What's a good 27' sailboat to learn to sail on?

Question

I am thinking of taking sailing lessons and buying a boat. I live near the water and I am thinking of getting a 27 footer and keeping it at the marina down the street. Of course I can't afford the 30' Bavaria but I am thinking of a cheaper used starter. Any suggestions??

Answer 1

First thing in learning to sail is to go sailing. Check for a local sailing (yacht) club. They always have racers that are looking for crew members. You will probably start out as variable ballast, moving from rail to rail correcting the heal of the boat. then as you gain experience will move to other positions on the boat. Racing makes some of the sailing skills more demanding, but if you can drive a Nascar around a track at 200 mph, you should be able to drive a car to the corner grocery store.

By going you will be exposed to a large number of boats and sailors that love to talk about their sport. Will answer any questions or show you what you want. Most of the sailors either own several boats or have own several boats. Best of all its free or they will at least buy you lunch for crewing for them.

They will also recommend or warn you about specific sailing schools. Some you get a lot for your money or some will just take your money.

As for the previous answers, I love to sail a Hobie but they are hard to learn to tack, and are not self righting.
And bigger is not better, a large boat takes more effort to sail due to larger sails and larger forces acting on it. A 27' sailboat normally takes 4-5 people to race effectively. It can though be sailed by oneself.

Answer 2

I would say a Catalina, Bahama Islander or Pearson. Each one would make a really good starter boat. Biggest bang for the buck so to speak. I've found Catalina, Islander and Pearson, historically make the most efficient use of available cabin space and are a pleasure to sail. Each can be "one handed," meaning handled/sailed by one person quite easily and with a crew of two they're a breeze. Also there were a great many of these boats made over the last 30 years so finding one shouldn't be a problem. They all hold their value and when you're ready for a bigger boat... and you WILL want a bigger boat, you'll get most of your investment back as long as you take good care of it and keep it well maintained. Something you need to know first, boats are best known as a "hole in the water you constantly throw money into." A more true statement has never been made. But there's nothing better than a good wind and a solid sailboat to take advantage of it with.

A word of advice, before you look at getting a boat... Think about a trailer sailor in the beginning. One that you have to keep in the water can get real expensive real fast when you're paying slip fees. That rental must be paid whether you're getting to use your boat or not. With a trailerable you don't have the slip rental and it will suffice until you get a feel for just how much you'll be using your boat. I say this because slip fees can be very expensive and if you live in an area where you have to pull the boat in winter, (meaning take it out of the water,) that can be expensive as well. Also, with a smaller boat you can do your own bottom jobs and save a few bucks there as well. (By a "few" I mean hundreds to a little over a thousand once ever three to five years.) Frequency of the need for a bottom job depends on where you have your boat in the water. One you trailer home may not need a bottom job for as long as you own it if you maintain it right.

Also, stay away from the older Bayliners. They're cheap but they're slugs. You'll hate it within a month of ownership.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Hunter 27 Sailboat

Answer 4

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RE:
What's a good 27' sailboat to learn to sail on?
I am thinking of taking sailing lessons and buying a boat. I live near the water and I am thinking of getting a 27 footer and keeping it at the marina down the street. Of course I can't afford the 30' Bavaria but I am thinking of a cheaper used starter. Any suggestions??

Answer 5

Many good used for cheap. Main thing be sure the Sails and main need stuff in good shape. Country Boy does make a good point for learning. Small craft seem to let you know when you make a mistake, like over trimming sails and etc. A larger boat seem to be more forgiving and you not notice small mistakes for learning. If, you understand what I saying. But, my first sailboat to learn on was a 24 footer.
It really depends on what you want to spend, but, if you wanting that 30' Bavaria later, just spend the minimum now and save the rest for later. ;-)

Answer 6

Robert, If you want to learn to sail a 16 foot Hobie Cat is a great place to start. They are extremely responsive to the slightest manual adjustment as you learn. If the rudders are adjusted properly the tiller is light with a touch of weather helm (centering of the rudders). The main and jib sheets are easy to reach to control the ultra high responsiveness of the boat. It's very important to have a flag type wind indicator connected to the bridal vane to keep an eye on wind direction as it's constantly changing especially on a lake.
The whole concept is exactly like learning to ride a bicycle except you have more to do.
Learn to sail tight to weather first (up wind). This is the toughest to master because of the huge sail and the lightness of the boat. Things happen very fast.
All other points of sail (direction) will fall into place like duck soup.
All big mono-hulls will feel like a lumber wagon but you'll know instantly the basics.

Answer 7

Hunter 27, the Cherubini design 1976-1984. OK, (disclaimer) that is what I have and have survived. As mentioned elsewhere, any boat in this range needs a professional survey. Also, treat every boat as an individual and do not rely on a certain design, model, brand as "good". The smaller boats are fine for learning if you are comfortable in the water. I started sailing a bit late in life and am far more comfortable on the water than in it, so a larger craft was in order. The Hunter 27 can be responsive to conditions which forces you to learn but it is solid and will survive while you learn "what to do, when." (To be honest, there are other builders who do just as well, but always have a professional inspection.)

Answer 8

The boat itself is a good size for sailing, depending on exactly what make and model. Boats designed for racing will have more adjustments, and are generally harder to sail than a cruising model. Be that as it may, I most definitly do not reccommend just jumping on and taking off. Sailing takes a lot of practice to be able to do well, especially in close quarters. It's risking your life and those around you to try to learn on the fly. Absolutely take lessons, preferable with boats of about that size before going off alone, or with friends. Check in the phone book / online for sailing schools around you, or if that doesn't work, check nearby yacht clubs, they will sometimes offer lessons or be able to recommend a sailing school.

Answer 9

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...Biggest novice sailor's mistake is to buy the boat first. Years of experience & good advice tells me that the important question is: Is it the ACTIVITY or the OBJECT you want to pursue. A 27 foot boat is not a good training boat. Many people new to sailing spend too much money on too much of a boat only to try to unload for what they really want/need later. Learn on the same boat you take lessons on.Visit your local sailing club for info & guidance. Lake Erie is no place to be learning on a 27' boat. Concerning the cabin type boat: Anything you want to do on a sailboat is cheaper & more comfortable on dry land. ie: Eating, sleeping & making love.Centerboards: A Flying Scot or Highlander would be good choices..One-design is the operative word to insure a marketable boat & plenty of advice & assistance..Google the boats..Fair sailing.

Answer 10

There are a few older boats in the 24' + range that are very forgiving to beginners. The J24, The Colgate 26, The Rainbow, Pearson and O'day made a few reliable if unenthusiastic models in this size range. These boats are used by lots of sailing schools. You might be best using theirs and letting them deal with the maintenance etc. while you learn then buying one of your own.