New to all of this?

[kerryonc27]

Hello all!
Just registered and looking forward to being part of the group. My wife and I are looking at a C27 to begin our sailing journey. We have no previous experience but sailing has been on my bucket list for years. At first we will use the boat as our get away until we learn the skills to sail. There is no rush and will take one step at a time. The boat is a 74 with a VolvoPenta MD1 inboard deisel, the boat has gone thru 3 yrs. of renovations and upgrades. All new sails..never used..new upholstered cushions...new table and counter top...new dodger...new one burner Oreon stove...new holding tank...new electrical and so on. We are making a trade for my 72 MGB which they have always wanted. No deal has been finalized yet and am thinking of having a marine survey completed?
I'm looking for info. on original manuals and good interior/exterior photos of a 74 C27.
Thanks and looking forward to any helpful info. than can be offered.
Thanks,
Ron

 

[Ajay73]

I would check the keel stub for a wet core. Up untill 1988 C27's used 1 1/2 inches of plywood in the keel stub with about an 1/8 inch of fiberglass on top of the wood. I would think that almost all of the C27's with the plywood in the stub are wet. Just too difficult to keep water from getting into it from around the keelbolts. Check the keelbolts too. Before 1980 I think they used reugular steel or maybe galvanized, but you will find corrosion on a lot of them. Depends on how dry the keel sump was kept.

 

[CCHer]

Ditto what Ajay said and definitely subject the deal to a survey from a reputable surveyor. But it appears from your description to be well maintained and upgraded. My old boat had an MD 11 Volvo which was bullet proof though they made maintenace parts proprietary thus expensive. Good luck!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Welcome. Sounds like you have a winner.

This is a good inspection tutorial: http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=102541

There's also this resource:

www.catalina27.org

 

[mortyd]

some advice.

i come from an aviation background, which is one of the most organizded and unopinionated fields of human endeavour. BE VERY SKEPTICAL OF ALL ADVICE you are given except from proven sources. read, read and read; particularly the boat and engine manuals.

check anything you can with equipment manufatcurers, not anonymous sources. i have found manufacturers to be unfiormly helpful.

subsceribe to practical sailor. sometimes a year can go by with ps testing nothing of interest to you, and then something will save you the cost of the subscription for years.

be very careful of the weather. hanging out on the boat to avoid a thunderstorm that never comes is hot a waste of time.

always wear lifevests. most people tossed off sailboats are injured in the process so how well you can swim may not matter.

take lessons from a good school, especially if they will teach on your own boat.

 

[mortyd]

and a free plug, deal with defender industries for your boat shopping neeeds. they actually have people who know what they're talking about and defender is an honest business.

 

[mortyd]

stu, a problem with some of this advice is that, at least on long island sound, good boats are generally well known, at least among local sailors and brokers, and are rarely leisurely for sale. literally as i was closing on my boat somebody offered three grand more than i was paying and that was eight great sailing years ago. gladly he was five minutes too late.

 

[kerryonc27]

Thank you all for your comments and advice. I will take all very seriously and take baby steps thru this process.
When I was approached for a trade I checked what folks had to say about the Catalina 27 and those with 1974's were quite happy with their boats. It seems a very stable well designed craft that offers ample galley space making it comfortable for over night trips. I realize the boat is older, but from what I've read TLC goes along way.
Thanks again,

 

[jrowan]

Hey Mortyd, If you are so skeptical of taking advice on a forum such as this, than why do you give so much of it?

To Kerryonc: good luck with you new boat purchase, and beware of advice from those who don't take the time to proof read any of their posts for correct spelling or punctuation (my posts included - hah).

 

[mortyd]

because people like stu and others contribute worthwhile answers.

what i said, for those who paid attention, is that i come from an aviaton background where misinformation and opinion is almost never encountered unlike sailing where it is endemic. you are quite welcome to listen to whoever you chose. and, since you are fond of quoting mark twain, 'commmon wisdom is neither.'

 

[jrowan]

because people like stu and others contribute worthwhile answers.

what i said, for those who paid attention, is that i come from an aviaton background where misinformation and opinion is almost never encountered unlike sailing where it is endemic. you are quite welcome to listen to whoever you chose. and, since you are fond of quoting mark twain, 'commmon wisdom is neither.'

You seem uptight Mortyd, it was just a joke. I thought that sailing was supposed to be relaxed & enjoyed. Perhaps you should do more of it.

If you are found of the great Mark Twain here are some other words of his to live by:
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
- Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
- Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.
- It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.
It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.
- Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
- Always do right; this will gratify some and astonish the rest.
- The fear of death follows from the fear of life.
A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.
- Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.
- It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.
- Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time, and it annoys the pig.
- Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.
- Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.
- The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice.
- The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it.
- Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?
- It is better to be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
- Mark Twain

 

[kerryonc27]

You seem uptight Mortyd, it was just a joke. I thought that sailing was supposed to be relaxed & enjoyed. Perhaps you should do more of it.

If you are found of the great Mark Twain here are some other words of his to live by:
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
- Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
- Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.
- It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.
It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.
- Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
- Always do right; this will gratify some and astonish the rest.
- The fear of death follows from the fear of life.
A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.
- Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.
- It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.
- Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time, and it annoys the pig.
- Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.
- Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.
- The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice.
- The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it.
- Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?
- It is better to be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
- Mark Twain

Hi.... don't want to be a goof about this,but why has my thread become a general chat room?
I appreciated all the thoughtful comments and advice that was provided and look forward to reading more.
For those who are interested I found a very helpful site with sailing classes on short videos. www.sailingtexas.com
Enjoy!!

 

[mortyd]

some tips i've learned, the first three from doctors. keep some fresh water to flush your head - salt water in the holding tank is asking for problems, keep a good first aid book aboard, use hygrogen peroxide to disinfect the fresh water tank - not clorox, and keep your ignition key around your engine seacock and it's impossible to motor with the seacock closed.

 

[kerryonc27]

Thanks Mortyd...these are great tips! Although I probably won't see sea water, any maint. information is welcome. How long have you been sailing?
Thanks for you help.