engine access on older cat 27s ...is it that bad?

[william]

i am considering a cat 27 as my next boat. i have a hunter 23 now. there are so many different variations of the cat27 over the years its a bit confusing. one thing i have heard about repetedly is the inaccessability of the engine. can i hear some oppinions on this. i have never had a diesel and know nothing about them therefore i am a little scared of them. if it broke i wouldn't have a clue where to start looking. the old atomic 4 gas would be another matter....i have built several gas engines and would not be uncomfortable at all doing a complete rubuild.....but i digress.are the engines/transmissions/bearings et al really that hard to get to and service on these boats. my preferance would be to have it right out in the open where i can crawl on all sides and underneath!! mechanical service upkeep and relaibility are paramount on any boat that i consider. i have considered the outboard version. thoughts?? does the outboard fit completely in a "well"? is this a working solution or a kluge?tia....william

 

[Bob Camarena]

Go for an outboard

In my opinion, the C-27 with an outboard is your best choice. It sails faster and is cheaper and easier to repair or replace.Unless you are in a location with heavy swells, consistent headwinds and lots of motoring, the outboard would be the best choice.As an added benefit you get loads of storage space where the inboard would have been.If you check out the archives you should find several postings on this topic.