Dating a Macwester 27?

[C08]

Daughter is looking at a 1972(maybe) model and I am trying to help her be clear about the boat.
My questions are:-

What year did the mast lower and masthead stays chainplates become inboard rather than the as straps showing on the hull?
The early 27's had wooden toeboards but later ones had GRP moulded mini gunwalls. Any ideas what year this came in?

The definitive way of ensuring a 27 is a 27 and not a 26 is hull and rudder photos showing the iron keels and the better rudder shape - in the absence of those shots which may not be forthcoming is there a definative way of ensuring a 27 rather than 26, apart from the sheet winches being sloping rather than horizontal?

She is thinking of buying unseen, not a good idea IMNSHO, but these are unusual times.

 

[geem]

Daughter is looking at a 1972(maybe) model and I am trying to help her be clear about the boat.
My questions are:-

What year did the mast lower and masthead stays chainplates become inboard rather than the as straps showing on the hull?
The early 27's had wooden toeboards but later ones had GRP moulded mini gunwalls. Any ideas what year this came in?

The definitive way of ensuring a 27 is a 27 and not a 26 is hull and rudder photos showing the iron keels and the better rudder shape - in the absence of those shots which may not be forthcoming is there a definative way of ensuring a 27 rather than 26, apart from the sheet winches being sloping rather than horizontal?

She is thinking of buying unseen, not a good idea IMNSHO, but these are unusual times.

The front hatch was a different design on the 27 and 26.

 

[Amlov]

I assume that you have visited the owners association website and perhaps asked questions there. They always used to be an active and well informed group and I am sure that they can give you lots of advice.

If you haven't found them yet, here is their website.

Home Page - Macwester Owners Association

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Macwester sold the moulds to Atlanta Marine and they produced the 27 with a few changes. Personally, I have never seen a Macwester with inboard chainplates. The 27 differs to the 26 especially the deeper keels and rudder. To my knowledge, all Macwesters had wooden rubbing strake with wooden gunwales covered in grp. The bow was raised on later boats. The Macwester original engines were Volvo Penta MD11C, if it has been maintained, it will be ok. They are heavy and solid boats with a lot of space inside and standing headroom. About 15 years ago there was a Frenchman sailing a Macwester 27 around the world. There is not a lot to go wrong with these boats, I had a 31ft Macwester for many years, same hull as the 27, just longer. Have a look at the Macwester Association website.

 

[LittleSister]

She is thinking of buying unseen, not a good idea IMNSHO, but these are unusual times.

Tell her not to!

It looks like travel will be allowed in just a few weeks, and even if she misses out on this boat there will be plenty of others along soon.

 

[pvb]

She is thinking of buying unseen, not a good idea IMNSHO, but these are unusual times.

A 50 year old boat? Unseen? Madness.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

A 50 year old boat? Unseen? Madness.

I totally agree, it could be a wreck

 

[geem]

Macwester sold the moulds to Atlanta Marine and they produced the 27 with a few changes. Personally, I have never seen a Macwester with inboard chainplates. The 27 differs to the 26 especially the deeper keels and rudder. To my knowledge, all Macwesters had wooden rubbing strake with wooden gunwales covered in grp. The bow was raised on later boats. The Macwester original engines were Volvo Penta MD11C, if it has been maintained, it will be ok. They are heavy and solid boats with a lot of space inside and standing headroom. About 15 years ago there was a Frenchman sailing a Macwester 27 around the world. There is not a lot to go wrong with these boats, I had a 31ft Macwester for many years, same hull as the 27, just longer. Have a look at the Macwester Association website.

The Macwester original engines were two or four stroke petrol engines. It must have been later models or replacement engines for the horrible Stuart Turner units that were VPs

 

[dunkelly]

Had ours 3 years now after sailing many thousand of miles in our bigger boat and we love it . Sea kindly good weight to her , slow but steady . Nice space , a great starter boat or downsize boat in our
case . But do agree never buy a boat without seeing it .

 

[steve yates]

I love boats, but thats a step too far. I'll stick to the opposite sex!

 

[seadog30]

We had one as our first "big boat", they are built like a brick outhouse , however they also sail like one.
Avoid
A Centur is a much better bet

good luck

 

[geem]

We had one as our first "big boat", they are built like a brick outhouse , however they also sail like one.
Avoid
A Centur is a much better bet

good luck

Agreed. My Dad had a Macwester 26 with a Stuart Turner 8hp two stroke inboard. It was the worse boat and engine known to man. It did nothing well.

 

[C08]

We had one as our first "big boat", they are built like a brick outhouse , however they also sail like one.
Avoid
A Centur is a much better bet

good luck

I would disagree, the Mac 27 is a more solidly constructed hull than a Centaur (think the widely reported between the keels weakness). I would agree that the mac 26 does not sail as well as the Centaur however the 27 has deeper keels, a better rudder and bigger rig than the 26.

 

[C08]

A 50 year old boat? Unseen? Madness.

Yes, I am working on dissuading her but you will perhaps know about children and parental advice. She is now at the age where she feels she has outgrown advice, earns good money and now knows better. How did I get to this age and know so little?