parker 27 yacht

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Parker 27 Yacht / Sailboat

Parker 27 Yacht

The Parker 27 is a modified version of the Super Seal 26 which was originally designed by Ron Holland from whom the mould was sold to Parker Yachts (Poole). It is a fast, small lift keel cruiser racer and has excellent sailing performance and the ability to use drying moorings but if you really want to look after your Parker 27 do try and avoid sand and rock.

The Keel box of the Parker 27 is at the centre of the saloon, but the yacht still manages to boast 5 berths, head and galley.

Convinced the lifting-keel concept could fill an important gap in the market, Parker’s followed up the parker 27 in 1986 with the Parker 21 followed by the Parker 31 in 1987. Only a few years later, in 1990 the entirely new Parker 275 was introduced to replace the Parker 27. The Parker 275 was made from a larger moulding and was then followed by the 285.

• Specification
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Length : 27ft Beam : 9ft 3 Weight : 6160 lbs Berths : 5

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Parker Boats 27 for sale in Levington, United Kingdom

Levington, United Kingdom

Make & Model

Parker Boats 27

MEASUREMENTS

Description.

Immensely versatile cruising yacht with excellent performance, the Parker 27 is rarely available on the second hand market. "Kotick" has been well loved by her current owner and she boasts a recent Beta engine fitted in 2017. Viewing by appointment through our Suffolk Office - +

Accommodation

The accommodation offers five berths in two cabins. V berth forward. Separate heads compartment to starboard with Jabsco marine toilet (new in 2020) and washbasin. In saloon, two settee berths with foldaway saloon table. Galley to port. Plastimo Neptune two burner gas cooker with grill. Mains fridge/coolbox. Stainless steel sink. Quarter berth to starboard. New blue upholstery in 2015.

Mechanical Systems

Located under the companionway stairs. Fitted new in 2017, is the Beta twin cylinder, 14hp diesel engine. Electric start. Shaft drive to two blade flexifold propeller. Single lever control. Approximately 300 hours on the engine. Regularly serviced.

Electrical Systems

• Two 12 volt domestic batteries
• One 12 volt engine start battery
• Alternator charging
• Solar panel fitted in 2017
• 240 ring mains with outlets
• Mast was rewired in 2020 with new masthead equipment

Spars & Sails

Fractional rigged sloop. Anodised aluminium mast and boom by Z Spars. Mast deck stepped in tabernacle. Stainless steel standing rigging (2012) with bronze bodied rigging screws. Terylene running rigging. Backstay tensioner. Rotostay IV headsail furling system. Slab reefing mainsail. Stackpack with lazy jacks. All lines led back to cockpit via organisers and jammers. Two Enkes 18 self tailing sheet winches. Two Enkes 10 control line winches. Enkes 12 self tailing halyard/keel winch. Spinnaker pole.

• Mainsail - 2006
• Genoa - 2006
• Spare main and Genoa

Deck Equipment

• 20lb CQR anchor with chain
• Stackpack main sail cover
• Cockpit dodgers with name
• Boarding ladder
• Various fenders & warps
• Yard cradle
• Outboard bracket on pushpit

Navigation Equipment

• Standard Horizon DSC VHF
• Steering compass
• NASA clipper speed instrument
• NASA clipper depth instrument
• NASA clipper wind instrument
• ST2000 Autohelm

Safety Equipment

• Fire extinguisher
• Fire blanket
• Horseshore lifebuoy

Construction

Built in 1988 by Parker Yachts to a design by Ron Holland. Hull number 139. White GRP hull and superstructure. Alloy toe rail. Grey painted non-slip. Raked stem. Lift keel. Moulded-in ballast. Tiller steering to swing up transom hung rudder. Aft self draining cockpit. Self draining stowage for gas bottle. Cockpit locker. Integral moulded anchor locker. Stainless steel pulpit, pushpit and guard wires with alloy stanchions. Coachroof handrails.

The company normally acts as brokers for the vendor who unless otherwise stated, is not selling in the course of a business. Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of these particulars the correctness is not guaranteed and they are intended as a guide only and do not constitute a part of any contract. A prospective buyer is strongly advised to check these particulars and where appropriate and at his own expense to employ a qualified marine surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability on our part.

General note on safety equipment: Any safety equipment such as liferaft, fire extinguishers and flares etc., are usually personal to the current owner(s) and if being left on board as part of the sale of a used vessel, may require routine servicing, replacement, or changing to meet a new owner’s specific needs.

