Island Packet 27 - Cutter or Sloop?

[claudelucmorin]

To IP27 owners...

I'm looking at purchasing an IP27. It has been sailed as a sloop by the last owner, and looking around on-line, it looks as though almost half of the owners are doing the same.

My question is:
If the boat's mast and stay positions were all designed for a cutter, doesn't sailing it as a sloop dramatically impact the performance?

I'm thinking of the following dynamics being affected:

- Mast is shorter, designed for 3 sails, not two. Can you still get the same sail area with just a main and a Genoa?
- The main is designed to work with the Staysail to compress the "Slot" air between the two. Can you get similar dynamics from using just a Genoa laid further ahead on the forestay, thus widening the slot?

Maybe this is ok for a Sunday BBQ across the bay, but can this boat be sailed seriously in this configuration, i.e. would you take it on a 2-3 day passage in this, "not intended by design" configuration?

Any help would be greatly appreciated since I need to decide on the purchase by end of week. Converting it back to a cutter would definitely add on cost... but she is a beautiful boat !!!

Many Thanks !!

[a64pilot]

I have a 38, not a 27.
However I have seen a few other boats "converted" to sloops, in every case that I have seen it, it was for ease of use, not how it sailed.
I know that with my boat when going to windward, the staysail does help, and maybe not the best plan, but it is planned as my Storm sail.
However I believe that very few if any IP 27's are doing any real passages, I believe they are mostly as you put it Sunday BBQ across the bay boats