Roberts Spray 27(Gaff Sloop)
Description
The Bruce Roberts Spray 27 is a compact yet seaworthy trailerable sailboat, designed in the 1970s by naval architect Bruce Roberts as part of his renowned Spray series, emphasizing affordable DIY construction for coastal and short offshore cruising. Measuring 27 feet overall with an 8.5-foot beam and 2.75-foot draft, it features a long-keel hull for stability, a displacement of around 4,000 pounds, and options for fiberglass, steel, aluminum, or wood-epoxy builds, accommodating up to four berths in a cozy interior with 6 feet of headroom. Rigging choices include gaff, Bermudan sloop, or junk setups with about 323 square feet of sail area, powered by a 10-hp auxiliary engine, and customizable layouts like trunk cabin or pilothouse versions; over 300 have been built worldwide, with used models fetching $20,000–$50,000, making it a timeless favorite for budget-conscious sailors seeking adventure without excess.
Construction Details
| Designer | Bruce Roberts-Goodson |
|---|---|
| Length | 27.000 ft |
| Beam | 8.500 ft |
| Displacement | 4000 lb |
| Max Draft | 2.750 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 34.17 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 10.83 ft |
| p | 29.50 ft |
| e | 8 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34.17 ft | 10.83 ft | 29.50 ft | 8 ft | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Blueprints
Sails
Roberts Spray 27(Gaff Sloop) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 29.5 ft - (8992 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 8 ft - (2438 mm) |
| Leech | * 30.22 ft - (9211 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.04 ° |
| Diagonal | * 30.3 ft - (9235 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area | 117.88 ft² |
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Roberts Spray 27(Gaff Sloop) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 8 ft - (2438 mm) |
| Leech | 14 ft - (4267 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 60.3 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 6.53 ft - (1990 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 17.67 ° |
| Area | * 55.53 ft² |
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Roberts Spray 27(Gaff Sloop) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 28.68 ft - (8742 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14.32 ft - (4365 mm) |
| Leech | * 24.94 ft - (7602 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.45 ft - (3795 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 178.57 ft² |
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Roberts Spray 27(Gaff Sloop) - GENOA
| Luff | * 34.05 ft - (10378 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 17.47 ft - (5325 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.05 ft - (9769 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.25 ft - (4953 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 276.6 ft² |
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Roberts Spray 27(Gaff Sloop) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 34.05 ft - (10378 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 19.49 ft - (5941 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.49 ft - (5941 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 564.09 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.