Engine Count

Engine Horse Power

Engine Tankage

ABOUT PARKER BOATS 27

The Parker Boats 27 is a 27 feet long that boasts a 9.3 feet beam. This 1988 diesel Parker Boats 27, with 14 horsepower.

SIMILAR LOCATIONS

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Search our catalog, go direct, enter a boat reference, parker 27 sailing yacht, lifting keel, £ 13,500.00.

• Boat REF#  ·  331102
• Length  ·  8.51m
• Year  ·  1989
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Lifting Keel
• Sleeping berths  ·  5
• Engine  ·  1 x gasoline 6hp, Tohatsu (2023)
• Lying  ·  Falmouth, UK

Boatshed Cornwall

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• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

Sloop rigged Z spars Aluminium spars (1989) with Stainless Steel standing rigging (1989)

Headsail needs a UV strip fittied

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 1 batteries charged by: engine

Construction

Hardly used yacht, stored for thirty odd years.

Accommodation

New heads pump fitted

2 burner propane Stove

2 halyard winches 4 sheet winches 1 anchors (Plough) Fotce Four dinghy (2022) (Inflatable)

Nav Equipment

Safety equipment.

1 bilge pumps (1 manual / 0 electric)

Broker's Comments

Boatshed Cornwall have the opportunity to list this Parker 27 - lifting keel sailing yacht as for sale.

Probably one of the latter batch of Parker 27’s manufactured and developed from the Super Seal 26. Called the Parker 27 when John Parker of Parker Yachts took over production.

First impressions indicated a reasonably well presented yacht and it was not until we were aboard did we learn that this yacht has hardly ever been used. Supplied as a part completed yacht by GW Parker & Sons Ltd, it was subsequently stored for about thirty (30) years.

Recently purchased by the current owner and refitted to the current standard, this is a yacht that is in some way, is quite new. For example, the standing rigging has been stored with the yacht which has only recently been rigged.

Recent upgrades: Renewed outboard engine (2023) Renewed upholstery (2022)

If you are interested in a yacht that offers a shallow draft then this is a rare opportunity to have one that has not seen much sailing, use or abuse.

These boat details are subject to contract. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

Owners FAQ's

How long have you owned the boat for.

For about two (2) years

Why are you selling her?

Not being used enough

Where have you sailed her?

Carrick Roads, Cornwall

Please note this comments section is public . Please do not post your personal details here. To enquire about purchasing this boat, please contact the broker directly at [email protected] Please read our commenting guidelines before posting.

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David Coumbe

Cost of ownership.

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Search our catalog, go direct, enter a boat reference, parker 27 lifting keel, £ 0 sold / unavailable.

• Boat REF#  ·  150001
• Length  ·  8.23m
• Year  ·  1990
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Lifting Keel
• Sleeping berths  ·  5
• Engine  ·  1 x diesel 9hp, Yanma 1GM10 (1990)
• Lying  ·  South Devon

Boatshed Torbay

This boat is off the market but here are some boats that are still for sale.

• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

New deep water seal 2010.

Sloop rigged Aluminium spars (1990) with Stainless Steel standing rigging (2001)

Standing rigging replaced 2001. Numerous extra sails including 2 spinnakers.

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 2 batteries charged by: engine

Construction

One of the later examples built by Parker who have an enviable track record of building high quality racing dinghies. The lift keel yachts were built in a Lloyds approved factory.

Accommodation

Spacious layout. Clever saloon table which doubles as a nav. station/chart table. Separate forward cabin and good size saloon with a further three single berths.

2 burner propane Stove

4 halyard winches 2 sheet winches 1 anchors (CQR) A fully galvanized cradle is also included in the sale.

Nav Equipment

Stowe Navsounder - Depth. Stowe Navigator - Speed log. Stowe Windspeed/ Direction Shoreline Compact VHF Garmin GPS 120 Autohelm ST1000.

Safety Equipment

1 bilge pumps (1 manual / 0 electric)

Date of last life raft service: 05-01-2012

Broker's Comments

The Parker 27 is a modified version of the Super Seal 26 which was originally designed by Ron Holland from whom the mould was sold to Parker Yachts (Poole). It is a fast, small lift keel cruiser racer that has excellent sailing performance (particularly upwind), and the ability to use a drying mooring. The Keel box of the Parker 27 is at the centre of the saloon, but the yacht still manages to boast 5 berths, head and galley. This particular example is one of the later ones from the Parker yard, and comes with many extra sails and a fully galvanized cradle. There is also an inflatable dinghy and outboard available by separate negotiation.

