Photograph by PhotoBoat.com Professional Marine Photography
Morning Star (ex-Caramba)
1988 Soverel 27
Builder: Tartan Marine, Ohio
Hull #25
Sail Number: 73138
Home Port: North East River Yacht Club, North East, Maryland
Photograph by PhotoBoat.com Professional Marine Photography
The Numbers:
LOA: 26.52″
LWL: 21.75′
BEAM: 8.75′
DRAFT: 5′
DISP: 4,000
BALLAST: 1,600
Sail Area: 362 sq.ft.
Rig: 15/16 Fractional Sloop
I: 35.00
J: 10.00
P: 33.20
E: 11.28
PHRF Chesapeake Rating: 138
PHRF Class: B
Soverel 27 Information from: http://www.soverel33.com/SoverelDesigns.html#27
History:
Mark Soverel designed the Soverel 27 during the early 80’s to the then popular MORC Rule ~ Unfortunately due to the financial difficulties of Soverel Marine, the boat could not be built at that time. During the mid-eighties, Erickson Marine found some success in re-building Olson 911 & 25 designs acquired from the in receivership Olson (Pacific) Boat Works. As a result of this, rival Tartan Marine (of Ohio) acquired soon to be defunct Soverel Marine and began re-building the popular Soverel 33 sailboat. In 1986 with MORC still gaining popularity and strong sales of the Soverel 33, Tartan Marine decided to build the 27. The boat was designed and built totally to the MORC rule and featured a Yanmar I/B diesel engine and all the usual MORC quirks ~ heavy disp, rod rigging, check stays, open transom, etc,etc. Unfortunately from a production standpoint, all of the above made the Soverel 27 a very expensive boat to build, and obviously to sell. During 1987 it is alleged that roughly 27 Soverel 27’s were built before Tartan decided to pull the plug on the entire Soverel product line.Other information
This boat has a double spreader fractional rig, Yanmar I/B diesel engine with folding prop., elliptical keel and inboard rudder, Construction of both hull and deck is Balsa cored. Full interior ~ complete fiberglass liner with full v-berth and aft berth to sleep four, sink, tanks, 12 V electrical.
Morning Star Racing 
Saw your link to the Kiwi 30. May be interested in her? Now I know how mast got broken. How about hull integrity?
Also read the link about the Govcup and its awards. The Steve Bickell Award. I raced in the the GCup the year Steve passed. Remember the race vividly. Strong Northwest wind followed front that went through prior to race. The big boats were caught with their shoots up. Steve on one of those boats. We watched shoot after shoot blowout. I was captain on board Chapter II. Hell of a night with 5 and 6 footers when we reached Cove Pt on our stern. Well we came in last that year. The following year I was on Chapter II again. This time the outcome was much different as Chapter II and crew pulled off a third place…..winning the first Steve Bickell Award.
Craig Doyle
Craig,
I was also out there that night The boat that I was on won the overall that year “Knot Bob’s” 1973 Pearson 30, what a ride. I still remember seeing “Cold Gold” heading north with their sails down and thinking, this can’t be good.
Rob,
Know your boat well…at least from the stern. That was about as much of the boat I ever saw. You could really make her scream.
Much more to that night from hell to tell. I think I got “Carpul Tunnel” as a result of squeezing the helm that night. The storm preceding the race was no slouch either. That was the last Gov Cup my wife went on.
Hull #28 checking in from Houston “Adios Dos” the old “Peregrine”. We need to compare notes! Your boat looks fantasic! -Chris
Just recently came across your site. I own Hull #12 (Boomerang). I sail on the Bay of Green Bay. I use to race quite extensively but kids in sports and now college have limited us to just a few “family races” each summer. I enjoy your site. Keep it up. I will continue watching. Good luck in your upcoming season.
