Older C27s
Steve: Boy, I wish I knew how many years they made the dinette model. I think they started a few years after hull #1 & kept on going till they stopped producing them. Your next question was regarding switching from an inboard to an outboard. The impression I got was that the inboard was completely removed, is that right? If so, everything should be hunky-dory but I'd check how they took care of the thru-hulls for the engine. If this was a perfect world, they would have been completely removed & glassed over. The fewer holes in your boat the better! BUT, I somehow doubt they did that. If the thru-hulls are still intact but not attached to anything, make sure they're in good shape, first of all (if you intend on leaving them there), and then I'd probably attach something to make sure they couldn't accidentally open. You might check with your surveyor on what he/she suggests. Other than that, I don't see any reason why you'd have a problem with an outboard. I have an outboard on my C27 (which was built for it) & it works fine. I do long for an inboard to make backing out of the slip a little easier but, whatever. Your next question was regarding dead gelcoat. That's what you're going to see with older boats. Gelcoat wasn't meant to last forever, although it can come close with meticulous maintenance. I'm guessing you're seeing a lot of gelcoat crazing cracks, dull, oxidized gelcoat and a generally tired look to the boats you've seen. That's how my boat looked when I bought her. I spent an entire summer chasing out each and every crazing crack (which are purely cosmetic, BTW) with my Dremel, filling with polyester putty, sanding fair and then painting the entire boat. The result: GORGEOUS! But it's not the course I'd recommend. It was a lot of tiring, boring, tedious work and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy! But that is one way to make an old boat look new. You could also try using something like Macguire's Heavy Oxiation Rubbing Compound and a high speed buffer to turn the gelcoat inside out. After that, use their wax & the buffer to get a high shine effect. If the gelcoat is too far gone, thought, you run the risk of eating right through it so use a light hand with the buffer. As far as things to look for, make sure the sails are in acceptable condition (this can mean different things to different people), all the thru-hulls are solid, the motor is running and the deck is solid. The wise thing to do would be to have a surveyor take a look for you. They look for things you or I wouldn't even think about! C-27s are great boats and have a tremendous following. Well known & well built so the resale value should be good. Look for a good buy - I met a guy last weekend who picked one up for $2000 & she was in really good shape! I just about slashed my wrists on that one!!! Generally, though, you're looking at anywhere between $6500 to $12,000 depending on year and condition. Good luck & keep us posted! LaDonna
