launch, with her then long waterline length enabling faster passage times than many ostensibly more performance oriented designs of the same length. However, a moderate draught and that wide hull limit progress in light airs and when close-hauled.

LOA: 10.06m (33ft 0in) LWL: 8.69m (28ft 5in) Beam: 3.51m (11ft 5in) Draught: 1.35m (4ft 5in) Displacement: 4,773kg (10,500lb) Ballast: 1,730kg (3,815lb) Sail area: 42.0m2 (452sq ft) Price today: £14,000-£22,000 moodyowners.org

Continues below…

Sail boat rigs: the pros and cons of each popular design

Peter Poland looks at the history of popular rig designs and how the different types affect boat performance

Boat hull design: how it impacts performance

Peter Poland explains how boat hull design has evolved over the years and how it affects boat handling and accommodation

Keel types and how they affect performance

Peter Poland looks at the history of keel design and how the different types affect performance

Jeanneau Melody – 1974

The Melody’s interior layout set the new standard

As well as new hull shapes, builders were also experimenting with new accommodation arrangements. In 1970 Jeanneau had already set new standards in interior space with the 29ft 6in Folie Douce, partly thanks to the boat’s wide beam. Six years later this was updated with an extended coachroof and renamed the Brin de Folie.

However, it was the 34ft Melody that introduced the interior layout that within 10 years would be adopted by almost every other new yacht of this size right up to the present day – the double quarter cabin.

On the Melody this is a little cramped, as the stern sections are narrower than on later designs, but this trend-setting arrangement was immediately copied and improved upon.

Early designs with a quarter cabin were often seen to be lightweight and flighty, but the Melody is a very solid sea boat.

A hefty ballast ratio and deep draught combine to make this a very capable vessel, even in heavy weather, while a powerful rig ensures good progress even in light airs. Around 600 were built.

LOA: 10.25m (33ft 7in) LWL: 8.70m (28ft 6in) Beam: 3.38m (11ft 1in) Draught: 1.90m (6ft 3in) Displacement: 6,000kg (13,228lb) Ballast: 2,900kg (6,400kg) Sail area: 55.3m2 (596ft2) Price today: £12,000-£20,000 jeanneau-owners.com

Quarter Tonners – (1967-1996)

The David Thomas Bolero design

As the decade wore on the rise of the IOR rating rule for racing yachts had an enormous effect on yacht design. The smaller Quarter Ton level rating class gave designers great opportunities to experiment, which resulted in some weird and wonderful shapes including bumps and hollows intended to exploit loopholes in the rule. This test bed also produced some important advances in yacht design.

The rule changed regularly in an attempt to keep up with designers’ creativity, so boats quickly became outclassed. As a result a thriving industry sprang up to build new designs. The class also established the reputations of a slew of designers that are still well known today, including Ron Holland, Ed Dubois , Bruce Farr and Doug Peterson.

These boats were at the forefront of innovation, which was often driven by small companies working in less than ideal conditions. It’s a long time since anything on a similar scale has existed in the UK, although there are hints of it in Poland, which has a long maritime heritage and inexpensive industrial premises.

In the early 1970s Quarter Tonners still had narrow sterns and were short waterline displacement boats, but as the decade progressed transoms broadened, opening the way to surfing, or even planing performance downwind.

Until the mid-1970s designs like Westerly’s GK24, Ron Holland’s Eygthene 24 and the David Thomas-designed Bolero (pictured) also offered tenable accommodation and were often marketed as cruiser racers. However, by the end of the decade freeboard and coachroofs had both diminished in size, with stripped out interiors having minimal volume becoming the norm. After this point high-end racing yachts and performance cruisers continued to diverge.

LOA: 7.80m (25ft 7in) LWL :6.80m (22ft 4in) Beam: 2.50m (8ft 4in) Draught: 1.40m (4ft 8in) Displacement: 1,272kg (4,170lb) Price today: £3,000-£25,000 quartertonclass.org

The Drascombe story

The enduringly popular Drascombe Lugger (Alamy stock photo)

Those who preferred more leisurely sailing in smaller boats were also well catered for. Although the Drascombe Lugger pre-dates the 1970s, this was the decade in which the popularity of the designs took off and some 4,500 from 14-22ft have now been built across more than a dozen different models.

