Hallberg-Rassy 31 vs Nor’Sea 27

[kebisho1]

I’ve got a dilemma choosing between a 1994 31 foot Hallberg-Rassy and a 1991 Nor’Sea 27. Cost is not a factor. My concerns are blue water capability, sailing performance, and live ability. Any opinions and/or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[psk125]

The HR (PHRF rating about 198) looks like it should out-perform the Nor'Sea (PHRF rating about 240) any day of the week. The HR offers four more feet of living space in a layout that appears much more conducive to comfortable living either under way or at anchor. The head is more spacious and there is a nav station. You can access the quarter cabin from the main salon. There's a V-berth as well as a salon table. The sail area/displacement ratio of 21.7 means you can sail in light air instead of motoring, while the German Frers fin-keel design keeps wetted surface low, so the boat is easily moved. Water tankage for both boats is the same: 50 gallons. The Nor'Sea carries about twice as much fuel as the HR, possibly because the sail area/displacement ratio of 14.96 means that you will be using the engine a lot. Though the headroom is fairly reasonable, space below on the Nor'Sea is tight. There does not appear to be a nav station, the head is quite small, and the two possible layouts each have drawbacks. It is not clear how you get into the aft cabin in the aft-cabin version. It does not look easy. In the aft cockpit version, there are simply two quarterberths, and the dinette table lowers to become a double. This is not an optimal setup for comfortable living aboard. Blue-water-wise, the Nor'Sea might be happier weathering storms with its long keel and smaller sail area, but since it is the slower boat it is more likely to be subject to such conditions because it can't outrun them. Your choice will depend upon what your priorities are.

[kebisho1]

Thank you for the detailed comparison of the two boats. I appreciate it.

[wingssail]

I'm sorry, I almost thought you must be joking. The Halberg Rassy is a real boat, a true off shore sailboat, from a world class company and drawn by one of the best designers ever. You mentioned sailing performance and blue water capability; there is no comparison whatsoever. As for livability, I have no Idea, I look primarily at the sailing quality and the build, and for that, the HR is the only choice of these two, and in this size range, probably one of the best in the world, superb.

And I hate to be offensive to those people who would choose the NorSea, but it is a throw back to the 1900's and not a good one at that.

[Jim Cate]

The Nor Sea is a kinda cult boat in some circles, perhaps justifiably so. It is nearly the only trailable boat that a rational sailor might take to sea... at least in the North American market, and that is certainly why it is so well regarded, despite being slow, cramped and often overpriced (IMO).

Other than that one factor, the HR is, as the upthread folks have said, a far more capable and enjoyable boat. I can't imagine choosing the NS over the HR.

Jim

[shrspeedblade]

One very important point you didn't bring up is are you going to be singlehanding or will you have at least one other person with you most of the time? If you're not going to be alone, the H-R all day long as it will feel huge down below compared to the Nor'Sea unless you like minimalist living. Just don't try to take it around the Horn.

That having been said, after reviewing the specs the Nor'Sea is superior in its comfort ratio and capsize formula as well as having encapsulated ballast. It's a Lyle Hess design and is what I would choose if I were singlehanding across oceans.

All designs are compromises, choose a boat that compromises most towards your intended use.

[Boatguy30]

The cabin sole on the 27 is maybe 15" wide. They are very small boats.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by shrspeedblade

One very important point you didn't bring up is are you going to be singlehanding or will you have at least one other person with you most of the time? If you're not going to be alone, the H-R all day long as it will feel huge down below compared to the Nor'Sea unless you like minimalist living. Just don't try to take it around the Horn.

That having been said, after reviewing the specs the Nor'Sea is superior in its comfort ratio and capsize formula as well as having encapsulated ballast. It's a Lyle Hess design and is what I would choose if I were singlehanding across oceans.

All designs are compromises, choose a boat that compromises most towards your intended use.

From your personal experience would you tell us why you would not take the Halberg Rassy around the Horn?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by wingssail

From your personal experience would you tell us why you would not take the Halberg Rassy around the Horn?

are you or he intending to round the horn

[Don C L]

It's not just 4 feet. Those two designs are very different. I wonder how you came to choose between those two?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Don C L

It's not just 4 feet. Those two designs are very different. I wonder how you came to choose between those two?

Me too, still Bob Perry has some interesting comments about the HR31:

https://www.boats.com/reviews/feisty-passage-maker/

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Me too, still Bob Perry has some interesting comments about the HR31:

https://www.boats.com/reviews/feisty-passage-maker/

Yeah! My buddy Bob likes it!

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by wingssail

From your personal experience would you tell us why you would not take the Halberg Rassy around the Horn?

One thing I see that I don't like and which could lead to tears in high latitudes is the rudder - described by BP as ' a spade type that is partially balanced on a vertical stock.'
The rudder post ( within the rudder ) only seems to extend as far as the foot of that demi-skeg.

No problem I am sure in the middle latitudes.

[Cheechako]

The HR by a mile!
The Norsea is pretty much a little camping boat that is trailerable. Decent little boat, but much different.

[thomm225]

Yeah the Hallberg-Rassy 31 has a 27' waterline!

Nor'Sea 27 is 27 LOA.

Hallberg-Rassy 31 has 5'6" draft and ballast/Disp of 44.4 %

Nor'Sea 27' has a 3.5' draft

Hallberg-Rassy 31 SA/Disp of 21!

It's not even close and I have a 27' boat that is not a Nor'Sea 27 but just as fast probably faster and very seaworthy as well

See Nor'Sea 27 at my dock that was there for years. A merchant Marine Officer had one also in much better shape but he ended up with a Pacific Seacraft 36

Nor'Sea 27 appears in video at about the 20 second mark. Someone finally came and got that boat earlier this year to continue the refit I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH6YMV8kSaE