Bill Vande Castle
I own hull no 6 Wild Goose. I am in Milwaukee. I have been racing it a couple of times a week. We did the Hook race a couple of times on it. took 3rd one year but I have recently stuck to bay racing. My wife has business painting nautical flags on scarves and a sideline in painting old sails so we are more famous for the Scream Mainsail and the Van Gough Mainsail than the racing. If you look in Latts and Atts this month you can see the Goose complete with a witch spinnaker we created. Glyn
Glyn,
do you have or does anyone have specs or drawings of the S27 rudder
? Thx
Jack
Yes i do. I have a lot of documents but the are photocopies of photocopies.They are mostly of rigging and blocks but I do have rudder measurements. I have scanned them in just not sure the best way to get them to you. You can find me on face book Glyn Livermore (either of my accounts) and i can email them to you
Stingray Racing in Virginia Beach Va, Hull # 15 says hello to all the Soveral owners and invite you to my FB page Stingray Racing-
Hull #20 checking in! Left Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday, registered in Maryland today. Home port will be North East, MD!
– Bill
Hull #23 “Terrapin” checking in from Sodus Bay NY south shore of lake Ontario. Cool web site for a cool boat!
Hi, I am the new owner of Hull #22, formerly “Terrapin Station”, to be base at Duck Island, CT. Thank you for this resource. I used this site a lot in deciding to buy our boat.
Mike, do you know this history? My boat seems to originally been named Terrapin, too.
Matt
I do not know the history of your boat. I find it amusing that hull 22 and 23 were named Terrapin. Small world considering they only built 27 of them! What is her new name?? Good luck and congrats on a cool boat.
Sorry, I never replied, but work blocks this site now. Luckily it was after I used it to buy my boat! We will be renaming it “Rumor”, and if I’m lucky we’ll get it wet for the first time in 5 years within the week.
Hi
I am thinking of buying an S27, moving from a J24, just wondering if anyone knows how much bigger the cabin is compared to the J24? My main priority in a different boat is; more speed and a little more cabin, I don’t want a cruiser. I mostly day sail solo now and the occasional phrf stuff. Any thoughts? arlanw@rogers.com
Hey.
I am the new owner of hull #007 cowabunga. She will now be sailing the waters of the Northumberland straight off the coast of New Brunswick Canada.
Great website keep it up.
Ca you tell me what the story is behind the sail numbers, mine is 42210?
Have a great day.
Arlan.
Arlan, Congratulations on the purchase of your Soverel 27. Let me know if you you have any questions.
I believe Sail Numbers are applied for when the boat is new and they are awarded by US Sailing by region. That is why you see the boats on the Chesapeake that were sold by the dealer in Oxford have very similar numbers.
Thanks for the info on the numbers, I was curious why the numbers were not the hull numbers. As a new owner I have questions about a lot of things but very pleased to own this boat. Can’t wait till May to put it in.
From the pix of morning star, it appears you have eliminated the 3rd side stays is that correct ?
Wild Goose sail number is 2706… 27 foot boat hull number 6 so I guess thats the equivalent of vanity plates.
Morning Star still has upper, intermediate and lower shrouds – plus check stays.
Sends some picture of your boat and I will give your boat its own page on the site. This goes for all Soverel 27 owners.
Thx Mark a page would be cool. Will try to send pix soon. One other ? What is the rise and length of your tiller?
Mark, will send along a S27 picture soon, having trouble finding your e-mail via wordpress, ping me if you get a chance. We start our racing season in Houston in January. Looking forward to the 2014 season!
I am interested in buying a Soverel 27. I live in Northern Virginia and am a refugee from California where I raced a Moore 24 and many other boats for 20 years. Let me know if you know of anyone thinking about selling. Thanks. Frank Vaughan 703 467-1846 (days)
Hi! Hadn’t checked this site for a couple years and found there have been more updates, albeit old by this point. I have Hull #4 called “KittyHoots” (I’m a cat person! It used to be called “Blackmagic” and then “Flash Gordon”). I keep KH at Waukegan (27 miles north of Chicago) and am looking forward to launch in early May this year. I used to race KH in the local Anchorage Yacht Club (AYC) weekly series and had a blast! Have also done three LMSS Doublehanded challenges, an LMSS Q Series solo race, and several AYC long distance races. The boat has a nice light touch on the tiller and is pure joy to sail! I started enjoying the boat as a daysailing “cruiser” last year and plan to do the same again this season except for the AYC long distance races.
Hi Glen
Just checking everything on my Soverel,
What size prop do you have – and how does it power the boat
can you send a pic of the size
If your not in the water yet!