The original 18ft Lugger, built in wood by designer John Watkinson in 1965, was an undecked open daysailer with an easily handled loose footed yawl rig.

Watkinson took his first wooden production model to the 1968 London boat show, where it proved unexpectedly popular – he took an order within half an hour of the show opening, plus a further ten before the show ended.

That led to him licensing Honnor Marine to build the boats in fibreglass . When they exhibited the first boat in 1969 sales took off.

Large families loved the big cockpit that meant children could bring their friends sailing and there was heaps of space for picnics. The outboard engine is mounted well aft to keep noise as far away from the crew as possible.

Further designs soon followed, with the 22ft Longboat unveiled in 1970. Unlike the Lugger , this was also offered with a small two-berth cabin, giving additional flexibility.

Yet the boat weighs only 480kg, so it can be towed by a relatively small car, while the simple rig with short masts makes for quick and easy launching and recovery. A clear measure of the success of the concept is the Drascombes are one of a handful of designs from their era that are still in build today.

LOA: 5.72m (18ft 9in) Beam: 1.90m (6ft 3in) Displacement: 340kg (748lb) Sail area: 12.26m2 (132ft2) Price today: £2,500-£6,500 drascombe-association.org.uk

Sigma 33 – 1979

Sigma 33 design was influenced by the IOR

This David Thomas design was conceived as a fast one-design cruiser racer. It was an instant hit with the racing community and before long the class had a 70-strong fleet competing at Cowes Week.

Much had changed in design terms since the launch of the Contessa 32 eight years earlier. The Sigma has the feel of a larger yacht – a factor that’s also reflected in the accommodation volume. Thomas stayed with a traditional layout, but greater beam and higher freeboard dramatically increases the accommodation volume.

Under water the boat is a fundamentally different shape, with a shallower canoe body and broader transom, yet proportionately less wetted surface area.

The large balanced spade rudder improves control, especially in a quartering sea, while the increased form stability and broader aft sections markedly reduce rolling when sailing downwind.

Today, the Sigma 33 is seen as a moderate design by cruisers and heavy and sluggish among the racing community.

How did it score in the seaworthiness stakes?

The Sigma 33 doesn’t benefit from the Contessa 32’s high angle of vanishing stability (AVS), but it’s still well proven. The prototype lost a coachroof window in the 1979 Fastnet race storm, when the aperture widened as the structure distorted on a big wave. Nevertheless, it became one of the smallest boats to finish the race, albeit in very experienced hands. Subsequent boats have two separate windows, with structure between them, in place of the prototype’s long single window.

Even though the Sigma 33 was not intended as an IOR design key features were still influenced by the rule and Thomas later remarked that the keel would be more effective if it was bolted on upside down!

LOA: 9.90m (32ft 9in) LWL: 8.00m (26ft 3in) Beam: 3.20m (10ft 6in) Draught: 1.70m (5ft 7in) Displacement: 4,000kg (8,820lb) Ballast: 1,680kg (3,704lb) Price today: £15,000-£26,000 sigma33.co.uk

1979 Fastnet disaster

14 August 1979. Irish Sea. A lone yachtsman aboard Camargue – eight survivors were plucked from this yacht by Royal Navy rescue helicopter (Alamy/AJAXNETPHOTO)

The decade ended with one of the biggest disasters ever to hit the boating world.

Three days into the 600-mile race winds built unexpectedly to a sustained Force 10, with some competitors recording gusts above 70 knots.

In all 24 yachts were abandoned, five of which sank, 15 competitors lost their lives, and a further six people on non-racing yachts in the area also died. That toll was the UK’s largest ever peacetime rescue mission, involving some 4,000 people.

More than a third of the fleet experienced a knock-down to 90° and a quarter beyond that, including many boats that fully inverted or pitch poled.

Part of the problem was that the IOR rule penalised righting moment and encouraged low ballast ratios.

This effectively banned low centre of gravity keels, which made knockdowns and inversions more likely. The problem was further exacerbated by the trend towards wide hulls that are more stable in the inverted position.

