Vancouver 27 - any problems?

[srm]

Hello,

Am going to look at a Vancouver 27 which is for sale. Do any of you have first hand experience of these boats? If so can you advise me of any potential problem areas to look for.

What I have read suggests that they are good for long distance / ocean sailing. Anyone with practical experience care to comment?

Thanks.

 

[nickrj]

I have zero practical experience on the Vancouver 27, but it was on the top of my list.. The only issue is, for a 27ft boat, they're pretty expensive.

You could probably buy a Southern Cross in the 31+ foot range for that kind of money in the US.

 

[srm]

Thanks for the comment.

Way back when I was a student in the late 60's an insurance exec told me that there was no such thing as a cheap boat. Subsequent experience owning a number of boats and skippering other peoples charter yachts has confirmed that.
As I am based in Europe importing a boat from the US would probably double the cost after VAT and paying all the eurorats for their meaningless bits of paper.

What I would really appreciate are observations of the V 27 based on experience.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Owned one for several years, solidly built, good headroom 6 foot plus, very easy motion and comfortable, Getting long in the tooth now, the last ones were produced in 1986 by Pheon at the time of the Northshore takover when it was changed to the 28. So it will require a refit or is likely to be expensive. Not fast, nor particularly close winded but very easy to handle in all conditions. A cruising chute and or gennaker is a must if you want to sail most of the time. Engines were mainly Bukh 20 Hp with the last few Bukh24s both if maintained should be OK some were reengined Betas seem popular, expect reletivly high engine hours. Several layouts were offered from the standard 3 berth to the 4 berth pipecots often fitted in the 3 berths to get them up to 5 berth but that would be a bit crowded. There were some home completed versions! The cockpit is deep and safe accomodating 4 comfortably. Loads of locker space no matter which model and all come with a genuine wet locker. Many will have cruised extensivly and will be equiped as such but may also show the wear and tear. David Rainsbury who writes in PBO etc has recently bought one and has written several articles. There is an owners association with a web site and a forum. I had the four berth and only changed because I wanted a quicker boat. They have no real faults but do look for all the usual signs of wear and tear, I only know of one early boat that had minnor osmosiss the layup was substantial and well laminated and were treated at manufacture with an epoxy paint which some times shows signs of blistering off but is easily abraded back and replaced with one of the standard treatments. PM me if you have any specific questions and I will try to answer and may be able to find someone who can if I can not.

 

[srm]

Many thanks Petehb, most helpful, especially the information about epoxy from new. May well take you up on the offer of further help once I have seen the boat.

 

[gscott]

We have one of these and have found it great for a couple, for the seaworthiness reasons mentioned above. I had my mind set on a Vancouver 27 when living in Australia, but it wasn’t until I was seconded to the UK for work that I actually found one.

I didn’t want one with a teak deck so it took us a while to find the right one, as the teak deck is in the majority. The reason I didn’t want teak is that after 20+ years it looks tied and in many cases water has leaked through the screws into the marine ply underlying the GRP deck layer (causing potential rot problems). I’m sure the decks can be re-laid with teak, but naturally at a cost.

We purchased ours late last year. It seems that those which are in reasonable condition (needing some non-urgent cosmetic work) sell for between £22k and £26k, and those that need more substantial work in the high teens (say £18k-£19k). I know there are some on the market that are in top condition asking as much as £30k, not sure if they will get that though.

Overall a fantastic boat if you want to cruise (distance is no limit) on your own or with a partner. One downside is that they are not very manoeuvrable in reverse, particularly in a tight marina!!

 

[Fascadale]

I was aboard a V27 a few months ago in Kyleakin. I seem to remember that she had come from up your way, or perhaps from even further north.

Great boat, loadsa room, great reputation.


If I had the dosh either a V27 or V28 would be my next boat.

(What a fine place Stromness is)

 

[Fascadale]

PM sent

 

[srm]

Many thanks Gscotty, most helpfull, will look under the decks as this has teak. There is one in Devon that the broker has admitted that the teak deck is lifting.

 

[Tranona]

Complete replacement of the teak is very expensive - could be £8-10k done professionally. Recaulking and plugging perhaps half that - if there is still enough thickness to do it.

Alternative is fake teak - a bit cheaper than real but probably easier to DIY or stripping, filling, epoxy coating and paint.

