C&C 27
A definite go fast from C&C
By Steve Killing
When C&C puts a reverse transom on a production boat under 29 feet you know times are changing. Those of you familiar with the C&C 27 won’t find her successor here. In fact, with a displacement of only 4,420 pounds, this new boat is closer to the C&C 25. The last cruiser/ racer I reviewed from C&C Yachts, the 41, had definitely taken a tack toward the racing side of the market, and we see it here in the 27.
Project manager Mark Gilbert points out that this boat is aimed at MORC racing, but he hopes that the competition will be amazed at the interior when they catch up with her at the finish line. We’ll clamber inside later; first let’s look at the go-fasts.
The MORC rule measures actual waterline length and averages it with overall length as a primary rating input. To minimize overall length, the bow angle is steeper than previous C&C in this size range, and the bow has been snubbed at the forward end of the waterline to reduce the measured length. The change from the traditional transom to the reverse sloope adds a little real waterline, and gives a bit of a sporty look.
Gilbert assured me the notch in the transom for the rudder is purely a nifty detail and has nothing to do with rating. The philosophy of the keel was to select a high aspect ratio for efficiency and keep the ballast down as low as possible to help with stability. As the MORC rule does not measure stability directly, using less ballast and placing it deeper results in a lower rating. And, believe me, they have used less ballast. The ballast to displacement ratio is only 39 per cent. The design office reports that even with a narrower than usual Waterline, “the stability seems just fine.”
The most striking thing about the sailplan is the short J measurement from the base of the mast to tack fitting. The high aspect foretriangle allows more of the sail area to be put into the mainsail, explains Gilbert, where it is not penalized so heavily by the MORC rule. He noted that it also increase upwind pointing ability.
Now let’s look at the sheepskin interior hiding beneath the wolfish racer. Before seeing the drawing, I had the main cabin’s double berth arrangement explained to me, and I said, “It will never work.” “It works great,” C&C explained to me. “You just grab the backrest, flip it over, turn it around and rest the end on the stairs.” There you have it hearing is believing.
To keep the boat light, C&C has made use of extensive fibreglass, which are very carefully laminated. Except for the stainless steel sink, the galley area is fabricated entirely of molded surfaces. In the V berth area forward there is a traditional athwartships head, but the starboard side contains a molded in storage tray that can be converted in to a sink.
The first production prototype will be sailed by a factory team this summer on the great lakes, while the production lines in the both Niagara on the Lake and Rhode Island gear up. Some boats are already ssold and will be in owners’ hands in May or June.
For more information, contact C&C Yachts, PO Box 970, 576 Regent St., Niagara on the Lake, Ont. L0S 1J0.
Originally published in Canadian Yachting’s May 1984 issue.
Specifications:
Length………………36ft 6in
Beam……………….9ft 3in
Draft…………………4ft 10in
Weight………………4,420lbs
Ballast………………1,715lbs
Sail Area……………342 ft2
Steve Killing is an independent yacht designer based in Midland Ontario. He was the assistant designer of Canada 1, Canada’s America’s cup challenger.
