Ross, for two people, the 27 is great. I had a large friend (about your size) who also had a large wife and two young kids. They would go out for the weekend on their '80-ish model. They converted it so that the port and starboard settees, along with a supported board in the middle, made one giant bed. The kids slept in the v-berth or under the cockpit. You also have to consider exactly how much you'll be below, too. Most often you'll be sitting or lying down.
With the economy the way it is, you might get a 30 for much less than you think, unless you've already been looking. Remember, asking price is just the starting point for negotiations. The 30 will have more beam, and the length will allow it to handle waves better, giving a smoother ride. Bob Mann Windcatcher mywebpages.comcast.net/sailrmann ----- Original Message ----- From: Ross Aresco To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 5:42 PM Subject: catalina27-talk: Advice for a potential C27 buyer Hi All, I'd appreciate some advice here. I've been researching diligently for the best first boat for my wife and me (no kids just yet) and have had my heart set for a while on a C30. However, with trying to save up for starting a family, etc. I'm thinking that it may be the best decision financially to start with a more typical (and cheaper) "starter boat" and then move up in a few years, versus spending at least $10-20K more for a C30 and moving right to the boat that we could grow into. Yes, I know that if you amortize that over a number of years it doesn't add up to much, but it does right now. How do you like your C27s? I've never sailed one - but they're clearly super popular and can handle a variety of conditions. For the same accoutrements that we'd like (newer sail inventory, well maintained engine, pressure hot/cold water, generally well maintained boat) you can land a C27 for so much less than a C30, I'm thinking that this makes more and more sense. Part of my apprehension, however, is that I'm 6'3" 260lbs and I'm a bit worried about feeling like Will Ferrell in Elf while onboard! We're in Erie, PA so we'd ideally like to do a lot of day/evening sailing, some weekly club racing and ideally do some weekend trips west past Cleveland and north to Canada. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer! ~Ross
