ericson sailboats

[wes buckner]

can anyone tell me about the ericson 27'.how its built is it a circumnavigator,can it handle swells and gails in the ocean and how hard is it to convert to wheel steering.what size deisel engine is best suited for an upgrade from an a-4.basically can it handle bermuda to bahamas and on down further past the equater?i know alot depends on the captain and experience but with so many different sailboats on the market i have a limmited budget and have to sail older and cheaper.but still look for adventure so any help would be appreciated.

 

[Miles]

Ericsons

I've sailed on Ericson 32 and 35s but never a 27. Ericsons in general are pretty good boats, suprisingly fast given their traditional design. The company folded a while ago but I think Pacific Seacraft bought the molds and might still be making a few.As far as repowering and switching to wheel steering I'm afraid that might exceed the cost of the boat by a fair margin. The old gas A-4s are pretty scary but a new diesel is big $$. Wheel steering on a 27 might be a little tough to do too, tillers work pretty well on a boat that size. Wouldn't be my first choice for a long ocean passage but I'm sure you could have lots of fun messing around in it!