Nor'Sea 27
Built 1976–? by Heritage Marine / Nor'Sea Yachts (California)
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About the Nor'Sea 27
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Built
- 1976–?
- Builder
- Heritage Marine / Nor'Sea Yachts (California)
- Designer
- Lyle C. Hess
- Length
- 27 ft
- Waterline
- 23 ft
- Beam
- 8 ft
- Draft
- 3.5 ft
- Displacement
- 8,100 lb
- Ballast
- 3,100 lb
- Hull
- fiberglass
- Hull / keel
- full keel
- Rig
- sloop
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Fuel
- 27 gal
- Water
- 50 gal
- Number built
- 450
- Stern thruster
- not fitted
- Steering
- tiller
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
-
Fuel 27 gal
No builder document was found online, and Wikipedia's 27 gal comes from sailboatdata. Single boats differ: a 1983 aft-cabin boat listed with a 15-gal tank, and an owner's blog estimating a 20-25 gal keel tank under the engine. Many Nor'Seas were finished from kits, so tanks vary from boat to boat.
-
Water 50 gal
Spec sites say 50 gal; single boats range from none (a kit-finished boat) through two 20-gal tanks under the aft-cabin berths (an owner's blog) to 95 gal (a 1983 listing). No builder source was found.
-
Holding unknown
The only figure is a 1983 listing's 5-gal holding tank, on one boat, so it wasn't used.
-
Water heater unknown
“Freshwater foot pump to galley sink.” — brochure, svqoh.comThe Nor'Sea Marine sales packet (standard equipment plus a priced additional-equipment list, $42,500 base) has a 12 V system, foot pump and optional 110 V shore power, and neither list offers a water heater. That suggests none from the factory in that era, but no source says so outright.
Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.
Thrusters and steering — where this comes from
-
Bow thruster unknown
The builder's sales packet (kit and complete-boat descriptions) mentions no thruster.
-
Stern thruster not fitted
Nothing was found either way; our earlier figure of none has no source.
-
Steering tiller
“Rudder and tiller are installed.” — brochure (1983), svqoh.com · “when SINGLEHANDING the boat your very close to the tiller.” — brochure (1983), svqoh.comNor'Sea Marine's sales packet (about 1983) confirms tiller steering on both the aft-cabin (center cockpit) and aft-cockpit versions; the tiller is installed even in the Handyman kit.
Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.
Trailerable offshore cruiser with lapstrake-molded solid hull, plywood-cored deck bolted on 6-inch centers, internal lead ballast (3,100 lb on all boats after 1980), transom-hung rudder. Center-cockpit version outnumbers aft-cockpit roughly 7 to 1; a few pilothouse boats. Tall rig (34.5 ft) or short rig (30.5 ft). About 31 ft overall with bowsprit.
Engines fitted
-
Farymann single-cylinder diesel — 9 hp, diesel, single
standard
Sailing Magazine: early boats had a 9 hp Farymann; sailboatdata lists a 9 hp Farymann as original equipment.Sources: sailingmagazine.net · sailboatdata.com
-
Yanmar 2GM / 2GM20F — 20 hp, diesel, single
standard
Sailing Magazine: later boats switched to a two-cylinder Yanmar. Brian Fagan's boat test (reprinted by an owner) lists a Yanmar 2GM 20 hp; a Cruisers Forum owner also has a 2GM.Sources: sailingmagazine.net · janice142.com
- Yanmar — diesel standard
Boats of the same model can differ — check which engines yours actually has before ordering parts.
Generator
“110 Volt shore power system with 50 ft. dock cord and 3 interior outlets (additional equipment list)” — brochure, svqoh.com
No generator appears in the builder's standard or additional-equipment lists; AC shore power itself was an extra.
Known problems for this model
-
Kit-finished boats vary widely hull
Many boats were sold as kits, so interior and systems quality varies; factory-finished boats are preferred.sailingmagazine.net
-
Aluminum fuel tank corrosion fuel
Some owners reported corrosion of the aluminum 30 gal fuel tank.sailingmagazine.net
-
Underpowered early Farymann engine
Early boats had a 9 hp Farymann diesel; later boats got a two-cylinder Yanmar, considered an upgrade.sailingmagazine.net
Engines & parts
Yanmar 2GM / 2GM20F parts: good
Factory standard engine — you entered “Yanmar 2GM / 2GM20F”
Well supported by Yanmar dealers and aftermarket; stainless mixing elbows that replace the OEM part numbers are widely sold.
