She 27 Alternative???

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Billy_Mizzen

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We’re looking for a new boat and currently I'm being pulled in the direction of an S&S She 27, I love the lines, potential upwind performance and pedigree. The downside for me is lack of accommodation and headroom.

We don’t really have a fixed budget, would consider a bit of a project but nothing of timber construction, the boats we have seen so far are in the £6 -9k region, any suggestions for a She alternative are very welcome?

We will use her mainly for cruising but also want to do some racing, so performance is important, preferably fractionally rigged/fin keel. She would have to be reasonably good looking but above all be a decent sea boat, any suggestions would be much appreciated!
 
Marcon Cutlass 27 - (think I have the brochure), MG 30, Pioneer, She 31 - 31B if budget allows, possibly Marieholm International Folkboat, there are loads, just depends whats around at the time one looks.

There was a Cutlass on E-bay not long ago, looked good in the ad', don't know if she's gone.
 
UFO 27, will likely find a few project UFO 27's on the boat sites.

Peter Poland wrote an interesting series on yacht designs for PBO last summer, each month covering a different size boat mostly from the 70's and 80's. If you could get hold of the half ton and 3/4 ton editions it may be of interest. He liked the SHE 27 also but size was an issue. He was very fond of the Van de Stadt Dehler 31, but it is likely going to mean a sizeable increase in budget.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvxhQO4pw2E
 
I'd be surprised if a Cutlass would be suitable for what the OP wants. A lovely traditionally-shaped long keeled boat like a bigger Folkboat, it has to be said (though I might be biased!) but surely not for racing? I think they're generally described as "quicker than they look"...
 
Hustler 30, never sailed one but used to crew on a 35, which was a boat I always aspired to but never managed it. Scampi would be a nice 30' again never owned one but raced against one and had a 26' version, sunbird, which I would love to find again. All had good ballast ratios so could be raced with a small crew. A friend had a carter 30 which he liked a lot....Also a trapper 28, limited accommodation but a great sailing boat. Have fun looking...
 
Avocet said:
I'd be surprised if a Cutlass would be suitable for what the OP wants. A lovely traditionally-shaped long keeled boat like a bigger Folkboat, it has to be said (though I might be biased!) but surely not for racing? I think they're generally described as "quicker than they look"...
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My mistake, was thinking of the Marcon Javelin, think I have the brochure for that too, and that was the boat on E-Bay recently - D'Oh !

I had a Carter 30, good boat, goes rather well, but will now be a money pit for sails, rig & engine; if the OP finds a good one then fine, but to be honest I was disappointed by the Polish build quality, also the bunks are stupid sizes - try lying down in ALL of them !

The Carter actually broaches badly in surf ( ie Chichester Bar ) even when not pushing luck, and when doing all the usual smart moves; the rudder simply stalls behind the full skeg then the sides dig in, no dumping the kicker or main will bring her back.

Tons of room & goodish chart table though, very versatile.

I would have mentioned the Carter but thought the OP was after a fine lined boat, will attach a pic of my old one; have to say I was happy to sell her and gain my Anderson 22 back, which actually handles much better and has human sized bunks !
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A Hustler 30 would probably tick most of the boxes, if I could find one at a reasonable price. There is a nice, early flush deck model for sale in Devon which has caught my eye, looks like quite a lot of work though.

I think a Cutlass would be a bit clunky for what I’m after; I’m pretty set on a fin keel, which would rule out an MG30, I’m personally not that keen on the look of the Pioneers (With the exception of the 10, but I think a 10 will be out of my budget range!), they have a great underwater profile but I just find the soap-dish look deck, slightly unattractive (fussy I know!).

A UFO 27 might do the trick, a Holman & Pye design which draws me, anyone have experience of these ? I like the look of the Carter, thanks for posting the pics, was she a 30 footer and was she based on a ½ tonner?

Thanks for all the ideas!
 
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I guess I have to mention the Varne 27, a fin and skeg design, so well behaved in a chop. A little roomier than the SHE 27, but if you want more headroom you need the Weston variant. The lack of slamming helps her keep up to her handicap - racing isn't only about having the fastest boat on the water...