These boat details are subject to contract. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

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• Sailboat Guide

Parker 275 is a 27 ′ 11 ″ / 8.5 m monohull sailboat designed by Ron Holland and built by Parker Yachts starting in 1989.

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)

The PARKER 275, and the nearly identical 285, are a development of the earlier Ron Holland designed SUPER SEAL 26. When the John Baker built Seal range of lift keel yachts was taken over by Parker Yachts, the design was modified slightly to become first the PARKER 275, and then the 285.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Parker 325 review: a plethora of benefits at low cost

• David Harding
• May 30, 2023

With her lifting keel, good performance, practical interior and solid construction, the Parker 325 is one of the most versatile 32-footers afloat. David Harding finds out more

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

Sometimes you find sailors who seem so well suited to their boat that it’s hard to imagine them owning anything else. Take Barry and Orla Tiernan with Sulito , their Parker 325, for example. In their ownership since 2016 and preceded by a Parker 27, Sulito is based at Parkstone Yacht Club, which is home to more Parkers and Seals than any other club in the UK. Parkstone is also the final destination for a week-long rally in May, starting in the Solent and moving on to Poole, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Parker and Seal Sailing Association (PSSA).

It’s no surprise that Parkers and Seals are so popular in harbours with large expanses of shallow water, such as Poole and Chichester. These boats have always had lifting keels, from the very first Seal 22 that John Baker built to Angus Primrose’s original design in 1970, right up to the last Parker 335 built by Parker Liftkeel yachts in 2009.

In-between came several variations of the 22, plus the 28 and 850, followed by Ron Holland’s Super Seal 26. These were all built under the Seal banner by Baker, before Bill Parker took over and introduced the Parker 27, 275, 285, 21 (derived from the Mini Seal), 235, 31, 325 and 335. In total that came to nearly 1,000 boats over four decades, many of the owners today making up one of the most active owners’ associations in the UK.

A lifting keel allows the Parker 325 to dry out and explore areas few other 32-footers can reach. Photo: David Harding

A fair few, including Barry and Orla, have owned more than one boat from the Parker and Seal family. Their previous Parker, the 27, followed a J/24 as their first proper cruiser. Barry would have chosen a Parker 275 rather than the 27 had one been available at the time, preferring the newer design with its greater headroom, extra ballast in the keel and different interior layout.

He and Orla covered plenty of miles in the 27 nonetheless – sometimes with their sons, who went on to enjoy successful careers in competitive sailing – and became actively involved in the PSSA. Eventually, as so often happens, the temptation to move to a bigger boat became too great to resist.

The same only bigger

As for many owners of Seals and Parkers, there was never any question of what to buy next: a larger version of the same. A 31 was considered but, as a Parker 325 was the ultimate goal, it seemed to make sense to go straight there rather than move up by degrees.

Finding one wasn’t as simple as making the decision, although a Parker 325 could equally have been a 335 because they’re fundamentally the same boat. The story goes that buyers in Germany, where the Parker 325 was proving popular, decided that the name understated the hull length of 33ft 6in (10.21m). So the name was changed to 335 and, with some minor tweaks, that remained the designation for the last 11 boats, up to hull number 51.

A cruising chute is a recent addition to spice up downwind sailing. Photo: David Harding

Holland and home

Barry had been in touch with the owner of a Parker 325 up the road in Poole, who had been happy to offer advice although he wasn’t planning to sell. The search then took him to Holland to view a Parker 325 that was for sale, only to find that the owner changed his mind and wanted to keep the boat. As luck would have it, the owner in Poole did then decide to sell, so Sulito ended up moving barely a mile from one yacht club to another.

Parkers clearly engender a good deal of enthusiasm from their owners, so what is it that makes people so keen on them? According to Barry, whose views are backed up by several owners I know, the reasons are manifold. Among the important ones are that they sail well and are strongly built. ‘Nothing much showed up on the survey’, said Barry. ‘They’re generally better built than most.’

Unlike the original Super Seal 26, the 325 carries all her ballast – nearly 1.5 tonnes of it – in the keel, in the form of a lead wing on a stainless steel shaft. When Parkers took over from John Baker, their new models progressively moved the ballast from inside the hull down into the keel. That’s where it ended up on the 275 and later designs including the Parker 325, a development of the Tony Castro-designed Parker 31 that in turn evolved from Castro’s Passagemaker 30.

The stern is of modest width even when compared with boats of a similar age. Photo: David Harding

With the keel raised, the Parker 325 and 335 draw a mere 0.63m (just over 2ft) and will happily sit on the wing with no added support. Barry raises the keel to keep most of the shaft out of the water when the boat’s berthed or on a mooring, pinning it in the up position to take the weight off the hydraulic ram. Being a practical sort of chap who has done a good deal of electrical and mechanical work on Sulito , he removes the ram every two or three years to clean it, grease it and change the anodes.