Since many new cruising designs of the day were based on a successful IOR hull, there’s also a raft of cruising designs that have less than ideal ultimate stability.

For cruising sailors the legacy of IOR means many thousands of affordable boats built during one of the most active ever periods of boatbuilding lack the stability they could have.

The effects of this are two-fold. In moderate conditions reduced stability means a more tender boat that needs reefing earlier and more frequently, and one that will respond to gusts in a more dramatic manner.

In extremis, if caught in severe weather lack of stability makes it easier for wave action to capsize a boat. And if it rolls to 180°, a design with a low AVS will have less chance of being righted in a timely manner.

On a positive note, the subsequent inquiry led to important improvements in lifejacket , safety harness and liferaft design.

One other important point is rarely made in this context.

The accuracy of medium term weather forecasts has been improving at a rate of around one day per decade since the late 1970s. In other words the six-day forecast now has similar accuracy to the 48-hour forecast in 1979.

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• Sailboat Guide

Sabre 27 (Hill)

Sabre 27 (Hill) is a 27 ′ 0 ″ / 8.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Alan F. Hill and built by Marine Construction Ltd. between 1969 and 1979.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

A twin keel version was also available. Draft: 3’/.91m

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Review of Sabre 27

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The Sabre 27 is equipped with a masthead rig. The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

The Sabre 27 is equipped with a fin keel. A boat with a fin keel is more manoeuvrable but has less directional stability than a similar boat with a full keel.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 1.37 - 1.47 meter (4.49 - 4.79 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

The boat may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta diesel engine at 12 hp (8 kW). Calculated max speed is about 4.7 knots

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Sabre 27 is 1.90, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.3 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Sabre 27 is about 124 kg/cm, alternatively 694 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 124 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 694 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio) Indicates how fast the boat is in light wind: - Cruising Boats have ratios 10-15 - Cruiser-Racers have ratios 16-20 - Racers have ratios above 20 - High-Performance Racers have ratios above 24 Sail-area/displacement ratio (SA/D ratio): 14.27

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 21m 2 (226 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Sabre 27 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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How are Sabres higher quality?

• Thread starter Scandium
• Start date Jul 23, 2019
• Brand-Specific Forums
• Sabre Sailboats

You would also find the 'specs' of a BMW M5 and a Ford Mustang GT similar. But one for sure is a 'better' car. Because it's built to a different (higher) price point. Same thing in boats. Sabres are 'better' mostly in the detail of their construction, and to a certain degree their materials. Some of this makes them better boats, some of it personal taste. Mind you none of this makes them inherently more seaworthy, or fast. Design and construction technique, and economies of scale can make a production boat of similar performance and capability. PS - often heavier construction is simply the cheapest.  

both are nice boats. both will get you from A to B safely. it will come down to how well the boat you buy was looked after.  

Stu Jackson

This is a discussion of why people chose one model over another, and represents some folks' choice process. http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/faq-c34-owners-review.html  

Kings Gambit

What I’ve noticed generally is that the yachts at the low end of the price range for their length (e.g. 40 ft) have more quality variance in the details, or “trim” level. That is, the lower-priced ones will have more examples of “cheap” components than the higher-priced ones. To produce yachts at or below a certain market-based price point, high or highest quality cannot be maintained for every component. For example, whether SS deck cleats or aluminum, chocks or no chocks, SS chafe guards or none, cabin liner or none, lead keel or cast iron, high-quality SS lifelines w/high-quality pelican hooks versus lower quality lines with “cheap” snap shackles, SS port light frames or plastic, fully bronze thru-hulls and valves or other; it goes on and on right down to the placements (e.g., functional or just plain idiotic) of cabin lights & their quality. Also, importantly, the quality and beauty of interior joinery. It is warm with wood and wood tones, or comparatively stark and “uninviting” with synthetic paneling or similar, etc. In terms of hull/deck construction, you might see decks thru-bolted to the hull versus glued & screwed. Bulkheads tabbed to the hull or not. Masts keel-stepped or deck-stepped, etc.  

