Best-quality 27 foot interior 10+ years

[ManfredOrlow]

We're planning to buy a comfortable, with bells and whistles, 27 footer for inland lake use next spring. Needs to have inboard engine, roller furling, and wheel steering, shoal draft if possible. We're both seniors and need comfort above all else. Ohio sailor. Any tips?

[sailingdog]

Most boats in that size range are tiller steered, so the wheel-steering requirement is going to cut down the possible choices quite a bit.

Does it have to be 27'—if it has to be 27', that cuts out a lot of boats that might be suitable as well.

Roller furling can be added to most boats, and most will come with it nowadays.

Inboard engines are a bit rare on 27' boats.

It would help a lot if you said what your budget for the boat was.... even if it is only a rough budget. Also, do you need/want standing headroom? What about a galley? Do you want a marine head or would you be okay with a porta-pottie?

Are you going to be daysailing, weekending or cruising longer term?

If going out for more than a weekend, would you be marina hopping, grabbing a mooring, or anchoring out?

Answering all of these questions will help determine what kind of boat would be suitable for what you're going to be doing with the boat.

BTW, what do you mean by inland lake use. The Great Lakes are inland lakes, but require a pretty seaworthy craft to sail them, especially if you're going to go on longer voyages.

Originally Posted by ManfredOrlow

We're planning to buy a comfortable, with bells and whistles, 27 footer for inland lake use next spring. Needs to have inboard engine, roller furling, and wheel steering, shoal draft if possible. We're both seniors and need comfort above all else. Ohio sailor. Any tips?

[dhays]

I'm guessing the inboard engine is to avoid the muscle involved with raising or lowering and outboard? I can understand that, but as SD mentioned, not too many boats in that size range with inboard engines that I know of. If you go up a foot or two, you will significantly increase your comfort factor without increasing the work and would have lots of choices in boats with inboard diesels.

As for the wheel, I don't understand. A tiller is simple, effective, and easy. Tiller mounted autohelms work great. The only disadvantage I see on that size of a boat is that the tiller sweeps the cockpit.

[BarryL]

Hey,

Off of the top of my head, some boats that would meet your needs include the Catalina 27, Newport 27, O'day 27. I think that Sabre and Tartan made 27' boats (they may be 28').

There are a bunch of 28' boats that would have your requirements as well.

Good luck,
Barry

[mikel1]

Ericson 27, has all you ask for...

[MarkCK]

If you went newer than new years old finding the inboard and wheel steering wouldn't be that much of a challenge. I read somewhere that most people want those options nowadays when they buy them new.

Personally I like tiller steering, but that's really all that I have sailed with.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by BarryL

Hey,

Off of the top of my head, some boats that would meet your needs include the Catalina 27, Newport 27, O'day 27. I think that Sabre and Tartan made 27' boats (they may be 28').

There are a bunch of 28' boats that would have your requirements as well.

Good luck,
Barry

We don't know what the budget is, but that's a very good starter list.

The Catalina 27 with the inboard diesel and wheel is the somewhat less common variant, but it is actually a pretty nice set-up. Smackdaddy has a C27, maybe he could fill in some info there.

If it doesn't have to be EXACTLY 27', the Capri 26 (very similar and also built by Catalina) can also be had with an inboard diesel. Not sure about wheel, though.

Another 27 footer with wheel option and inboard diesel is the Pacific Seacraft Orion 27.

If there is wiggle room on the length, the Shannon 28 would be another option. As would loads of other boats.

[bljones]

Hake Seaward 25/26 should be on your list. It's too bad about that size requirement- my boat (which may be going on the market this fall) has an inboard diesel, roller furling, and wheel steering, but it's only 23 feet long.

[eMKay]

Largest and most comfortable interior in a 27' boat, Hunter 27, 1976-1984, I looked at pretty much every boat that size, and this one had the best interior. And by far the best cockpit (1980 and up only) Ericson 27 was almost as good but doesn't sail nearly as well as the Hunter.

[jackytdunaway]

I am partial but a Pearson P27-2 fits the bill very nicely.

Pearson 27