Carbon Antrim 27C - 'io

Jim Antrim and Buzz Blackett sail ‘io in 2020

 This boat is a long awaited update to one of the most popular Antrim designs - the one-design Antrim 27. Unlike the original, this version has a hull and deck constructed completely from carbon fiber skin on foam core. This considerable weight savings was offset with a heavier lead bulb lifting keel, which should make for easier short-handed sailing.

'io, named for the last surviving bird of prey native to Hawai'i, was ​built for a longtime friend and customer of Antrim. The brief was to build a boat that would be fast and fun yet easy to manage while double-handing the biannual Pacific Cup race to Hawai'i. The standard Antrim 27 is a longtime favorite of that crossing and 'io, with its many custom details and upgrades should be even better suited to long distance ocean racing.

Other upgrades from the production boat include:

  • carbon EC-6 rigging

  • built-in mini galley

  • offshore electronics package with autopilot, solar panels and hydro generator

  • but still...no head.


On the day after her initial sea trial, 'io was first boat to finish in the 2020 Three Bridge Fiasco race, beating even the multihulls around the course, and holding off the next monohull by 25 minutes.

This boat represents a successful collaboration between many bay area firms, and we hope to see more carbon Antrim 27C's hit the bay in the years to come.

Boat building, Finish work & Rigging - GC Rigging and Composites
Hull and Deck - Left Coast Composites
Spars - CST Composites
Electronics - Farallon Electronics
Sails - Pineapple Sails and Quantum Sails
Keel bulb - Industrias Duro

Raptor Rising, article in Santa Cruz Style on ‘io

‘io race results

First to Finish (monohull or mutihull) - 2020 Three Bridge Fiasco

First Overall, ORR corrected time - 2021 Islands Race