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

[Bosun Higgs]

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

That's prejudice not fact. My fin keeler has never broached and thats up to 45 kn average gusting 55 ( stupid really - went out to race in a forecast F9 ).

Off Bull point, coming back up the Bristol channel last year with rolling seas under us and 25 kn true up the stern, we surfed down one wave with the log flicking up to 15.4kn momentarily under autohelm and under good directional control. ( Ok again it was daft, the wind had crept upon us, and there was a hurried reefing session before anything broke).

Decent Stephen Jones lead fin keel, barn door rudder, and a Robertson hydraulic autopilot. You dongt have to suffer the disadvantages of a long keel these days.

 

[lw395]

Long keel boats broach too, if you over power them enough, or aren't quick enough on the spinny sheet.

To get back on topic, I think boats like the Vancouver 28 often tend to be overpriced.
They are mostly getting old and it can cost a lot to get one into nice condition.
It's like Contessa 32's, the best ones have been well maintained and updated, many of the others want similar prices for something with a lot of worn out gear.
There are some nice ones about, but they tend to be in the hands of long term owners who are not going to sell.
You could get something newer, more spacious and probably longer for similar money in many cases.
Or you could get a boat in similar style of a lesser known design for less money, but the well known designs are well known for a reason.

 

[Babylon]

That's prejudice not fact. My fin keeler has never broached and thats up to 45 kn average gusting 55...

Its not prejudice, and please don't take it so personally. I wasn't getting at you or your particular boat. I've crewed on a good few modern lightweight fin keelers, and in my ignorant, ill-experienced, uninformed and unreliable opinion they take more 'active' helming than most heavy, useless long-keeled boats. That's all.

Both keel and displacement types have advantages and disadvantages. The OP asked about the Vancouver 28. I have a Vancouver 27, which is essentially the same thing. I therefore have an informed opinion.

By the way, if I had a Virtue I'd be in with the two-man in-crowd. The OP wasn't however asking about Virtues. He was asking about V28s or V27s if you like...

...which also happen to be very good-looking, purposeful boats.

 

[thedoc]

I think the Vancouvers are under-canvassed. A bit too slow and safe....... but if you like that sort of thing.....

 

[alahol2]

...which also happen to be very good-looking, purposeful boats.

I'm not entirely sure why but the small Vancouvers always look to me as though they have broken their backs. Like the mast has been pressing too hard on the cabintop.
I'd still have one though

 

[Blokatos]

Old thread back to life...

Anyone know what is the price for new one?

 

[Topcat47]

Northshore aren't making them anymore, so "how long is a piece of string?"

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Old thread back to life...

Anyone know what is the price for new one?

At least it would tick your tiller steered box, non of the others though. You could liveaboard as the stowage is enormous.

 

[oldsalt]

I think the Vancouvers are under-canvassed. A bit too slow and safe....... but if you like that sort of thing.....

Totally agree. I have done several thousand miles on a V27... they are so slow and poor to windward that they can be frustrating especially if you have experience of faster boats. They need a F5 to start to move well.

 

[Nicholas123]

The shearline is atrocious & they look like a bit of a barge............you did ask.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Totally agree. I have done several thousand miles on a V27... they are so slow and poor to windward that they can be frustrating especially if you have experience of faster boats. They need a F5 to start to move well.

You are right to an extent in all your comments, indeed they are slow. I used to passage plan on 4.5 knts but would often be approaching 5. I usually used a big overlapping gennaker on a Balmar furler in light winds but pointing was never good. A cruising chute often poled out as a spinnaker for real off wind work. But once the wind was 15knts true and a little free she would happily tramp along at 5 and above with Yankee and staysail. She could be said to be a true 20 : 20 boat i.e. taking full canvas at 20knts true wind speed with 20 degrees of heel and a neutral helm to boot. They were not as you as a past owner will know designed for coastal marina hopping although many now find themselves doing that and perhaps to the frustration of their owners when they see light weight modern fin keelers making better speed, pointing much higher and having an easier time berthing. The original was designed to take a couple across the pacific it did so with ease and indeed many have repeated that journey and further. Like you I sailed thousands of miles in mine before finally getting fed up of the slowish performance and switching to a lightning fast Vancouver 34C Perhaps not the boat to start your sailing in no matter how bullet proof they are, as for handling it's a steep learning curve and eventually most will be able to turn them by judicious use of prop wash and a big prop in a boat and a half length with a bit of forward and reverse.

 

[oldsalt]

Yes. After the V27, I sailed a V32 a number of times. A much better boat, but expensive!

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I sailed on all the Vancouvers the best of which although not a Vancouver in the real sense was the 36 the worst and it was a dog was a Vancouver 38 pilot, apologies to V38P owners

 

[chockswahay]

And all these years later here I am still boatless and still wanting a Vancouver! It's a real dilemma!

 

[Fr J Hackett]

And all these years later here I am still boatless and still wanting a Vancouver! It's a real dilemma!

There are plenty about some will show a fair bit of wear as they are all getting on a bit now, particularly the 27s and 32s. So why haven't you bought one?

 

[E39mad]

The first Vancouver 28 owned originally by Kevin Seymour "Islander" is for sale in Ireland for about £21,000. He did lots of write ups in PBO in the late 80's early 90's about his trips on her.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

The first Vancouver 28 owned originally by Kevin Seymour "Islander" is for sale in Ireland for about £21,000. He did lots of write ups in PBO in the late 80's early 90's about his trips on her.

If I remember correctly she was built in 1986 alongside my V274 which was the last built ( arguably) but according to Kevin. He then had Islander 2 a V32 built again alongside my V34C which was the first V34 built in 1991.

Again if I remember correctly he sold the 28 to an Irish priest, I used to see it occasionally around Bantry Bay area and a V38C.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

. . . a V32 built again alongside my V34C which was the first V34 built in 1991. . .

Can you remember what hull number your V34 was?

65?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Can you remember what hull number your V34 was?

65?

No but she was Amoret last heard of in Ramsgit or perhaps Dover. Definitely the 1st built though.:encouragement:

Out of interest why? If it is important I may have it somewhere perhaps on an old handicap certificate which may be lurking on drive somewhere.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

. . . Out of interest why?

When I'm surveying Vancouvers, it's nice to know as much as possible about their history.
Yours is the second one that I have been assured is the first V34 produced.