Purchase of '78 C27

[Mark Fitzgerald]

I have been looking at a 1978 C27 as a first boat for my family. I have experience sailing (I crew on a C27 racer) but my family doen not. The first big question is how forgiving will the C27 be for my family to learn the basics of sailing. The second question is are there any particular areas of a '78 C27 to look closely at prior to purchasing. I will have the boat surveyed by a pro but would like to know if there are any specific problems with that production year. Thanks for the help and letting a beginer ask these questions.

 

[Bob Camarena]

Here's my 2 cents

Assuming that you are an experienced crew person on a C27, I would think that it would be a great choice for you and your family. Depending on how much experience you've had at the helm, you might want to ask your race boat captain for some more time. I'm sure that he or she would be happy to help out a potential C27 owner.With regard to your second question, there should be a wealth of information in the archives. Before having the boat surveyed, I'd ask my race boat captain to take a look at the boat. There are a lot of good C27s available at reasonable prices, so I'd be somewhat leery of a real fixer upper. A "cleaner upper" would be OK but I would look for an otherwise well maintained boat.

 

[Augie Byllott]

Irrespective of all else, remember that you are considering a boat that is 25 years old. If you put two of them side by side, one could be a gold-plater and the other a wreck. If you are unable to determine the condition yourself, paying for the services of an accredited surveyor will enable you to know whether you should grab it or run from it. A surveyor's report can often help get a lower price or some needed repairs at the seller's expense.