Which 27 ??

[vf84sluggo]

I've been looking at a couple of 27 ft boats, a 1982 Hunter 27 and a 1983 Catalina 27.

The Hunter has seen much better care over the last 15 years (one owner, raised their boys sailing on it) The Catalina is in rough cosmetic shape, but has a fresher engine, transmission, cutlass bearing.

But, a 1982 Newport 27 just came on the market. From the listing, it looks to be in pretty good shape. I know nothing about a Newport.

Any thoughts on these boats for a would-be first time sailboat owner?

[Island Time O25]

If you can find a US27 of that vintage you can't go wrong. It'll probably be a fraction of the price of the above named boats but much more substantial as far as the build quality goes. Unfortunately many have not been babied but even then they represent a tremendous value with good safety margin to boot.

[vf84sluggo]

I'll take a look...thx

[PDScott]

Try finding a CS27. Well built by a great company. Designed by Ray Wall of Camper and Nicholson fame. Proper fittings ,sails well to weather and most came with a diesel inboard. Below decks they have proper wood finishings and a well thought out layout. Search the CS owners website to have a look. Good luck on your search. It's half the fun.

[gilgsn]

Hello, I should suggest of course the Morris Frances 26, if you can find one..

Gil


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[goat]

I don't know why everyone recommends the boat they own. Kind of sad really. You obviously should be looking for a Pacific Seacraft Orion 27.

goat

[Stu Jackson]

When you're looking at a 27 foot boat with an inboard engine, take careful notice of access to the dipstick and the stuffing box, plus the alternator and oil filter.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by goat

I don't know why everyone recommends the boat they own. Kind of sad really. You obviously should be looking for a Pacific Seacraft Orion 27.

goat

Ha! You notice that too? But realistically... it's because 1)they did their research and came up with what they have.. and/or 2) everyone always does that anyway!

[Chenega]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

Hello, I should suggest of course the Morris Frances 26, if you can find one..

Gil


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Well... I have a Morris Leigh 30 - a fantastic boat for cruising! We love it but circumstances may mean selling. I would listen to serious offers - but honestly, I hope they don't come by.

[UNCIVILIZED]

It's easy enough to pull up LOTS of reviews, as well as pictures of your candidates online. The reviews give you a sense of the pros & cons of the boat, but the pics help a lot more in terms of getting a sense of the space & lighting in the boat. Plus the effect of different cushions/cushion covers, hatches, & wood finishes do to a boat.


I can't say that I've been aboard all of the candidates, & of course some are more memorable than others.
The Newport 27 is really nice in that the cabin is the full width of the boat, so that for a boat that length, you get both a feeling of & the reality of, a lot of space belowdecks. Plus, with a flush/flat deck like hers, it makes going forward to do chores easier, & gives you a bit more lounging room on deck.


Catalina's typically have a very large interior volume inside as compared to other makes of the same length. And it's a guess, but she may even have standing head room.


One place to dig up tech specs, & diagrams of various boats is at www.sailboatdata.com And of course some builders are still in business, Catalina for example. Ergo a good resource to look into. Though, also look online for class associations.
One other item, which is a reflection of the boat's performance under sail, is their racing rating, typically in/via the PHRF system for the boats you're looking at. Obviously there's no need to race your boat, but no one likes a dog.


If you look up a boat in the linked page, the lower the number, the faster the boat. And if one boat rates 50, & another 100, then the faster boat is such by 50sec./mile
It doesn't sound like a lot, but even 20-30 sec differences are VERY noticeable.
PHRF New England - Handicapping - Base Handicaps


And of course, you need to also consider some of the other key items of boat ownership; Surveys, Storage/Marinas, Insurance, Maint. Plus about 1k other small things.

[Greggegner]

We had a 27' US Yacht 1982 that just sailed great. We sailing all over Lake Erie and Charleston SC. Our endeavors include a Lake Erie crossing in 45+ knots and 12-15 footers and a knockdown going into the North Edisto river is SC. Tiller never got heavy, boat was built good. We traded up just to get more space.


Greg S/V Sweet Dreams
Pearson P385 out of Racine Wisconsin