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Is 12 hp adequate hp on a P27?

2777 Views 11 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  marcberoz
I'm going to look at a Pearson 27 with a 12 horse power Universal engine. I will sail the boat on Buzzards Bay, MA where there is considerable current and chop. Can this engine push the boat at or near hull speed?
Thanks for your help.
Marc
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I'd say yes since even 30 ft boats have 11hp like some of the Catalina 30s.
Depends on the gross weight. Rule of thumb is 2 to 4 hp per ton. 2 for light duty, 4 for "heavy" duty.

And don't forget fouling will add extra load to the engine.

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i propelled a columbia 26 at 5+ kts with a 6 hp evinrude... dont see why your combo wouldnt work.
That is the stock engine on the boat, and it is a reasonably light boat. I wouldn't have any concerns.
Apparently the engine is a Universal 12 but only generates 10 hp. Don't really understand that but have seen references to that on-line and also spoke with a prior Pearson salesman who said the same thing. His opinion was "the engine is marginal but not horrible". Sure looks like there were a lot more Universal 12hp that were sold rather than the 18hp engine. Thanks everyone for your comments.
Marc
For that boat 12 hp is plenty. I have a slightly larger/heavier boat with a Yanmar 2gm20, which puts out about 16hp, and that is far more than I need.
I'm going to look at a Pearson 27 with a 12 horse power Universal engine. I will sail the boat on Buzzards Bay, MA where there is considerable current and chop. Can this engine push the boat at or near hull speed?
Thanks for your help.
Marc
It depends. Your Bill Shaw designed P27 displaces approximately 5,800 lbs. Certainly, in calm and even moderate conditions, you can sustain hull speed for extended periods at less than WOT. It is certainly adequate to get you in and out of your slip, in relatively protected environment, in almost any conditions. The only area of concern would be extended motoring/motorsailing in adverse conditions, pounding into chop and waves, for hours at a time, because you may have to push the engine close to WOT. I would rather sail in those conditions, if at all possible, so I rarely motor into chop except to get out into the river. If it is an older engine, with older seals and less than optimal cooling, you may be stressing it at WOT for hours on end. You will also be burning much more fuel. My boat will cruise at 4 kts, burning a miserly half a gallon an hour; at 5 - 5.5 kts., it burns about 2/3 to 1 gallon per hour. That extra knot and a half requires a lot more energy.

I owned a P26 at 5,500 displacement with an adequate 15 hp outboard and I now own at P28 at 7,800 displacement with an adequate 24 hp diesel inboard. The 24 h.p. inboard is sufficient to power through wind and chop. If I push the engine for hours in the summer, in warm water, at closer to hull speed, it seems to leak more oil and I have to be watchful about overheating.
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I had a Cape Dory 25D which by the book, displaced 5100 pounds, but actually weighed 8000 when I hauled it out at three years of age with all of my junk on it.

It had a 7.5 HP one cylinder Yanmar 1GM on it that would push it at about 5.5 knots wide open.
OK. I won't shy away from the 12 - now just need the opportunity to see the boat. The present owner may not be able to show it to me until after another potential buyer sees it. I'll let you know... In the meantime, if you hear of a P27 for sale in the northeast (other than what is presently on Yachtworld) let me know.

I took a look at a very nice P30 in Barrington RI. It is offered at a good price and in great shape
Thanks for the heads up on the P30 but I'm still set on the 27.

Forgot to update you folks on the 27 we looked at in April. The boat was still on the hard. When we got there the owner said he had received an e-mail from a fellow that morning who was willing to buy the boat sight unseen. The boat looked good for the asking price but the owner did not want me to sea trial it or even put it in the water and start the engine. I could see his point. He had the promise of getting cash now and here I was saying I'd like to look more closely at the boat (and possibly backing out of the deal depending on what I found).

Apparently his e-mail buyer bought the boat since I did not see it reappear in the 'for sale' ads.

Looked at another boat being sold by a broker and it was crap. That one is still for sale.

So anyway, I'm still looking.
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