26 or 272?

[agprice22]

Anyone had both? If so, which did you prefer? Why? I am considering both boats as options to move up, and I would like to know how people with experience with them feel about the two.

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[2taylorscotts]

Anyone had both? If so, which did you prefer? Why? I am considering both boats as options to move up, and I would like to know how people with experience with them feel about the two.

Thanks,

Andrew

Like you, I started with a C-22 as an absolute first time sailor. I loved it and sailed it for a bunch of years. We used it as our weekend summer home a lot. Then First Mate put in a request for something with head room and a berth that you could approach without getting on your knees and slipping around the porta-potty. We took two hour ride to a broker to look at a Cape Dory 28D only to find that it had already been sold. He suggested that we look at an O'Day272 and the rest is history. We sail on a lake in East Central Wisconsin and my 272 became the largest boat on the lake so we took a lot of flack about our "ship", but the next year there were four more and everyone loved them. One took a lightning strike and after two years of searching unsuccessfully for another clean one they moved up to a Precision 28. Being "persons of a certain age" two others moved on and up to larger boats on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. I bought one of them to upgrade to a 272LE to get the inboard diesel so I've owned two and one of the originals also remains on our lake.
I have found the 272 to be dependable, responsive and stable even in harsh conditions. The Yamaha 9.9 outboard on my first one pushed us through gale force winds on Lake Superior with out blinking. I also sail single handed about 99% of the time--one season even one-handed with the other in a sling.
I honestly cannot throw mud at the 26's since there have probably been six or seven in and out of our marina and club. Two of our most avid and seasoned sailors have been sailing them for years. I would consider seriously the water you sail in. The 26 with a retractable keel gives you the ability to go where the 272's wing keel will not. Your other trade-off will be space and creature comforts down below.

Scotty
S/V Spirit
Barnum Bay Yacht Club
Nekoosa, WI

 

[kdssail]

I have a 26 and a friend has the 272... my 26 will turn circles around his 272 because the 26 tiller needs a smaller turn radius then the 272 rudder with a push/pull rod. The rod has turn limits so it needs a larger radius. I like the 272 for the stand up headroom and the step out swim ladder so either would be great.