Newport 27'

[cruz878]

Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on a Newport 27' as a first sailboat?

My biggest concern is the standing head room. Ideally I was looking for something in the range of 6' and have been informed this is only about 5'7".

The particular one I am looking at is a 1970 that sounds to be in good condition and I am considering taking a drive to inspect it in person this weekend.

My goal is to acquire a boat this summer big enough to weekend on about twice a month and work on my sailing skills. Ultimately I anticipate I will either sell the boat or give it to my brother in a season or two as I anticipate wanting something bigger. I live in the NorthEast and will be docking the boat either on the bay in MD or some where near the Jersey Shore (still undecided).

Any insight is appreciated.

[tager]

If you are 6' tall, find a boat with 6' headroom. I bought a boat with 5'10" headroom, then I grew an inch! At age 23!

[capnorv]

I'm 6' 1" and had a Newport 27' for many years. It was a great boat, not one I'd take across the Pacific, but a great N/W cruiser. I believe you have been misinformed about the headroom, since I believe I used to stand in the middle of the cabin. Other than the center the flush deck is definitely lower, but didn't seem to be a bother. I was in my 30s to mid 40s when I had her, had had neck surgery, and used her year round in the N/W. My cruises included a full month every September mostly solo, but always comfortably. The one complaint I had was a 1500 watt heater was not enough at the dock when it got below 0degree F, but luckily that didn't happen much. I had a tall rig 31', deep keel 6', and imbarrassed many Catalina and other such boats, especially to windward. If the one you're looking at is of this configuration, I'd highly recommend it...also look for a Yanmar inboard, a definite asset (mine was 8hp) the outboards cavitated enough to be almost useless, I used one once before I rebuilt the Yanmar. Mine was a 1979 model.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, cruz878.

The Newport 27-S had a maximum headroom of 6'-3" .
➥ http://www.capitalyachts.info/newport27/new27bro.html

➥ http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=158

[cruz878]

The one I am considering has an Atomic 4 inboard. I am 5'11".

As my primary concern was the headroom and it seems as though the seller is likely mistaken it looks like I will be taking a day trip to check this out in person.

Thanks to everyone for the information.

[S/V Alchemy]

I club raced as crew on one for five years. They are essentially a C&C 27 hull with a different deck and coach house. A seawater 1970 Atomic 4 is quite elderly. If it has been rebuilt in the last five years, and/or switched to closed-circuit cooling, this is less of a worry. 1970s plumbing and wiring is also suspect. Check that the through-hull are proper seacocks and not garden-grade gate valves. Check that the wiring is not crumbling black 10 ga. house quality Romex. Check for wet decks. If serious, make an offer conditional on survey. You could save a lot of money or walk away knowing there are better boats.

Basically, you are looking to see if this 41 year old boat got a face-lift to bring it more to the ABYC code in the early '90s. I'm not saying a stock boat with all original equipment is unsafe, but it's far less safe, particularly if the wires are partially corroded, or there is rot in the stringers, etc.

As for sailing qualities, they are quite decent light-air club racers. They are a little light, however, and do not cut through waves more than about two and half feet high. So at more than 22 knots, you'll pound a bit. They are also a little squirrelly downwind due to the tight stern and modest rudder, but this is an issue with a lot of 70s boats. Working to weather, the Newport 27 is a lot of fun, and makes a good coastal couples boat.

[cruz878]

A survey is a must for me on any boat I purchase regardless of price. I need to be as certain as possible that there are no major lingering problems.

Below is the link to the particular boat I am considering:

1970 Newport 27 Sailboat Sloop

I've traded several emails with the selling party and the only issue disclosed is "a small amount of water enters the bilge in rainstorms; possibly from the cockpit compartment which drains to the bilge".

I've reached out to the seller and am waiting to see if it is possible to see the boat in person this weekend.

[cruz878]

I forgot to mention, the plumbing is supposedly two years old. As for the wiring I have no idea as to the condition but re-wiring may be something I pursue regardless.

[emoney]

Well......did you purchase it, or something else? I see the seller took down the link so somebody bought it obviously.

[keelbolts]

As far as standing headroom is concerned, I always come back to Uffa Fox and Herreshoff. Fox said, "if you want to stand up, go up on deck" and Herreshoff said that most of the sailors he knew liked to sit down to eat and all of them liked to lay down to sleep.

[JordanCabot]

I know this thread is old, but I am adding my $0.02 in just in case anyone else looks it up. I bought a '78 Newport 27s about 7 months ago in New Orleans, and after upgrading a few little things like pressure water, propane stove, electronics, and cleaning the crap out of it, I've sailed her down to Southern Florida across the Gulf... in January. While most of the sailing characteristics are accurately conveyed by previous posters, I just wanted to add my personal experiences of living on her for about 4 months now. I love her! She is nice and cozy, sails like a dream with even the slightest breeze, has stood up to some serious pounding out in a nasty gale out in the gulf, and survived Hurricane Isaac and a terrifying grounding on rocks that left her sideways and me certain it was all over! While I would love a smarter galley set-up, the pros far outweigh the cons at the price I got her for. If anyone else finds themselves debating a Newport, my vote is go for it if the price is right and you can take the time to make some upgrades.

[S/V Alchemy]

Glad you are enjoying your boat, and getting experience both good and "educational".

[JordanCabot]

Thanks! This site has been incredibly helpful and inspirational to me, so I'm happy to finally have a little something to add to it!

[Ballenxj]

Originally Posted by JordanCabot

I just wanted to add my personal experiences of living on her for about 4 months now. I love her! She is nice and cozy, sails like a dream with even the slightest breeze, has stood up to some serious pounding out in a nasty gale out in the gulf, and survived Hurricane Isaac and a terrifying grounding on rocks that left her sideways and me certain it was all over! While I would love a smarter galley set-up, the pros far outweigh the cons at the price I got her for.

Thanks for adding your feedback Jordan.
-Bruce