wing keel-272
Hi Todd, I own an '86 272 and am well-pleased with the boat as are most of the owners I've talked to or corresponded with. My first suggestion to you is to read the Boat Reviews. You can find Boat Reviews on the ODO Home Page. Take a look at the 272 and 272LE reviews. There is quite a list of owners you could talk to on that page, myself included. The 272 was manufactured with the wing keel. As far as I know, no 272 was made with a fin keel, so if you like the boat, you'll live with the wing keel. According to the information in the advertising literature now available on the ODay Japan site, the wing keel was selected to allow the sailor to get around in shallow water and do a bit more exploring and gunkholing. The boat is designed as a pocket cruiser, not a day-sailor. Other advantages of the wing keel are being able to sail out of shallow marinas (we're experiencing major low water levels in the Great Lakes); also, the boat may be easier to load and trailer because of the shallower keel depth. The major disadvantage of the wing keel on the 272 is the ability to sail to windward. My boat will tack through no less than 100-110 degrees to windward. You'll probably find that to be the case with most 272 sailors. The boat has a (relatively) wide beam for a 27' boat to allow for the accomodations below, but that is a hindrance to sailing close-hauled. I think that the underwater hull shape limits the pointing ability of the boat as well. If you have other questions about the boat, get in touch with me through the Boat Reviews. Tom