Good negotiaiting point with the vendor.

 

[gscott]

[ QUOTE ]
There is one in Devon that the broker has admitted that the teak deck is lifting.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I know the one. It has been there for a while and I have been watching the price come down. I suggest offering low as you may very well get a bargain there. PM me if you want further details.

 

[RBJ]

I've got a 10 year old V28. And have lived aboard since May 06, crossing the Atlantic to Brazil in January.

Can second the comments on teak decks. Don't, especially if you plan on going to the tropics, get a teak decked boat. Teak gets too hot to walk on (in barefeet) and my seams started to open up a bit and let water in underneath. For some reason there a lot of holes had been drilled in the deck (not all associated with the teak deck) and she began to leak like a sieve into most of the lockers. Very fiddly to stop these leaks.

Otherwise most of my problems have been minor but irritating quality control issues not picked up by the first owner.

They are not fast boats, particularly when kitted out for long term cruising. Mine is very easy to sail single handed and our Aries windvane does most of the steering.

Not a lot happens with under 10 knots of wind. I plan on 100 mile days and we averaged over 4 knots Cape Verdes to Brazil.

Make sure you get a surveyor who is very familiar with these boats. Northshore gave me a list.

PM me if you need more info.

 

[srm]

Many thanks for all the comments, most helpful.

I went to see the boat at the weekend, clean and tidy but basic sails and inventory, most of the instruments were probably original fit.

Can any one tell me how the teak decks on these boats are fastened down? No sign of screw holes or teak plugs in the deck, but was able to see the under side of the grp deck in the forepeak and there were a lot of small holes. Did not poke into them but they may have been pilot holes for self tapping screws. On deck one plank end was slightly loose and in a few places could push my thumb nail between the caulking and a plank.

Also, how reliable are the water tanks? they look like heavy PVC fabric but seem to be connected in series so one leak could empty the lot.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I think the decks were stuck down, as you say the holes could be from screws used to pull or hold the deck down whilst the adhesive set, it would certainly be possible to find out. The water tanks are fine I did think of installing valves or taps in between but in the end never bothered. The 32s and 34s were fitted out the same and I have had no problems. They are very easy to remove for cleaning both the bags themselfs and the compartments they sit in. When I removed them on the 34 I lined the space with polythene sheet as a precaution against wear. If and its a big if, I bought or god forbid owned a boat with a dodgy teak deak I would be tempted to strip the lot off and re gelcoat the entire deck, I have seen a couple of good repairs like this and they were significantly cheaper than new teak. The chain plates are a relativly common source of leaks but easily removed and resealed from above.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Possible that you're looking at the second deck, the first having being screwed, the second bonded.

 

[jamie_Cacique]

Hi I have a V27 Cacique
She was circumnavigated single handed by Rona House 1990 to 1993.
I bought her in 2003 she had been left in the yard for 10 years.
It took me 3 1/2 years of 2hrs every night and every week end to rebuild her (friday night and the odd wedding and anual holiday are the only breaks).
She had osmosis, I had her peeled and epoxy coated with 5 layers of gelsheild. (She had previously been treated some years before).
Some of the bulkheads had to be replaced due to de-lamination but this I beleive was due to water ingress and lack of maintainence. The king plank that was glassed under the foredeck had completely rotted (under the windlass) and was a big-ish job to do as it was glassed over and the glass cover on the underside had to be ground off to enable me to epoxy in a new peice of marine ply. It was only after removing the wildlass that I found that the plank was U/S.
I don't have laid teak decks, just the diamond effect grain on the side and fore decks which are painted with nonslip. In the cockpit I have strips of teak about 2 1/2" wide with about 1/2" gaps attached to the upper surfaces and locker tops. I removed all the strips so the paint could be applied and refitted them, this is ideal as water can't get under without the owner realising.
I have converted the port berth into a double.
Pay attention to the mast support in the cabin, the support in mine at the floor was beggining to collapse, also at the deck head the teak support was split, these are common problems easily rectified. On the port side the staysail track fixings had been leaking that caused the balsa core to rot this is a fault you can't detect without removing the headlining.
On the plus side she is a dream to sail and if you trim the sails right she will sail with the tiller unattended, the staysail is the key to sailing her. I have a roller yankee and a hank on staysail.
Please pm me if you want more details I can go on for ages, she's no racer but A fantastic boat.