Genoa tracks are well inboard and, combined with the length of the spreaders, ensure an efficient sheeting angle. Photo: David Harding

Leaning to the breeze

Under sail, the lead keeps the centre of gravity reassuringly low – not that the Parker 325 is initially that stiff. In the 10 knots or so of breeze on the day of our sail, Sulito heeled quite readily as she picked up to just shy of five knots upwind.

It’s by no means unusual for boats that have good ultimate stability or sail-carrying ability in heavy weather to be initially more tender than beamy boats with more form stability, so sailing at a few degrees of heel in light conditions is nothing to worry about.

By all accounts the Parker is a fast and powerful all-rounder. She certainly felt nicely responsive in the flat water, with a finger-light helm thanks to the well-balanced rudder. The minimal weather helm turned to equally minimal lee helm when we came upright. Rudders on the Parker 325 and 335 hinge rather than lift vertically. This means that manoeuvring with the keel raised above the depth of the rudder (1.4m/4ft 7in) can become a challenge if you want the rudder to remain protected by the keel.

As Barry points out, ‘Raising the keel is more use when you’re going somewhere that dries out, rather than trying to manoeuvre in shallow water.’ Drying out is something he does infrequently, in places such as Wootton Creek and Bosham. Sulito is now quite at home in France too, the ability to make Channel crossings faster, more safely and in greater comfort being one of the many reasons for moving up from the 27.

‘You’re more vulnerable on the way across in a smaller boat,’ says Barry, ‘and if you’re living on a boat for weeks at a time, this has a really good forecabin and a great “garage” in the back for the bikes.’ With their wheels removed, two proper road bikes will fit into the aft cabin. Barry and Orla use them extensively in France and elsewhere when in harbour. Another wheel is found in the cockpit.

All bar a handful of Parker 325s and Parker 335s have wheel steering, most with the pedestal further aft than on Sulito to allow a traveller to be fitted immediately forward of it. Sulito ’s mainsheet is taken to a strong-point on the pedestal itself. It’s not a big wheel, so helming from the coamings in the normal manner isn’t really an option but you can still sit on the seats either side of the wheel, and partially on the coamings if your arms are long enough.

Broadly speaking

Bill Parker never liked broad sterns on his yachts. He was at pains to make that point when I tested the 235 with him shortly after her launch in 2001, and the Parker 325 is also of moderate proportions for a boat of this era (she was launched in 1993, Sulito being the last of them, built in 2000).

It’s good to find that the cockpit is a sensible width in relation to the stern, leading to a leg-bracing width between the seats and to sidedecks that extend all the way aft. In the cockpit you have a half-depth locker to port and a sill of a decent height at the forward end, plus hand-holds either side of the companionway.

At the other end of the boat is a double bow-roller and a neatly-contoured lid to the anchor well. Barry has also added a short removable bowsprit for flying the cruising chute. It’s modelled on one supplied as an optional extra on a well-known range of Scandinavian cruisers for around £1,200. The one on Sulito was specially made for him for a fraction of the price by a local stainless steel fabricator.

Tracks on the coachroof forward of the shrouds can be used for a blade headsail. Photo: David Harding

Elsewhere on deck, everything seems to be robust and where it should be. In keeping with boats of this era, the chainplates for the caps and lowers, as well as the continuous intermediates, are in the middle of the side decks because of the overlapping genoa. Sulito has the addition of tracks on the coachroof for a blade headsail which, inevitably, is vastly more efficient than a well-reefed genoa when the breeze picks up.

A good deal of customisation was available with the Parker 325s, says Barry, who has made plenty of refinements himself to Sulito . One of them is having an extension fitted to the small stainless steel ‘skeg’ bolted to the shaft-log to help keep the prop clear of the ground when the boat dries out.

A shaft-log rather than a P-bracket is a reassuring feature, especially on a boat that takes the ground periodically, and extending the skeg with a flat base that’s less prone to sinking into soft mud helps ensure better protection for the prop.

Despite having to be designed around the substantial keel case, the interior layout works well. Photo: David Harding

Parker 325 below decks

Inevitably on a boat with a fully-retractable keel, the interior has to be designed around the keel case. It’s done very well on the Parker 325. The keel’s position leads to a forecabin that’s slightly longer than it might be otherwise, fitting in a berth over 2m long (about 6ft 8in) together with a seat, hanging space and shelving for clothes. Entry to the roomy heads, to starboard of the keel, is via the forecabin or saloon.