Thx
Jack
I have a two bladed martec folding prop that I had rebuilt a few years back. I have a 1 GM10 Yanmar. I can do Just over 5 knots in flat water and a lot less in waves.I will see if I can find the info for the size.
Glen any extra information would be helpful head stay length would be another useful item.
You can email to jpmamedio@comcast.net or
mail to:
Jack Amedio
535 Lange CT
Libertyville, IL 60048
Fellow Soverel 27 Owners,
Does anyone know what the base tension settings should be for our rod rigging with a Loos Gauge RT-10?
Thanks,
Bill
Crazed Weasel, Hull #20
Any luck in settings?
Anybody have any information on the window seals? My windows are crazed and the plastic seal around them is broken. i would like to replace them . I can probably find the perspex but I don’t know if the seal is a fixed shape or a trim. Glyn
Glyn
I took the inside frame off on my S27 and it looks like it is caulked in with some aggressive stuff
Take pix as you go through the removal for all to know how you did it. I have a small leak and thought I would remove it but stopped short. Maybe there is a trick to it.
I took it out once before. its really brittle so this time will be the last time. Its going to come out in pieces. Its is not flexible any more. I may have to remove it all and then refit the window in a different way. Probably over size it and bolt it from the outside. I don’t want to though because I think it will ruin the looks.
Glyn
How is the window removal going? Do you just pry it off from the outside?
Yep I will send you some pictures. The perspex is 1/4 inc thick. Unscrewed the cover from the inside and ran a knife around the inside and the outside. then pried. The plastic trim shattered and the perspex cracked in two places. Now I have to get the other out and thats fitted even tighter.
I replaced mine 2 years ago.
I can help you out n walk you thru it step by step.
Glenn@lucid-tech.com.
I replaced my windows 2 years ago.
Email me @ terrapin@rochester.rr.com
I will be more than happy to help you out.
Present situation is “35 degrees around here :-)”.
I bought and cut 1/4 inch acrylic and bought 3M 4991 tape.
I have been heating the acrylic and slowly bending it closer to the correct shape. I went down to try and fit and the sky opened and i was bombarded with hailstones.
Since then the temperature has been below the required 60 degrees. As soon as it warms up I am going to go back down and fit them. They will still need finishing though.
Don’t bother. You can by new ones for not that much money. I did mine. Makes the boat look new again with new sunglasses !
Where did you buy those from
I did not realize you found the originals. I had searched for them and not found them. As Jack says where did they come from?
Go industries was the original manufacturer for those style windows used by Tartan and many other boat builders in the 70s and 80s.
They have been bought out by Mark plastics of Corona California. Phone # 951 735 7705.
They built me band new windows with new gussets and interior framing and it came with the right caulk to use! It took about 2 weeks for delivery and cost was about $550. And they fit perfectly! Looks band new inside and out.
Use a piano wire to get out your old ones.
Do this before your new ones show up. I found that the deck and the headliner had separated. I re bonded them with west system epoxy using 22 clamps per side.stiffed up the cabin house real good!
I also built a strut to support the deck from below. As we found the root cause of why the windows were leaking is because they had separated from the cabin house due to the deck flexing. Not no more !
And no leaks at all !
Wish I could post some pictures.
Email me and I will send you some.
Terrapin@rochester.rr.com
Mike
Send me the pics and I will post them.
Hey we are going to the annapolis boat show. Are you guys going to be around on sunday ?
Would love to stop bye and see your boat.
Mike Thurley
Terrapin hull #23
Mark I see an orange monster still sleeps in the forest.
Well I committed to it. Just purchased #005 and have quite a few things to do….No electronics, no check stays, genoa cars only half there , no steaming light or mast head instruments. But the engine does run and the rigging is intact and the bottom is clean.
So I need some information…
The check stays are missing. Can any tell me the size of the wire and length that is used as well as the blocks that are commonly used. How much line and diameter for blocks?
Sorry no name for her as of yet.
Nice to hear – congrats on the purchase.
I have been rebuilding Hull #12, from the top down inside and out.
I have an extra wire check stay. I’ll be happy to ship it and the blocks to you.
