Performance of the H 27 in coastal waters

[Jim]

I have been considering buying an H 27(with a diesel inboard) to replace a boat which I recently lost due to storm damage. Because of the H 27's relatively low ballast,I am concerned about the vessel's handling and characteristics in coastal waters with seas as high as 4 to 6 feet and winds up to 20 mph. I have also read conflicting reports as to what wind speed require reefing the main. I would appreciate any information that H 27 owners who use their boats under such conditions can provide. Thanks

 

[Rich18890]

Look at the archives and you will see

that people who own H-27's think a lot of them.I have an 81. My boat handles very well in rough weather. I have had it 15 to 20 miles offshore in wind gusting to 30 knots-- no big deal.She will go over to about 15 deg. and stiffen up. It's hard to get her to go over much more than 20 or 25 deg. If you do not reef soon enough you can tell because she will not respond well to helm.A boat with a jib to the top of the mast and a short boom is made more or less for cruising as compared to racing. If you role your jib up when needed you would need a lot of wind to over power the main sail. That said I reef my main to help balance the boat. If your lazy you probably would not need to reef the main sail much at all on this my boat.

 

[john]

I have a 27 cherubini. They have the reputation

of being tanks in the water. Lots of weight and lots of momentum. They point great as well. I have the 4' fin keel. I love the boat and feel safe in it. I tend to refrain from high winds. My wife will not come with me under heavy seas. We have a cdi roller furler that I use under high winds. I also have a double reef in the main.I am not sure of the performance of the newer hunters. They have received lots of bashing as compared to the older cherubini design.

 

[chris]

stable boat

We have an 82 H27 on SF bay. We sail it in every condition you can imagine. I have sailed comfortably up to 19 knots without reefing. if the tide is working against the wind I reef at about 14-15 knots because of the larger swells. On occasion I have even sailed on the jib alone in the 15 knot range and sailed comfortably. This boat is incredibly stable in the wind and swell, which is one of the MANY reasons we love it!Chris

 

[Wan]

What Year????

What year boat are you considering? the 70's-80's h27 is vastly different than the 89-94 h27 I believe all the answers so far have been refering to the older h27. The newer ones are lighter and VERY stable if reefed over 15 kt. We have sailed ours in 25 kt winds in Lake Superior and have had it in 6 ft. seas in the Gulf. The boat will take more than I will. The older Cherubini h27 have the more traditional look. The newer ones have walk thru transom a more open and spacious design below.