Newport 27

[tpohara]

Tring to find any info or opinions on the older Newport 27s (I've only tracked down a couple of articles on 28s so far). I haven't looked at the particular boat yet (last survey is 2006), but it seems reasonable enough to take SD's list of things to look for and spend a morning looking.

I don't expect it to be a long passage offshor boat, but if she's in good shape would it be reasonable in calmer summer weather to think about sailing her down the Columbia, up the Washington coast, and through the straight of Jaun de Fuca to the Puget sound? Or was she just too basic a boat to hope to handle something that vigorous.

I wouldn't try to take it out until I had picked up a good bit of time on the river in all weather, but really, does anyone think it can take the passage safely?

Alternately, if the boat is halfway decent, does this model ship well (say to Olympia, just about 100m north of it's current berth).

I just can't afford the blue water boats I wanted, but something that would spend it's life on the sound and in the San Juans would be nice.

Your opinions welcomed... thanks.

[Moonfish]

The N27, provided it is sound in terms of rigging, sails, engine, etc, should be able to make it up the WA coast to the San Juans in good weather. Shipping is no problem, the boat is smaller than others that make the same trip up and down I-5 every year.

Hopefully someone who is more active on this site than I can address my next item, and that is the Sailnet email lists. First of all, do they still exist? Reason I bring it up is when I owned my Newport 28 (my first boat), I gleaned most of my info off the Newport list. I see there are archived lists, but not sure what happened after July 08, which is the last message on the Newport archive.

Anyway, tpohara, try searching through the Newport email list archive. There was a very active group of owners, many of them 27 owners. You could mine a lot of great data there.

[Faster]

A passage down the Columbia and up into Puget Sound is do-able with a well found example of a boat like the N27, as long as you pick a good weather window.

However unless you're specifically after that experience, trucking the boat to Olympia will be quicker, perhaps cheaper and less stressful in the long run, esp if you don't have a great deal of experience outside sheltered waters.

You can avoid the nastier weather of winter, of course, but even so westerlies in the 30 knot range are not uncommon in Juan De Fuca strait and that stretch of water can be a bit intimidating too. Fog and heavy commercial traffic is another thing to worry about.

But as I said if you're specifically after a short "offshore" hop (technically this wouldn't really qualify as offshore) then pick your weather and go when you feel you (and your boat) are up to it!

[rappitysnap]

i owned a 1970 n27 for about 7 years. sailed it frequently up and down the coast of florida. and over to the bahamas to the abacos and cruised around there for 3 months. the boat handled well for coastal cruising and did just fine crossing the gulf stream in a 20 kt north east wind. i just had a 9.9 outboard for power but only started the thing once the whole trip because the boat sailed well in light winds and was easily handled. the only issues she had were the compression post warping and one soft spot on the deck. i think there good tough boats in my opinion.

[tpohara]

Thanks, all. I appreciate the time and input. Have discovered that where I might want to put the boat for now has (dare I say it) limited docking... I can hear the gasp as I'm sure you are all shocked

Moonfish: it looked to me like the Newport group went to Yahoo ( newportsailboats : Newport Sailboats - For Owners and admirers of Newport Sailboats ). There is also a site that includes Newport specs and such ( Newport, Neptune, Gulf sailboats built by Capital Yachts ). Thanks for the reminder to look for specific other groups, though.