Vancouver 27 Toughest Pocket Cruiser

[Cacique]

Yachting Monthly Nov 2012
James Jermain joined me for a sail, we initially intended to go from Brixham to Salcombe or to the river Yealm but the forecast was not good. We set off with the unusual delays of rowing in and out several times and sailing in and out of the harbour so the photographer could get his shots then we had to go back in to pick him up, but we sailed around to Dartmouth and up to Dittisham in quite nice conditions. The following morning it was an early start (very early it was still dark) but the photographer wanted his shots, we sailed down to Dartmouth and headed back toward Brixham, we sailed about as far as the Mewstone and the South Cardinal marks but the weather was really 'filthy' with the wind directly on the nose so we were motorsailing with quite a big swell, I commented on the fact that we were supposed to be sailing for 'fun' and as I was having to hang on it wasn't really that much fun, I also mentioned that if we were unfortunate enough to snag a lobster pot around the prop things would be really not nice. I had plugged on till we were well out of the river entrance in the hope that the wind direction would inprove, if it had been any direction but on the nose I think we would have carried on, however a 2 hour slog direct into the wind with the forecast threatining force 9 we decided to head back in. If you look at the pics the one on page 62 shows us on the way out, you can see my stressed expression and me 'hanging on' on page 58 we are on the way back in you can see the Mewstone behind us and me smiling as we surf with the weather (still hanging on though).
Later that day I returned to Cacique on the visitors pontoon she was leaning 10° bare poles on the mooring, the water Taxis were cancelled (they don't operate when it's above force 6 in the river) fortunately a freind of mine was on the same pontoon and he gave me a lift in his rib (very wet ride) I can honestley say in all my years I have never seen it as bad as it was that day, I was really glad we had taken the decision to 'play it safe'
PS Cacique is available for charter!
Cheers Jamie.

[DeepFrz]

I loved the Vancouver 27. I talked to the designer about her. The biggest problem is that most of them were hull/deck boats finished out by amateur builders. I came across a few very shoddy boats, one that was about to punch her mast through the deck and her furnishings were rife with dry rot. She wasn't a very old boat either.

[Cacique]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I loved the Vancouver 27. I talked to the designer about her. The biggest problem is that most of them were hull/deck boats finished out by amateur builders. I came across a few very shoddy boats, one that was about to punch her mast through the deck and her furnishings were rife with dry rot. She wasn't a very old boat either.

The UK boats were built by Pheon Yachts to a very high standard, later ones were built by Northshore also to a high standard. Cacique was number 15 one of the early ones, she has three crossings of the Atlantic that I know of and a circumnavigation 1990 to 1993.

[barnakiel]

Nice boat with not all that seaworthy cockpit. I think her rig is outstanding layout - slow, but dead easy to manage - also in the blow. Good interior volume and layout in the UK built ones. Safe deck layout. Long list of positives follows.

The Canadian boats tend to have very odd interior.

Then came the 28 and the 28 'make II' - both were nice improvements of the original concept.

I have seen the Northshore ones - very, very desirable 'go-anywhere' boats.

b.

[DeepFrz]

They handled very well in rough weather. I had forgotten that they were being built in UK. Robert Harris thought it ironic that his designs were being built in UK. Later of course some built in Asia.

[Cacique]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Nice boat with not all that seaworthy cockpit.

b.

Why do you say that about the cockpit? It has two large 2" drains that drain out above the waterline, it is a relatively small in volume and has a quite high and wide bridgedeck.