Space gained forward has to be lost further aft. Nonetheless, the saloon and galley, as well as the chart table to port of the keel case, are all comfortably proportioned. Barry has had up to 10 people around the rather beautifully made drop-leaf saloon table, a centrepiece that was a Parker trademark.

Running athwartships, the aft cabin is less roomy than the forecabin but still perfectly habitable. Photo: David Harding

The aft cabin runs athwartships beneath the cockpit. It could accommodate a couple for a few nights, but the forecabin is decidedly more comfortable. Woodwork is neat, hand-holds plentiful and interior mouldings, except in the heads and galley, extend only to the height of the bunks. Headroom is just over 6ft (1.83m).

Expert view on Parker 325

Ben Sutcliffe-Davies, Marine Surveyor and full member of the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YDSA) www.bensutcliffemarine.co.uk

The Parker 325 is a pretty unique yacht with what was a fairly radical keel design of its time, and still is, with its lifting wing keel. It does, however, come with a cost, and needs proper maintenance.

If you are looking to purchase, or currently own, a Parker 325, you need to confirm that the keel has been properly maintained. Boatyard receipts, evidence from the previous owner, or even advice from the owners’ association form is always helpful to reassure you of what has, and hasn’t, been done.

Wheel steering is found on most 325s, but usually with the mainsheet on a traveller just forward of the pedestal. Photo: David Harding

The winged keel ballast is lead and bolted onto a set of stainless vertical shafts with the hydraulic ram between them. It’s encapsulated within a set of skins that is designed to fill with water. With the proximity of a number of different metals in sea water, corrosion to the ram is common, so anodes are essential, and regularly checking their condition is advised. I am aware of a few that have had the fastenings to the lead keel sheer off.

On deck, check condition of the chain plate arrangements that are through-bolted. I frequently find high moisture readings in these areas, suggesting water ingress and the possibility of structural issues within the laminate.

As with any yacht that is designed to take the ground, always have a good look at the underside of the hull for any potential damage, and don’t forget to look internally around the keel box arrangements for flexing or stress-related movement.

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It’s easy to see why Parker 325s and 335s are sought-after by people who want a boat of this size that will take them confidently and efficiently wherever they want to go. And then, when they get there, that allows them to drop anchor in knee-deep water and wade ashore or, if they prefer, to disappear to the top of a drying creek. An element of compromise is always involved with a lift-keeler, whether it’s cost, complexity, maintenance, accommodation, performance or a combination of all or several. If you want the benefits of ultra-shallow draft, you have to be prepared to pay some sort of price, but with the Parker it really doesn’t seem to be that hefty. This might be as close as you will come to having your cake and eating it. Or, in this instance, having your keel and lifting it.

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Original brochure

Parker 275/285's for sale, about the parker 275/285.

Parker 275/285 forum

The Parker 275 yachts were build between 1990 and 1998, with sail numbers 1 to 60.

They were designed and built by Bill Parker with a completely new hull and deck design giving more internal space with 6' headrrom, enlarged heads compartment, chart table and double sized quarter berth.  Ballast further concentrated in the lifting keel to lower the centre of gravity, improve stability and enhance still further windward performance.  

In 2000, the Parker 275 was supersceded by the Parker 285 with electric keel winch, and the name reflecting its actual length of 28'6" with sail numbers 61-74.

In 1978 Ron Holland, at the time one of the most successful small racing yacht designers, designed the Super Seal 26 for John Baker's boatyard. Around 100 were built before Baker sold the rights to G.W. Parker of Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1983. Parkers continued production for a short while, progressively making minor variations on the design, mainly but not exclusively to the interior fit-out, and in 1984 Parkers retitled the design the Parker 27. The Parker 27 remained in production until 1990, when the Parker 275 was introduced, this having a complete new moulding, with a slightly longer hull and more headroom, although still remaining very similar to the original Ron Holland Super Seal design. The Super Seals and Parker 27's had relatively light keels, with most ballast internal. Parker 27 keels are quoted in different Parker documentation as either 136 Kg or 160 Kg in weight (ie 300-350 lbs) The Parker 275 had a much heavier keel, weighing 700 lbs, which was thus more difficult to lift. Finally the 275 became the Parker 285, in which the keel is lifted electrically. The Parker 285 was in production until Parker Liftkeel Yachts Ltd. ceased trading in summer 2009.

All these boats offer a remarkable combination of sailing performance and cruising accommodation. The hull has the majority of the ballast in the bilges, with a deep, efficient daggerboard style fin keel and fractional rig providing superb windward performance. Offwind the hull is also fast, surfing readily.

