'73 Dufour 27' or '37 Ray Alcock Wood 25'

[Jmartin]

Hello Forum! Im a new member here and I am just getting started in sailing. I plan to pick up a small 25-30 Foot Sailboat that will be based in USVI, for seasonal cruising and eventually further in the caribbean. Anybody have any experience with these 2 models? what are some opinions and knowledge of these?


Thanks

J

1973 Dufour 27 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com



1937 Ray Alcock Classic Wooden Sloop Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[boatman61]

Both appear to be nice boats in the pic's.... pro's and con's....
The wooden Alcock boat will require much more maintenance and upkeep in the Caribbean as the sun will dry her out very quickly if lifted out during Hurricane season, her varnish will not last half as long as up north... she'll be more susceptible to deck leaks... so unless you plan to spend time maintaining her instead of 'Cruising'.... go plastic fantastic...
The Dufour will need much less maintenance, less chance of deck leaks, won't dry out on the hard.... you won't have the worry of worm, rotting frames/planks etc.... your only real concern is .... Is she sound... solid deck, no delamination or serious osmosis, rudder and tube are ok and are the keel bolts sound.
If you want a head turner go Alcock....
If you want a cheap functional cruising boat go Dufour...

[Jmartin]

Nice answer boatman. Thanks for the info. I did assume wood will be far more maintenance intensive. But as you said it is a head turner. It caught my eye. maybe for my first boat I should go Fiberglass until I can figure it all out. Im a musician, so obviously I am on a budget, hence such a small boat, more room would be nice, however I will be alone most of the time, with my wife joining me occasionally.

these are good valid points to consider. does anyone have any direct experience with these? Google isnt much help with the alcock, and the older dafour's are not spoken about much.

thanks gang!

J

[klem]

Going along with what boatman said, given your seasonal use, wood may not be the best choice. Wooden boats are great but they require maintenance and being designed for the environment that they are used in. Seasonal use generally means that you will haul the boat and be gone for a long period of time which will allow the boat to dry out. In addition, you will need to do repairs from time to time which are a lot more difficult without having your own shop nearby. Wooden boat repair is nothing to be afraid of skills wise but it requires the right tools and the time. The sun wreaks havoc on wooden boats beyond just the paint and varnish. In addition, that boat does not appear to have any form of ventilation that can be left open when you leave it so you would need to modify it. And depending where you are, things like worms can be a problem as well. I don't mean to scare you with this but wooden boats in the south can be lots of work. I have spent most of my time sailing wooden boats and I love them but if sailing is your goal and not maintenance, fiberglass is great.

Sorry, I have never sailed the Dufour so I can't help you there.

[Jmartin]

thanks Klem. Fiberglass it is. now I just need to figure out if I want that Dafour or a nice little Hunter 27. Hmmmm. decisions, decisions. performance is of course needed, however, Im not looking for a racer. safety, comfort, and coolness, in that order is my criteria. thanks for the info guys!

J