Re the Compac 23.
Own a 23. Don't know anything first hand about the 27.
Am a
serial boat owner from J-27's. to J80's to Sharks and all manor of dinghies, and I love my Compac.
Great solid (I mean SOLID) little boat with roomy
cockpit and a surprisingly roomy
cabin.
You take this out in anything. If the
wind get up to 20knots just furl the
jib and plod along.
It is
shallow draft so you can take it anywhere, but you do pay a
price in pointing.
People
learning to sail usually have
family who are skittish when they get on a tippy boat. They will feel comfortable on the 23.