Details and pictures on the owners' website www.varne.co.uk

Rob.Of course, there is the SHE 31...
 
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Carter 30

Billy_Mizzen said:
A Hustler 30 would probably tick most of the boxes, if I could find one at a reasonable price. There is a nice, early flush deck model for sale in Devon which has caught my eye, looks like quite a lot of work though.

I think a Cutlass would be a bit clunky for what I’m after; I’m pretty set on a fin keel, which would rule out an MG30, I’m personally not that keen on the look of the Pioneers (With the exception of the 10, but I think a 10 will be out of my budget range!), they have a great underwater profile but I just find the soap-dish look deck, slightly unattractive (fussy I know!).

A UFO 27 might do the trick, a Holman & Pye design which draws me, anyone have experience of these ? I like the look of the Carter, thanks for posting the pics, was she a 30 footer and was she based on a ½ tonner?

Thanks for all the ideas!
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Billy,

yes that's a Carter 30', and she was based on 1/2 ton, designed by Dick Carter.

If looking at one the first thing I'd be very careful about is the engine; usually a Volvo 13hp saildrive with 2 blade geared folding prop.

By 'geared' I meen the 2 prop blades were linked by cog teeth, normal practice I know but I mention it as I met someone with a Carter 33 ( looks similar but not as well proportioned ) built in Greece, on that the prop blades were hinged independently and it was pot luck if both extended, leading to vibration and unpredictable handling.

I had mine 1987-90, the Volvo was a snag, the core plugs corroded through ( in the Alderney Race in a flat calm, naturally ) and the boss holding the prop blades cracked, C**p metal so non repairable despite all BAe assets, £480 in those days.

Do try lying on the berths, the forepeak is fine but saloon berths are narrow and dinette short.

Nice small seaworthy cockpit though.

One thing I didn't like was lack of access to backing pads ( I'm a checker / tinkerer ) - everything's glassed in.

However, if you find a good one you could do a lot worse !

Andy

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I think the Trapper 500/501 is a surprisingly well kept secret as a good fairly fast cruiser, but maybe the OP is after something a bit more performance oriented ?

A good fin one would certainly be worth a look though, and probably a complete steal of a price for a well fitted out boat !
 
Re Trappers, the 27 / 500 / 501 also had a relatively unknown sistership in the form of the 28 - more like a She 27 than a Trapper 500, but probably with even less headroom.... very pretty boats though.
Here is one for sale in Ireland.
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1978/Trapper-28-2340764/Ireland

Here is another 'long and lean' boat, the H 27 or simply called the 'H Boat' - http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/boats.phtml?id=1001

Liz 30s are nice - http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/elizabethan-30/elizabethan-30.htm
Here is one for sale http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1971/Elizabethan-30-(Contessa-32-similar)-2379213/United-Kingdom
As they say there is a resemblance in a way to a Contessa 32.
 
Billy_Mizzen said:
I think a Cutlass would be a bit clunky for what I’m after; I’m pretty set on a fin keel,
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I had a Cutlass for about 10 years and coincidentally was reading one of the old logs yesterday. Reminded me that a) I seemed to be lot braver when younger, regularly going out in Forecasts containing the number '6' in them and b) average passage speeds were very often over 5kts and more.

Cutlass was rock-solid to sail, comfortable and secure (we'd finally put a reef in when we had green water coming into the cockpit from leaning over). They 'lean over' early but then seem to stay that way and just go faster.

Downside was that room was limited below (masses more than a She 27 though) and directly downwind, she was undecanvassed and slow. So we went 'off' the wind to maintain speed.

Once had a tussle with a Contessa 32 and our Cutlass won. Really nice boat to handle. Underrated in my opinion. We now have a Sabre 27. More room, just as solid but maybe not the ultimate speed of the Cutlass.
 
If you look in the Jester forum, you will find Karouise's Cutlass 27 may well be for sale, as he cant get the time to do the Jester. Lots of new and refurbed kit.
 
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