What is the best sailboat for me... besides Nor'Sea 27?

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Hmm... personally I'd prefer to load a narrow, deep keel design heavily than a lighter displacement, beamier boat. IP is not really light displacement though. But the beam on those! (...)

Yep. IP 27 is nearly same D/LWL as NS27. Her extra beam will make all the difference when living onboard. Offshore it will be a toss. Possibly NS is the better tool for upwind work while IP may show her best downwind, I think.

b.

[gerolamo]

Guys, thank you for the sensible advice. My decision is still some time away but you gave me some interesting ideas and something to think about.

BTW, that Fisher is something else. Awesome It's perfect for Canadian weather too. I won't be buying one though. I have a feeling sailing it might have a constant engine noise in the background.

[dgz3]

From the Nor'Sea website...

"Very simply, the finest small voyaging vessel ever built."

"Nor'Sea 27 have made 4 Circumnavigation and more than 160 Atlantic and Pacific crossings."

A pretty hard act to top, if you like this type of boat. If that's the boat that "sings" to you, then settle for nothing else. Because that's what you'll be doing. Settling. At this point in your experience, your gut is as good an indicator of what you should buy as any rational process. So you may as well go with it.

Keep looking. Someone mentioned one that hasn't moved in seven years. Maybe he'll tell you where it is? Seek out those boats. make offers. They'll say no. never! Leave them your number anyway.
The next time the slip rent comes due maybe they'll think of you. Once the seed is planted, it may gnaw on them. A month or two or three later, you may get the call.
States are now selling access what were once public information documents like boat and car registrations to private services. Maybe you can pay one of them to search out every Nor"Sea in the country. Query them all..
Email every marina and boatyard in the country. Would it take a week? Rule out the ones far from blue water.
Cast a wide net. And be patient. The one you want will show up.