The interior is comfortable and very nicely finished, with about 6' headroom. There is a double quarter-berth aft, with a fold-down chart table and seat forward of the berth entrance. Opposite this is the galley. The saloon has two settee berths, with a removable table. The two doors forward, separated by the keel box, lead to fore-cabin and heads.

The saloon table is removable to open up the space in the interior.

The original brochure

Click photo above to download PDF

How do you get more from your boat? Just imagine having ...

A boat which can escape the crowds!

Anchor in any sheltered spot, drying or otherwise!

Sail fast upwind and down wind!

The new Parker 275 adds a new dimension to cruising/sailing, which other yachts cannot attempt to achieve. So extending your cruising range in safety and comfort in the limited time you have available. The Parker 275 has been built as the logical answer to these requirements. It is a fast, powerful cruiser with performance that will surprise many racing boots. The Parker 275 has superbly finished, comfortable accommodation in a roomy two cabin layout, with the accent on quality and pradicality. Many others claim some of this but, above all, the Parker 275 has incredible shoal draft capabilities. Where else can you find a yacht which sails so well in light or heavy winds, which can draw as little as 15" (.44m), will dry out flat, sail longer, leave earlier and safely return later.

The Parker 275 has the equipment to be driven long and fast, either short handed or fully crewed. The fractional rig, combined with the long waterline, will drive the Parker 275 faster than others in its class and all the controls fed back the cockpit ensure safety when sailing alone and hard or gently cruising with a young family.

The light, airy saloon can be made even roomier by completely removing the table which seats four in comfort. The carefully engineered chart table folds away completely, as does the navigators seat, leaving a clear area of high quality wood panelling and comfortable access to the aft berth area.

The Parker 275's deck is the result of many hours of careful research to produce a design which is ergonomically correct - wide side decks for ease of movement and cockpit coamings which ore both comfortable and practical when sitting inside or out.

The mainsheet system has been designed to keep the cockpit clear, leaving a continuous area around the companionway, so ensuring safety for the family. High quality deck gear is used throughout, chosen by practical yachtsmen.

Stability is of paramount importance on a lift keel yacht and this is brilliantly provided by constructing the 275 using the same method as employed in many top scoring offshore racing yachts, with the maiority of the ballast bonded into the floor, so minimising pitching and, in the 275's case, providing on immensely stiff structure to dry out on.

Passing through the spacious accommodation from the comfortable separate forecabin with its full-length berths for two through the saloon to the "generously proportioned" heads compartment with a complete wet locker, the practical galley and navigator's area to the large quarter berth oh you will see on exceptional layout for such a size of yacht and when this is coupled with the outstanding abilities of the Parker 275, when both sailing and mooring in shallow waters, you cannot fail to realise this is indeed "The Logical Answer".

Hull : With crystic matched isothalic system double gelled, fully cored topside. Antifouled bottom.

Deck : Fully cored balsa and PVC cabin top.

Keel Box: Moulded full height one-piece keel box. heavily bonded and reinforced to hull.

Internal GRP Sub-Assembly Module: Internal joinery throughout in Teak or optional Ash. 1300 lbs. internal ballast floor slab. GRP one-piece toilet module incorporating marine toilet, handbasin, wet clothes locker and stowage. Forward 'V' berth with hanging locker, shelves and locker. Double aft berth with lockers and deck hatches. Galley area with formica worktop, crockery/cutlery storage bins, cool locker, gimballed cooker. Fold out chart table with seat. Full set of upholstery in choice of colours. Saloon seats with berth lee cloths under. Removable central saloon table and separate stowage, fitted carpets and curtains.

Water System: With 20 gall. (90 lt) tank, galley and toilet handbasin with pressurised cold woter, separate drinking water can and hand pump in galley.

Gas System: Bottle stowage in cockpit locker, piped to cooker.

Electrics: 85AH battery, isolator to custom switch panel, power plugs and 13 internal/navigational lights.

Engine: Yanmar 1 GM in insulated compartment with hand and electric start. 12 gall. (54 lt) stainless steel fuel tank. 2-bladed propellar. Cockpit engine controls.

Deck Equipment: Pushpits, pulpit, lifelines, 5 mooring deats, bow roller, genoa tracks, self-tailing winches, halyard blocks, sheaves, locks and winches, main cabin hatch sliding assembly with fixed light, perspex sliding hatch, mainsheet system over hatchway, perspex cabin windows. Full length anodised aluminium toerails.