WadeBoggsCarpetWorld

One difference: the interior of the Sabre 30 is "stick built," whereas the Catalina 30 is "pan built." That means that all of the furniture inside was constructed from wood, and any attachment points were tabbed to the hull. A boat that's pan built has a molded fiberglass liner on the interior, which holds all the furniture and often makes up the cabin sole. A liner is nice because it's waterproof, easy to clean, and doesn't have to be refinished. It's also much easier to make for production boatbuilders, as you don't need to employ as many carpenters. However, it's a nightmare if you need to gain access to anything underneath it that the builders didn't think about. If there's not an existing access hole, such as for the bilge or thru-hulls, you gotta cut one yourself. On a stick built boat, you could just take apart the cabinet or settee and there's your hull. I grew up sailing a Pearson 30 (pan built), and the first boat I owned myself was a Sabre 30 mk2 (stick built). After experiencing the limitations of an interior liner, I decided I would never own a boat that had one.  

Having owned multiple Catalina's a 30, 310 and a 36, and having approx 40+ customers with Sabre's, I can say without a doubt there is little comparison in terms of construction quality between a Sabre and Catalina. Catalina's are fine boats but they are not in the same league as a Sabre overall build quality wise. Things such as screwed in bulkheads on a Catalina vs. tabbed & stick built (fiber glassed) bulkheads on the Sabre to teak and holly soles vs. bare fiberglass on the C-30 to a shoe box deck/hull joint on the C-30 vs. an overlapping joint on the Sabre. Balsa vs plywood coring. Lack of wood in the keel stub of the Sabre, Catalina smile very common vs. extremely rare on the Sabre. The list goes on. Nothing wrong with either boat, but there is no doubt the Sabre is built to a higher level. I know this because I crawl around the inner-workings of boats for a living.... All that said what matters when buying a used boat is maintenance history & condition, condition, condition....  

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

This is an impressive scroll of valid reasons which I think support Sabre's quality, and some I hadn't thought of. I'll only add that a portion of the perceived value of some boat designer/builders, is mystical. Experienced buyers will seek these popular (like Sabre) used boats out and likely keep them in good nick. That in turn adds $ value as buyers (like OP), will pay a little more to own one. Hinckley is a classic example of out of date boats that have increased in value over decades. The high quality accounts for the bulk of this increase (especially high quality components that last), but some has to be attributed to the Hinckley mystique. The Sabre name has a little of that mystique.  

Here's a different tack for ya. You're looking at quality vs cost, your wife is looking at amenities, and the clock is ticking. Believe it or not, the clock ticks faster as time goes on and if you don't believe that, ask your parents. If you have a family now, just wait a few minutes and you'll have grandkids! If you don't believe that, ask your grandparents! Okay, here's what you do: Bypass that little 34 'cuz in ten years it'll be too small anyway. Teenagers happen before you know it and they need "their space". Start looking now in the 40-ft range with two heads and more room to handle everybody. Going from one boat to another costs time and money. The money you can earn but time you can't, once it's gone, its gone forever. The time it takes to fix up the current boat and sell it isn't so much but on the bigger boat it is. The expense and hassle of changing boats is a lot (unless, maybe, you're in sales). Save your time and you wife's, start looking at the 40 footers before its too late!  

Maine Sail said: Having owned multiple Catalina's a 30, 310 and a 36, and having approx 40+ customers with Sabre's, I can say without a doubt there is little comparison in terms of construction quality between a Sabre and Catalina. Catalina's are fine boats but they are not in the same league as a Sabre overall build quality wise. Things such as screwed in bulkheads on a Catalina vs. tabbed & stick built (fiber glassed) bulkheads on the Sabre to teak and holly soles vs. bare fiberglass on the C-30 to a shoe box deck/hull joint on the C-30 vs. an overlapping joint on the Sabre. Balsa vs plywood coring. Lack of wood in the keel stub of the Sabre, Catalina smile very common vs. extremely rare on the Sabre. The list goes on. Nothing wrong with either boat, but there is no doubt the Sabre is built to a higher level. I know this because I crawl around the inner-workings of boats for a living.... All that said what matters when buying a used boat is maintenance history & condition, condition, condition.... Click to expand

Good luck for sure, we also considered just jumping to a brand new Jeanneau 440 at just under $400k, and the payments to go with it! Found the C310 and it was the right boat for the right time for us.  