I had gone to synthetic lines to keep the chafing down. And smaller but stronger blocks.
Send me your info. JPMAMEDIO2COMCAST.net if you like.
Jack thanks for the response. What blocks did you go with? Since I’m starting new I’ll go with the synthetic as well. Do you know what size T-bar is used?
Hi Craig,
Congratulations from the 4th owner of hull #004! Boat name is “KittyHoots” and there are some pics of it posted on this site. (I also have 5 cats. Would like train them up as crew, but they run and hide whenever they see the boat bag all packed up! =^..^= )
Coming up on 16th season with the boat.
Past few years my motto has been: “small boat, big fun!”
Here’s what I have for checkstay specs:
5/32 1×19 SS wire, length 11’6″, upper fitting – 5/32 T-ball, lower fitting – 5/32 toggle fork.
I also have a 50 or so page manual on the Soverel 27 that has some interesting details about its manufacture as well as some specs. I’ll look for my copy and see about trying to get it posted to this site for any who might not have their own copy.
Best regards,
Laura
T-bars I got from Cindy at Hall Spar – The part number is ALE-TRB 6 you may need to grind a little to fit in the slot. 5mm or 8mm dyneema and I’ll check on blocks Cyndi Holden
Sales
Hall Spars & Rigging
office: +1 401 253-4858 (x1562)
fax: +1 401 253 0370
email: c.holden@hallspars.com
Wow thanks for the response Laura and Jack. The book would be great Laura. Just starting to gather information about the Soverel so I’ve been stalking pictures of the boats. Hahaha. Thanks to Morning Star for getting this site together.
few things missing on mine. No instruments…and I mean no holes. Maybe they were filled. Both the thru hulls are there. It had a Sailcomp because the guts (internals) are in the boat but I can’t find the instrument. Nothing on top of the mast too. I mean its barren as a desert as far as I can see. No windex, no VHF, no wind instrument and the steaming light is gone!
The Harken genoa adjustable cars are still there but the forward blocks are missing. Anyone know what blocks should be there? Bullet blocks I think but what size?
Do you guys still own the Soverel 27…i’m looking at buying one in Nova Scotia and was hoping to maybe get some pointers down the road
We sure do and race it every Tuesday night.
Thats awesome. I did buy the boat, in the process of stripping interior teak and cleaning bilge (dirty oil previously spilt and covered bilge under liner) slowly getting there. Need to replace the #1 (delaminated and covered with mildew) any idea on finding a good quality used sail?
Bill,
Yes I own one in Lake Michigan
Hull 12
All re done new electronics
Sails, reworked interior
Where are you located
Jack Amedio
Boomerang
847.800.0923
Call any time
Sail out in Pictou Yacht Club in Nova Scotia. Currently stripping interior. What did you do to the interior?
Still own hull #4 “KittyHoots”. 19th season on Lake Michigan. It’s a quite well-constructed boat that’s holding up well for its age of 32 years. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Laura
847-757-9093
Hi Bill,
Did you make a purchase yet? If not Crazed Weasel, Hull #20 is still for sale, and still racing on Thursday nights too. If interested let me know.
Thanks,
Bill
I did get the boat, requires a bit of tlc but structurally in good shape.
Hi Bill – I still own hull #4 “KittyHoots”. This is our 19th season on Lake Michigan. It’s quite a well-constructed boat and is holding up well for its age of 32 years. Feel free to call or email if you have questions.
Hey Laura. I did purchase hull #7 in August. She needs a bit of TLC but in good condition. Looks like it will be a fun boat, big change from what I have been racing. (Tanzer 26) out of the Pictou Yacht Club in Nova Scotia.
Hi Bill – congratulations! you’ll have a lot of fun with the boat. One of the many things I love about it is the light touch for the tiller. It doesn’t feel like I’m driving a big truck like so many other tiller boats I’ve sailed on! And, it’s fun how it just takes off in good winds and full sail. Buckle your seatbelt!
Does everyone have there mast bases as far forward as possible? Mine was in the middle last summer but planning on moving it a bit forward.
Selling my 1987 Soverel 27 – ready to go
http://www.boats.com/sailing-boats/1987-soverel-s27-fractional-8875529/