Vancouver 28....what's not to like?

C

chockswahay

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 Jul 2003
Messages
249
Location
Cornwall (eventually)
Visit site
My boat buying dilemma continues...

Nearly bought a Francis 26........nearly bought a sloop rigged Fisher 25.......nearly bought a Ketch rigged Fisher 25..... all in the last four months (including one full survey and one flight to Ireland).

Now then, the fact is that my heart (and Mrs Chox's heart) still says Vancouver 28.

My wife wants comfort, stability, ease of single handing. I want headroom (I'm 6' 2"), long berths and would like a little more speed and pointing ability.

We do not need or want anything bigger and the V28 ticks most boxes.

Could any V28/V28 owners out there offer any comment or advice please?

Many thanks

Chox
 
Not a V28 owner but have experience of both the Fisher and Vancouver .... I used to sell them in the 1990s. I have a soft spot for the F25 sloop, but not sure if you could find a comfortable berth being tall. V28 3 berth layout should just about fit though. Both easily singlehanded as track well. As you state the Vancouver will sail better but std sails are triple stitched heavy duty type and a lightweight headsail or mps would assist when apparent winds drop below 12/13 knots.
 
chockswahay said:
My wife wants comfort, stability, ease of single handing. I want headroom (I'm 6' 2"), long berths and would like a little more speed and pointing ability.

We do not need or want anything bigger and the V28 ticks most boxes.

Could any V28/V28 owners out there offer any comment or advice please?
Click to expand...

Mine is a 1982 V27.

You will get comfort of an older-fashioned sort, as in narrow beam, proper galley and half-admiralty chart table, secure cockpit, etc.

You will get the stability and the running on rails of a long-keel heavy-displacement yacht, but she'll be a bit tender at first, then she'll stiffen and go no further. Having said that, if you reef down you'll go just as fast, and in greater comfort.

I'm 5'11 and sometimes catch my forehead on the open bulkhead beam between the dog-house and the saloon - but this is usually on my first day aboard still standing upright before I remember to be ape-seaman. Apart from that the comfort and stowage is excellent.

In a F3-4 we cruise at about 4.0-5.0 kts, up to 6.0 in a F5 or highter; max ever recorded (with a clean bottom and my new feathering prop) was 8.4 in a F7 with two reefs in, the yankee furled away and just the hanked-on stays'l. Assume 4.5 kts long-term cruising average.

If you want pointing ability, then buy a fin-keel yacht and put up with the broaching, active helming, etc, etc.

Ease of single-handing? That's what its all about!

Two things make life easier: a cruising-chute for lighter winds, and windvane self-steering.

I love my boat, and she looks after me.
 
Last edited:
Searush said:
Vancouver 28....what's not to like?


err, the price? :o
Click to expand...

Not cheap, but then not cheaply-made.

Last time I looked, £25k would get you a good, older V27, maybe a bit more for a younger V28, and an awful lot more for a new V28 :eek:

Bear in mind that the V28 has the same internal volume as the V27 - its just the stern, and therefore the cockpit, that was stretched another foot.
 
Last edited:
^ V28 also has an inch extra inch or two in the top sides, apparently because the V27 could ship some water down the side decks in gales. Gives slightly more head room as a result .
 
Last edited:
Just to add to the mix, for a fair bit less there is the Colvic Watson 28, she's long keeled; not as tender as the Vancouver; about twice the internal volume; interior and exterior steering; a good sailer and a much, much better sailer than the Fisher 25; but if I'm honest, not as good looking as the Vancouver which I think is a particularly fine looking yacht.
 
chockswahay said:
Thanks for the replies so far

V27/28 owners...............how long are the berths please?

:)
Click to expand...

I can't remember exactly, but at least 6'2". You could always make a modification by fitting a trotter box forward under your preferred saloon berth. I tend to sleep on the port side, which forwards has the heads basin and cupboard below. The stbd side has the hanging-locker forward. The actual pot, a Blakes, is on the amidships line. The V28s have a more modern arrangement forward (the 'classic' 3-berth option), with the heads on one side, to sbd I think(?)

I'd be delighted to take you out for a sail on my boat, but I see you're at the other end of of the old empire.
 
Babylon said:
...The V28s have a more modern arrangement forward (the 'classic' 3-berth option) with the heads on one side, to sbd I think(?)...
Click to expand...

My previous boat was a '94 V28. It was the classic/standard 3 berth design - heads on the centre line, a great command position as you have a view straight back into the cockpit :) I used to sleep mostly in the quarter berth when not under way. A very easy boat to single hand, I did a lot of Channel cruising in her & her previous owner had done a single handed atlantic circuit.

Another feature of the boat is the fantastic wet locker just behind the companionway to port. All those wet oilies need go no further into the boat.

I'd certainly agree that the Yankee/Staysail arrangement is underpowered in light winds. Whatever one did to improve that would need to take the fixed inner forestay into consideration for tacking.

Vancouvers may be pricey but they do sell easily as they have a following. Mine sold to a Norwegian, sight unseen, at not much under the (reasonable) asking price in 2008.
 
Last edited:
FIn keelers aren't that bad

Sorry to take this off track, but I've just got to respond to the earlier comment about putting up with hand steering and broaching on fin keelers. Mine sailed for 10 hours dead straight across Lyme Bay with the helm locked off. They can go 2-3 knots faster than a long keeler, but if you throttle them back to equivalent speed, they won't broach. They point higher, have far more internal volume and are significantly faster - an important comfort factor if you ask me (get you home before you're tired). They're far easier to wiggle around in marinas. Long keelers are tough and docile, but have lots of disadvantages too. What's not to like? Slow, cramped, awkward in tight corners, expensive. They're a very specialist boat for a specialist sort of sailing, but if that's your thing...
 
RobbieW said:
My previous boat was a '94 V28. It was the classic/standard 3 berth design - heads on the centre line...
Click to expand...

Live and learn - just checked the Northshore website who refer to the forward V berth design as the 'standard' which does have an offset heads. So, to the OP, try and see examples of both layouts; it looks to me that in the V berth layout some storage and usability is sacrificed.
 
RobbieW said:
Live and learn - just checked the Northshore website who refer to the forward V berth design as the 'standard' which does have an offset heads. So, to the OP, try and see examples of both layouts; it looks to me that in the V berth layout some storage and usability is sacrificed.
Click to expand...

This wasn't the case when I was there (almost 6 years) as 9 out of 10 V28's produced were 3 berth layouts. The four berth was an option and cost more.
 
Hi Grahame

I've had several Fishers, a Francis 26 and now a Vancouver 27 and can easily say that the Vancouver is the best all rounder.

The Fisher is nice but can roll horribly and not really a "sailing" boat, the Francis sailed nicely and was very similar in characteristics to the Vancouver but the Vancouver is better built and has better accommodation whilst being less tender.

Mine is the 3 berth layout which is great as it gives you the storage to keep a lot of stuff out of the saloon keeping that clear as well as giving a heads you can be "comfortable" in!

Berths are all I believe easily > 6', particularly the quarter berth and I would echo much of what Babylon has said.

John
 
MERRY_MARY said:
and can easily say that the Vancouver is the best all rounder.

The Fisher is nice but can roll horribly and not really a "sailing" boat, the Francis sailed nicely and was very similar in characteristics to the Vancouver but the Vancouver is better built and has better accommodation whilst being less tender.
Click to expand...

:( I need someone to put me off, not encourage me even more :) LOL Thanks John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top