I'd sure like to see some C&C owners check in with this forum. I bought a 35' Landfall last year, love the boat, and would like to be able to chat with other owners about occasional mechanical and other concerns. She's presently on the hard at a Chesapeake Bay marina, not too far from the Solomon's, and, as soon as the nightime temps get consistently above freezing, I'll be headed that way to give her a couple coats of antifouling and launch her for the season.
So which layout do you have in your Landfall 35-- traditional or table forward? We looked at one last year that had the table forward design, and it looked like a great design for a cruising couple.
We have two kids, so... Anyway, we ended up with a C&C 27 we really like, as a daysailor and short trip cruiser.
My boat has the traditional layout. I've only seen photos of the table forward layout. I spent a lot of time on it last summer, and found it comfortable and versatile. It was easy to convert the table into a double when I had two guests last summer.
My prior experience with C&Cs was limited, but the ones I've seen sail well and are solidly built. I imagine the 27 is ideal for weekending and short cruises, and it'd probably be a good club racer, if you're into that.
We're planning on cruising for a week or more this summer on our 27 (with the kids) on the Columbia River, and after we learn to use the spinnakers we plan to do some beercan races. The boat was raced previously, has 14 sails, tuffluff, and other goodies that should make performance sailing fun.
We liked the 35, but we were just comfortable with the 27 as an easier-to-handle boat on the river for the next couple of years. So far, so good, and it won't be long before my wife is taking it out with friends, leaving me on the dock...
If your boat is equipped that well for racing, then it probably has a smooth, clean, bottom and keel, and it should have good raw speed. Also, the 27 should be a lot easier for your wife to learn on than the 35. It sounds like you made a good choice.
The previous owner of my boat was a cruiser, and the bottom had a layer of old paint on it that was much too thick to suit an old racer. I did a bottom job, and it sails pretty well now, but not as well as I'd like. The next time, I'm planning on stripping it all off, so it'll be easier to sail it to its handicap or better. I bought the Landfall because it's a tough cruising boat with good overall performance. It'll never be a racer, but I'd like it to be able to sail up to it's design capability, so I can beat all those other "tough cruising boats with good overall performance."
Also, the 27 should be a lot easier for your wife to learn on than the 35. It sounds like you made a good choice.
It'll never be a racer, but I'd like it to be able to sail up to it's design capability, so I can beat all those other "tough cruising boats with good overall performance."
My wife helps with the teaching of women's sailing courses locally, and in a couple of weeks she'll be doing an on-the-water class for two women with our Cal 20. Next year, I'm sure she'll be using the 27 for the class, going out without me, discovering that I'm a supernumery... The bottom is clean, the rigging is only a few years old, the Atomic 4 runs well. We're happy (and can afford to save for "the next boat.")
As for your 35, how long of cruises have you done or planning? I found a site with a couple with a Landfall 38 who appear to be enjoying themselves in the Carib. Here's a link to their upgrades page:
Your wife sounds like an excellent sailor. I sailed into Annapolis Harbor last summer while a major women's regatta was going on, and it was impressive to see so many women sailors with so much skill. In the midwest, where I come from, it's unusual for a woman to become interested enough in sailing to develop enough skill and self-confidence to handle a sailboat by herself. I knew a few, but not many.
I just bought the C&C 35 last spring, and sailed it on the Chesapeake all summer. I spent some time learning the boat's mechanical systems, and it's rigging, replaced some outdated equipment, and raced it a little, cruised it, tried it out in a storm, and generally got acquainted with it. As soon as I can get things taken care of at home, I'll be going out to the boat to spend the summer on the bay again, and then in the fall, I'm planning to take her to Florida and probably the Bahamas, and perhaps elsewhere in the Carib for the winter. There's no firm plan. Now that I'm retired, I can go wherever the wind blows.
Hey everybody! Don't know if anybody is still interested with this thread, my boyfriend and I bought a C&C 36' in November 2005, and after much elbow grease, launched Sunday! It's currently in a Chesaopeake Bay Marina bout halfway up the Potomac and we are sailing it home to Norfolk next Sunday. Always looking for C&C people to chat with!
The bottom is clean, the 