John Nantz said: Here's a different tack for ya. You're looking at quality vs cost, your wife is looking at amenities, and the clock is ticking. Believe it or not, the clock ticks faster as time goes on and if you don't believe that, ask your parents. If you have a family now, just wait a few minutes and you'll have grandkids! If you don't believe that, ask your grandparents! Okay, here's what you do: Bypass that little 34 'cuz in ten years it'll be too small anyway. Teenagers happen before you know it and they need "their space". Start looking now in the 40-ft range with two heads and more room to handle everybody. Going from one boat to another costs time and money. The money you can earn but time you can't, once it's gone, its gone forever. The time it takes to fix up the current boat and sell it isn't so much but on the bigger boat it is. The expense and hassle of changing boats is a lot (unless, maybe, you're in sales). Save your time and you wife's, start looking at the 40 footers before its too late! Click to expand

Scandium said: But as you know it's hard to stop looking.. Click to expand

any opinions on sabres for "light offshore" sailing? Like I said for example Chesapeake to RI, Maine, bermuda or carribean? Are they strong enough? Is storage too limited below a certain lenght, say 38 ft?  

You are talking about a boat that could be from the 70's and 80's. Most certainly they were built strong enough to sail those waters. The question really is can you sail those waters. Are you a competent skipper. Will you select a weather window to accomplish the cruise safely? Will you select crew that can stand watch and allow you to catch some sleep safely or wake you if conditions warrant it? Will you select a boat that is in a condition to go in water you choose? Will you spend the time and money to refit a boat that could be 30 plus years old to prepare it for such a journey? From the sailboat data site. "As of 2012, Sabre ended production of sailing yachts though they have said it could be restored should the market improve". A 7 year old boat could be immaculate or was scrapped in last years hurricane and it is on the market for "very good price". SO it is less the boat and more the skipper. As the Skipper controls all the variables.  

Scandium said: "light offshore" Click to expand

jssailem said: This is a nebulas term. Not clear of the meaning. Can you please clarify what you mean? Click to expand

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• 11 Apr 2001

Am interested in a Sabre 27 I have heard it is a Marcon design here in NE USA info is slim any help over there ?? Thanks  

Rob, Actually its an Alan Hill designed boat, Marcon did the moulding- fin or twin keel cruiser/encapsulated ballast with skeg hung rudder - Many were home completed, some good/some bad. I'll see if l can dig up some info for you  

WE have a magazine called 'Sailing Today'in the U.K.which is to include a major review of the Sabre 27 in next months issue (confusingly due out around the 20th of this month). Perhaps you could obtain a copy.  

• 13 Apr 2001

Sabre 27 is reviewed in Sailing Today magazine which I have received in my mail today. If you Email your fax number I will send you a copy of the article. I do not have a scanner so I cannot Email it. Regards Paul  

• 14 Apr 2001

Rob. Please visit the Sabre Owners Association web site at www.sabre27.org.uk . We have 120 members some overseas with one in Canada. As others have commented there is a current write up in Sailing Today and the Secretary has other brochures and information on the class. The Sabre is an excellent sea boat and quite a lot of accommodation for your money. I am sure you will enjoy owning a Sabre 27.  