Keel: Low centre of gravity 700 lb. keel with multi block purchase lifting system.

Rudder: Folding rudder assembly with up and downhaul tackle.

Rig: Fractional rig with standing and running rigging. Boom with 3 reef points and outhaul, all reefs back to cockpit control.

Sails: Mainsail (180sq.ft.) with sliders, lazy jackstowage and 3 reefpoints. No. 2 Genoa (200 sq.ft.)

Ground Tackle: 20 lb. plough anchor, chain, warps, fenders and mooring lines.

Yachting Monthly review

This review from Yachting Monthly (July 1991) has been reproduced with kind permission of IPC Media, but remains copyright © Yachting Monthly/IPC Media.

Click here for a scanned version (PDF 1.6Mb)

Compared to some of their contemporaries G W Parker & Sons do very little in the way of drum beating for their range of lifting keel yachts. Instead, these niche boats appear to sell on merit. Certainly when we sailed the Castro-designed Parker 31 back in 1987, we were genuinely startled by her performance as a cruising boat. She was one of a range of lifting keel yachts by Parker which included their Ron Holland-designed 26-footer (formerly the Super Seal) which subsequently 'grew' to 27ft. Last year, they went back to the drawing board, re-rigged her, rearranged the ballast, put on a new deck / cockpit and dissected the hull mould in a major way. The Parker 275 was the result, with a hull wider at the stern, an elliptical transom and stern straightened to increase waterline length. Although the Parker 27 was used as a basis to work from, the 275 is a very different boat. Whilst her performance makes her competitive for racing (for example, the boat we sailed is due to take part in the Three Peaks Race on 22 June), the Parker 275's role is primarily a cruising one.

Central to Parker's range are their lifting keels, which give the designs an added, essential, dimension for those sailing or mooring in shallow areas. A boat on a drying berth can be regarded as a partial hedge against spiralling mooring fees, allowing some to continue sailing who might otherwise be priced out of the sport.

Largely designed around the lifting keel and shallow water cruising, the Parker 275 has a fairly flat bottom, with very little rocker and a straight sheer. The freeboard and coachroof height necessary for full headroom on a boat of this size (and shallow draught configuration) have been well disguised with graphics and deck/coachroof camber.

The earlier 27s had most of their baJlast carried inside with a 250 lb dagger board, but with the 275 Parker decided to increase the ballast in the lifting keel. Building 700 lb into the board and the remaining 1,300 lb cast iron in the shallow bilge created a lower centre of gravity, allowing more sail area and ultimately better performance. This modification meant fitting a 30:1 keel hoist requiring 180 turns of a winch handle, taking three to four minutes. An optional electric motor (costing £600) raises the keel in 30 seconds. A simple wire gauge to the mast indicates the keel's position and they are currently working on a locking device to hold the lifting keel down in the event of a knockdown.

Because the Parker 275 only displaces 5,500 lb. Parker have to watch construction weight carefully. Having said that, nowhere does the yacht feel light, due largely to the construction techniques - GRP / coremat sandwich in. the topsides, balsa sandwich for decks and PVC sandwich in the coachroof. An interior moulding is fitted and fully bonded in, creating further stiffness. A double gelcoat is used in the hull moulding, with Copperclad moulded in below the waterline. We were impressed by the standard of GRP work throughout, both in terms of fairness and finish.

Below decks

Although it is inevitable that the lifting keel box will affect the accommodation, Parker's experience with them has largely alleviated the problem. One might say it has created slightly unusual balance of accommodation priorities, but the shallow draught capability far outweighs this.

The companionway on the 275 is offputting; the hatch doesn't slide far enough forward (although this has been improved marginally on subsequent boats), making it necessary to turn on the rather steep steps halfway down.

Once below, the saloon accommodation is not especially spacious, but a number of good ideas have made the best of the space available. The chart table, for example, folds away against the hull side, providing generous access to the after double berth, whilst the saloon table removes completely (stowed in the after berth) transforming the central area of the boat.

Alongside the keel box is a walkway incorporated with the forward double, giving this compact cabin the facilities of a hanging locker, seat and room to get changed. Stowage is good and varied, and light and ventilation is provided by an opening hatch with Tannoy.

The heads occupies the starboard side of the keel box, and is a much more spacious compartment than you would expect to find on a boat of this size. This fully-moulded compartment has proper oilskin stowage, a moulded basin and, with the optional sump pump, could be used as a shower. Ventilation is catered for, just, with a Tannoy - a small opening deck hatch would make life more pleasant.

