The Stiletto 27 is an Americantrailerablecatamaransailboat that was designed by Bill Higgins and Don Ansley as a racer/cruiser and first built in 1976. The design was originally marketed by the manufacturer just as the Stiletto, but later became the Stiletto 27 to differentiate it from the later 1983 Stiletto 30 and 1985 Stiletto 23 designs.
Production
The design was built by Stiletto Catamarans in the United States. A total of 500 were built, but it is now out of production.
Design
The Stiletto 27 is a recreational catamaran, built predominantly of fiberglass, with an epoxy and Nomex core. It has a fractionalsloop rig with a full-roachmainsail, raked stems, slightly reverse transoms, transom-hung rudders controlled by a tiller and a single, centrally-mounted daggerboardkeel. The racing versions are heavier and incorporate extra sails, sheet winches ans a 6:1 downhaul. A spinaker and pivoting centerboard are optional for both cruising and racing versions. The boat has a draft of with the daggerboard extended and with it retracted, allowing beaching or ground transportation on a trailer. For ground transport the design collapses to a width of. Both hulls have double berths, while the port hull houses the portable head. The starboard hull houses the galley. Further sleeping space can be created with the use of a deck tent. Access to each hull is via the raised Lexan skylight, which are slid forward for access. Additional portlights are in the hull sides, two per hull. The boat is normally fitted with a small outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. Roller furling headsails are optional. Other factory options include jiffy reefing, a halyard winch, jib sheet winches and a reduced-area cruising mainsail. The design has a hull speed of.
In an account in Sail magazine published on May 1982, writerRobby Robinson describes the design's performance, "I was pleasantly surprised at Stiletto’s maneuverability. She is heavy enough to have some carry, and the centerline daggerboard helps her spin quite nimbly from one tack to the other. Her high aspect rudders stall somewhat, especially if you're attempting to bear off without much way on. Still, she responds to sheet adjustment and rudderwriggling better than most boats, and her rapid acceleration is a real plus in tight quarters."