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Details and photographs are normally based on one specific yacht, but could be a compilation. No reliance should be placed on other yachts of the same class being identical.  Where common variations exist, we have endeavoured to indicate this in these archive details.  section for boats currently for sale section for boats currently for sale Sabre 27 Owners Association Community The Sabre 27 Yacht & Sailing :: Ideas, Anecdotes & Assistance. Skip to content WEBSITE HOME FORUM HOME Last visit was: Fri Nov 01, 2024 3:08 am It is currently Fri Nov 01, 2024 3:08 am Forum Topics Posts Last post Feed - General Discussion --> General Discussion This forum is for members general information exchange. You must register with name and valid e-mail address before being able to post a message. Non members are welcome to make contact with us through this forum. Please don't include your personal contact details in your message. 72 Topics 279 Posts Last post Sword of shaft 27 by Timy1972 Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:49 pm Feed - Items for Sale --> Items for Sale Feel free to place Sabre 27 related items for sale here (excluding boats which can be added to the "Sabre 27 Yachts For Sale" page). 11 Topics 22 Posts Last post axe de propulsion by Timy1972 Tue Oct 29, 2024 11:56 am Feed - Tried and Tested Suppliers --> Tried and Tested Suppliers It's always handy to know where to turn when you need some help with the rigging - or the 30 year old Yanmar that needs a reconditioned alternator. If you've had a good experience with a supplier or craftsman, let us know who they are by posting their details here. Please start your post title with the general topic in capitals at the beginning. For example: ENGINE - Yanmar spare parts RIGGING - Sail laundry & repair ENGINE - South coast mobile mechanic 28 Topics 37 Posts Last post Recommendation to fix stern c… by SteveO_Bomo Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:16 pm Feed - Archived Posts From Original Forum --> Archived Posts From Original Forum Posts that appeared in the original forum have been transferred here. It's worth searching them for answers - it's a goldmine. 211 Topics 211 Posts Last post Thickness of the gap between … by Sabre27Admin Wed May 10, 2017 8:22 pm Who is online In total there are 5 users online :: 1 registered, 0 hidden and 4 guests (based on users active over the past 5 minutes) Most users ever online was 444 on Mon Apr 29, 2024 8:17 am Total posts 552 • Total topics 322 • Total members 132 • Our newest member stuartflewis All times are UTC Powered by phpBB ® Forum Software © phpBB Limited Privacy | Terms 105 IMAGES Corsair Tamoul Sabre Tamoul 1971 Sabre Yachts 27 for sale. View price, photos and Buy 1971 Sabre Sabre 27 Sailing Yacht for sale from United Kingdom VIDEO Sabre 27 Sailing boat, Sailing Yacht Year Sabre 27 Super 8 Footage of Marcon Yachts in Southampton Water, including a Sabre 27 prototype Sabre 27 Modern Down East cruiser with a stunning teak interior Sabre 58 Walkthrough COMMENTS Sabre 27 boat review A classic British cruiser with a choice of fin or twin keel, designed for family sailing and easy handling. Read the pros and cons of this 1969 design, with photos, specs and price guide. The Sabre 27 Sailboat The Sabre 27 Sailboat: An Article The Sabre 27 is a British design that has been around since 1969 and still has a loyal following of owners and enthusiasts. In this article, we will give you an overview of the Sabre 27, its accommodation, hull and deck, mast and rigging, keel and rudder, and some of the options and variations that are available. Thoughts on Westerly Centaur or Sabre 27 Well, having just had my liveaboard dreams dashed by swmbo, (we viewed a Privilege 37 and no way was that big enough to live on ), my plans have changed to purchase a small bilge keeler. To be used for coastal cruising and the odd trip across the channel for a month or two at a time. The two boats uppermost in my thoughts are the Westerly Centaur or the Sabre 27. Review of Sabre 27 Review of Sabre 27. Sabre 27. Kajania showing forestay moved forward for better pointing ability. Basic specs. The Sabre 27 is a sailboat designed by the British maritime architect Alan F. Hill in the late sixties. Several hundred boats have been produced. Sabre 27 I've been exploring other boat alternatives, coming up with the Halcyon 27, Halcyon Clipper, Hurley 27 and of course the Sabre 27. I'm quite taken with the Sabre 27, as it has the bilge keel option and obviously gets about a bit (Ken Endean's articles). I gather quite a lot of them have been fitted out by owners, so the spec and below stairs ... SABRE 27 (HILL) The weight required to sink the yacht one inch. Calculated by multiplying the LWL area by 5.333 for sea water or 5.2 for