Parts sources: Mack Boring & Parts (Yanmar distributor), HDI Marine (stainless exhaust elbows), Parts4Engines
Common problems (2)
-
Nearly blocked mixing elbow exhaust
Owners find the exhaust port of the mixing elbow almost completely blocked while the engine still runs; a failed U-elbow has also let water into a cylinder and cracked a piston.sailnet.com · practical-sailor.com
-
Noise and vibration from soft mounts engine
Worn soft engine mounts are a common cause of the vibration owners complain about; better aftermarket mounts are available.practical-sailor.com
Maker’s service schedule (2)
| Fuel filters & water separator | 250 hrs | “The normal replacement interval for the element is 250 hours ... Filter cleaning First time 50 hours Filter element repl” — manufacturer, c320.org |
| Air filter / intake silencer | 250 hrs | “Washing period Every 250 hours” — manufacturer, c320.org |
Service part numbers (10)
| Oil filter | Yanmar 119305-35170 Replaces 119305-35151, 119660-35150 |
“2GM20F Basic Service Kit ... 119305-35170 FILTER ASSY, D68XL65” — dealer, oldportmarine.com · “Suitable for: ... Yanmar 2GM, Yanmar 2GMF, Yanmar 2GM20, Yanmar 2GM20-YEU, Yanmar 2GM20F” — dealer, marinepartsystem.com |
| Fuel filter | Yanmar 104500-55710 | “Fuel Filter Element 1 104500-55710 / Fuel Filter O-Ring 1 24341-000440” — dealer, ellebogen.com · “2GM20F Basic Service Kit ... 104500-55710 ELEMENT, FUEL FILTER” — dealer, oldportmarine.com |
| Raw-water impeller Japan-built 2GM / 2GM20(F) (serial not starting with E) |
Yanmar 124223-42092 | “Impeller 1 124223-42092 / Impeller Gasket 1 124223-42110” — dealer, ellebogen.com · “2GM20F Basic Service Kit ... 124223-42092 IMPELLER, PUMP” — dealer, oldportmarine.com |
| Raw-water impeller European-built GM-YEU (serial starting with E) |
Yanmar 128990-42570 Replaces 128990-42200 |
“Impeller & O-ring Kit-128990-42570 For the GM series engines with serial numbers beginning with an E” — dealer, oldportmarine.com · “(Supersedes part number: 128990-42200) ... GM-YEU series engines:(Serial number begins with an E)2GM20-YEU” — dealer, palmerpower.com |
| Drive belt | Yanmar 25132-003700 | “Alternator Belt 1 25132-003700” — dealer, ellebogen.com · “2GM20F Basic Service Kit ... 25132-003700 V-BELT, A37” — dealer, oldportmarine.com |
| Drive belt | Yanmar 104511-78780 | “S/W Pump Belt 1 104511-78780” — dealer, ellebogen.com · “2GM20F Basic Service Kit ... 104511-78780 V-BELT, M/19” — dealer, oldportmarine.com |
| Air filter | Yanmar 128270-12540 | “Air Filter Element 1 128270-12540” — dealer, ellebogen.com · “2GM20F Basic Service Kit ... 128270-12540 ELEMENT, AIR CLEANER” — dealer, oldportmarine.com |
| Zinc / anode raw-water 2GM / 2GM20; also sold for the F (heat-exchanger) versions |
Yanmar 27210-200300 | “27210-200300 Yanmar Engine Zinc Anode For 2GM(D), 3GM(D), 2GM20, 3GM30” — dealer, zincsforboats.com · “It fits Yanmar 2GM, 2GM20F, 2GM15, 2GM20, 3GM30F, 3GMF, 3HMF, 3GM30H engines.” — dealer, deltadieselparts.com |
| Thermostat 2GM20F / 2GMF (fresh-water cooled) |
Yanmar 121750-49800 | “Thermostat 1 121750-49800 / Thermostat Gasket 1 129350-49541” — dealer, ellebogen.com · “Thermostat for Yanmar 2GMF, 3GMF, 3HMF, 2GM20F, 3GM30F, 3HM35F / REC121750-49800” — dealer, marineparts.eu |
| Thermostat 2GM / 2GM20 (raw-water cooled) |
Yanmar 105582-49200 | “Replaces Yanmar Marine 105582-49200 ... 1GM, 2GM, 3GM, 1GM10, 2GM20, 3GM30” — dealer, repowermarine.com · “1GM10, 2GM20 & 3GM30 Thermostat to fit raw water cooled engine versions ... equivalent to 105582-49200” — dealer, parts4engines.com |
From the engine maker’s parts lists, or two independent parts dealers. Numbers change with serial number and get superseded — check yours before ordering.
Model sources (4)
sailboatdata.com · sailingmagazine.net · janice142.com · svqoh.com
Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.