The saloon is comfortable and light, with seating for four around the aforementioned foldaway table. A trotter box to port and fold-up extension to starboard make the saloon berths 73in and 75in long respectively, and with leecloths fitted as standard, both make good seaberths. Headroom in the saloon is 70in aft, 69in forward (increased by an inch on subsequent boats), and 63in in the forecabin.

The chart table folds away completely, a well-engineered arrangement giving the best of both worlds - space when stowed, but a good navigation area with table measuring 29in x 24in (half Admiralty size). A seat also folds up allowing the navigator to wedge him or herself in firmly at sea. With navigation facilities folded away, access to the quarter berth is good. Although wide (48in maximum) this berth is not really a double, other than for children, because both length and headroom under the cockpit moulding is limited to 73in and 16in respectively. Two opening ports (one into the cockpit, the other through the transom) give light and ventilation, whilst a pair of bins provide adequate stowage.

The galley is compact in size, but again through careful design they have managed to fit in a gimbaIled oven, icebox, and a big locker. Worktop area is limited and the cook will need to use the saloon table for meal preparation. Finish of the interior is excellent, the woodwork is to a high standard and clearly care has been taken in the finish and styling inside the yacht.

Our first impressions were of maintenance considerations. There is not a single piece of wood on the outside of the Parker 275; it not only looks good but the spring fit-out will not be a headache.

The ergonomics of the cockpit are particularly good; comfortable curves all round and a layout that will operate at most angles of heel. Cockpit drainage is properly catered for with the well dumping through big transom scuppers. We would have liked to see more non-skid on the rounded cockpit coamings, although this is easily remedied. Similarly, a neoprene seal is needed for the hatch of the capacious cockpit locker. Detail is good throughout and you can't help thinking the boat is the product of a yachtsman's attention to such points, be it catches to hold open cockpit locker lids, or the sturdy pulpit. With marina charges (and vulnerability from passing craft) in mind, the rudder folds flat against the transom, the blade also lifting clear of the water.

All control lines are led neatly aft through Spinlock clutches to a pair of Lewmar 8s on the coachroof. Fabric pouches accommodate all rigging falls.

An otherwise excellent deck layout and design is let down by only one feature - the positioning of a single foredeck cleat right in the eyes of the vessel. This is within a hand's span of fairleads and the (diminutive) anchor roller, and sooner or later will give someone pinched fingers as a result.

The single-cylinder 9hp Yanmar pushes the Parker at a comfortable 5.6 knots at cruising revs, 6.1 knots flat out, making up in economy motoring what it lacks in overall noise deadening. The Yanmar provides ample power for the Parker with manoeuvrability, both ahead and astern, being first rate. She turns in little more than her own length ahead and gains steerage astern at a low speed. We found that it is best to keep the astern speed down to minimise the weight in the tiller, a common consideration.

As the photos show, our trials of the Parker were frustrated by lack of wind. However, even with the wind rarely above 5 knots true, she sailed like a witch, accelerating perceptibly in the odd puff and tacking through 75-80 degrees every time. Her Portsmouth Yardstick has been estimated at 103. With Just 5.2 knots of true wind (around 8 knots apparent), she was able to make 4.5 knots to windward.

Although it is dangerous to draw too many conclusions from such brief trials in light airs, we are confident that her sailing abilities will not disappoint even the more performance-orientated yachtsmen at club events.

Conclusions

If the dedicated following that her predecessors have accumulated is anything to judge by, the Parker 275 will be a popular boat, being the logical product of all the lessons learned from them.

We came away impressed by the success with which she achieves her design/ concept aims. The lifting keel is not a marketing afterthought; it works, and what is more, having been refined over many years, works well. That feature alone opens up fresh cruising possibilities and sailing areas like the Isles of Scilly or Channel Islands, for example, will take on a new complexion.

Coming from a yard which also builds racing dinghies, the 275 has been conceived, built and rigged by people who understand and employ appropriate technology throughout. As such, the weight is kept to a minimum (without compromising strength), the rig can be tweaked as much as you wish, and yet she still manages to accommodate full cruising requirements and comforts. For occasional racing and family cruising which need to embrace shallow waters, few boats come close to her.

Specifications

LOA 8.5m (27ft 11in) inc rudder LWL 7.49m (24ft 7in) Beam 2.81m (24ft 7in) Draught 1.6m/0.38m (5ft 3in/1ftt 3in) Displacement 2,497kg (5,500 lb) Sail area 353m2 (380sq ft) Price £31,725 Builder G W Parker & Son Ltd, Horseshoe Lane, Kirton, Boston, Lines PE20 1LW

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