fresh water. FOR MULTIHULLS ONLY: BN - Bruce Number: The Bruce Number is a power-to-weight ratio for relative speed potential for comparing two or more boats. It takes into consideration the displacement and sail area of ... Coming of age: the 1970s yacht designs that have stood the test of time Marcon grew to become a huge boatbuilder in the 1970s, having been founded with the launch of the Trident 24 in 1960. Other models, including the Cutlass 27 (1967) and Sabre 27 (1968) followed, heralding a period of rapid growth that at one stage saw the company moulding some 15 designs, including the entire Rival range. Sabre 27 (Hill) Find detailed information about Sabre 27 (Hill), a 1969-1979 monohull sailboat designed by Alan F. Hill and built by Marine Construction Ltd. See dimensions, rig and sails, auxiliary power, accommodations, and performance calculations. Sabre 27 Owners' Association The Sabre 27. The Sabre 27 was designed by Alan F Hill and the prototype was built in 1969 by Eric White of Marine Construction (UK) Ltd. (Marcon). Between 1969 and approximately 1982 some 400 hulls were moulded. When the Marcon went into liquidation the moulds were bought by Brue Yachts of Highbridge, Somerset who made a few boats until the ... PDF Sabre 27 Owners' Association The Sabre has a propor navigators sest and desk. though it does prevent the port quarter berth from being used at the same time 't was hard to avo,'d a certain impression Ct dullness about the Sabre. She is an honest and worth/ cruising yacht that seems to lack sparkle L.O.A. CW.L_ Beam raught 8.23m 6.70m 2.8m 27ft 22ft 2in 9ft 2in "ft 5in 3.01tons Review of Sabre 27 Review of Sabre 27. Basic specs. The Sabre 27 is a sailboat designed by the British maritime architect Alan F. Hill in the late sixties. Several hundred boats have been produced. The Sabre 27 is built by the British yard Marine Construction Ltd.. How are Sabres higher quality? Catalina's are fine boats but they are not in the same league as a Sabre overall build quality wise. Things such as screwed in bulkheads on a Catalina vs. tabbed & stick built (fiber glassed) bulkheads on the Sabre to teak and holly soles vs. bare fiberglass on the C-30 to a shoe box deck/hull joint on the C-30 vs. an overlapping joint on the ... Sabre 27 fin keel or bilge keel? Also a former Sabre 27 owner and ours was a twin keel version which had previously sailed regularly in company with a fin keel Sabre 27 Certainly the fin keel version will point up better and head reach (sail faster) than the twin but the difference is not massive The twin keeler is still a very good sailing boat with decent performance. Technical Specifications Learn about the history, design and features of the Sabre 27, a British sailboat built between 1969 and 1999. Download the Sabre 27 Technical Handbook and access the Technical Queries forum for more information. Sabre 27 Rob. Please visit the Sabre Owners Association web site at www.sabre27.org.uk. We have 120 members some overseas with one in Canada. As others have commented there is a current write up in Sailing Today and the Secretary has other brochures and information on the class. The Sabre is an excellent sea boat and quite a lot of accommodation for ... SABRE 27 (HILL): Reviews, Specifications, Built, Engine If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of SABRE 27 (HILL). Built by Marine Construction Ltd. (UK) and designed by Alan F. Hill, the boat was first built in 1969. It has a hull type of Fin with rudder on skeg and LOA is 8.23. Sabre 27 archive details Online UK yacht brokers - yachts for sale on brokerage, with full details and multiple interior and exterior photographs of every brokerage yacht for sale. Iff you are selling a yacht we offer discount commission rates for boat sales on brokerage. ... Sabre 27: Brief Notes: Builder: Marine Construction (Marcon) Designed by Alan Hill in 1969 ... Sabre 27 Owners Association Community Feel free to place Sabre 27 related items for sale here (excluding boats which can be added to the "Sabre 27 Yachts For Sale" page). 10 Topics 21 Posts Last post Genoa For sale by Keith 66 Tue Oct 08, 2024 8:21 am; Tried and Tested Suppliers It's always handy to know where to turn when you need some help with the rigging - or the 30 year old ... Sabre 27: Reviews and opinions Used boats. Sabre. Sabre 27. Opinions and ratings. Sabre 27 Reviews and boat opinions Boat from Sabre, model 27 Opinions and ratings (1 vote) Back to Sabre 27. Opinions and reviews about the Sabre 27 model ... Sabre 27 Owners Association Community rocklyn4 United Kingdom 24 Posts Posted - 21/01/2010 : 21:28:07 Hi everyone I am just waiting on a survey coming back on a Sabre 27. I took my family to look at it a few weeks ago and we have been viewing your website. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht