Dufour 27

[Rbritton]

Hello all! First time poster, short time lurker here.

After going down many a youtube rabbit hole and hanging around the local sailing club for a while, I have decided to start the search for my first sailboat in earnest.

There is a Dufour 27 being sold by the club that I've taken an interest in.. story goes it was built in France back in the day and sailed across the Atlantic, to then be moved her to a lake in Alabama where it sat largely untouched until its previous owners decided to donate her to the club-- as such I should be able to get her for not too many prwtty pennies.

Do do have a few questions tho.

- Are these cored or solid glass? There appears to be one softish spot in the deck to the port-side of the mast, maybe about a foot in diameter or so. An easy fix for an amateur? / how?

- Would it be a contender to sail down and around the Caribbean after much practice here? Singlehanded?

- How do these stand up in serious offshore conditions? Still able to cross oceans after all these years?

- Are there any Dufour specific forums or sites?


Hull #: 414
Anne: 75
Approbation #: 393

Thanks so much, and fair winds!

[sandy stone]

I believe the Dufour 27 was considered a midget ocean racer back in the day, so the design is probably adequate. I'm pretty sure the hull is solid glass.

Now, with a boat that old, its current state of maintenance is everything. With a one-foot soft spot in the deck, I'd be tempted to drill some holes from the deck into the core, but not all the way through, and let it dry out. A heat gun might help. Then inject epoxy onto the holes and hope for the best. If the mast step or chainplates are involved, that would be another story altogether.

You didn't mention the condition of the engine or the sails - two of the most expensive items on a sailboat.

As far as the Caribbean, well, you also didn't mention where you are located. Check out the typical sailing routes from the US east coast to, say, St.Thomas. Google "thorny path". That boat rates around 222, meaning a significant offshore passage is liable to take a long, long time. Also the flush deck configuration does not lend itself to good ventilation in the tropics.

So, a Dufour 27 in good condition would make a good shorthanded coastal cruiser and learning platform. Caribbean, I don't know. Florida keys, maybe.

[Rbritton]

Thanks for the reply!

I'd estimate about a foot diameter, but not too sure. I was only on her a brief bit today taking pictures while I had a bit of free time. Haven't inspected the sails or engine myself yet, but was told the diesel was being refurbished by someone in the program-- apparently he used to run nuclear reactors and is the type to have a 15 step list before even atempting to crank, so high hopes there. Currently the mainsail is under cover, with an additional sail in a bag in the v-berth (unsure of type, but would assume headsail)

As far as drilling holes, I assume several tiny ones as opposed to one or two big ones? Any idea where to find how thick the deck should be? Dont want ro accidentally drill all the way through.

Running rigging looks to be in decent shape to my untrained eye. No obvious signs of wear or corrosion, etc.

Could you expand more on the 222 rating?

Will definitely go through her with a finer tooth comb before purchase-- today was more of a quick peak and picture day. Thanks again for the quick reply!

[sandy stone]

Is there anybody you know that could help you inspect the boat? The sails and engine are definitely big-ticket items, but there are so many things that could turn an old boat into a money pit - structural bulkhead condition, keel attachment, hull blisters, hull-deck joint, electrical system for sure. You are planning to haul the boat out for inspection, right? A more experienced set of eyes could save you a lot of heartache.

Assuming all else is OK, for the deck repair I was thinking 1/4" holes 1/4" to 3/8" deep, 2 to 3 inches apart over the whole area, until you find dry balsa.

222 is a PHRF rating, meaning this boat would be 222 seconds per mile behind an imaginary "scratch" boat in a race, if sailed to its potential. See PHRF New England - Handicapping - Base Handicaps for a collection of ratings for different boats. If you're traveling any distance, a rating under 180 is nice, but unusual for a 27 foot boat with cruising accomodations.

Really, try to enlist some help before you get too carried away here.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by sandy stone

Is there anybody you know that could help you inspect the boat? The sails and engine are definitely big-ticket items, but there are so many things that could turn an old boat into a money pit - structural bulkhead condition, keel attachment, hull blisters, hull-deck joint, electrical system for sure. You are planning to haul the boat out for inspection, right? A more experienced set of eyes could save you a lot of heartache.

Assuming all else is OK, for the deck repair I was thinking 1/4" holes 1/4" to 3/8" deep, 2 to 3 inches apart over the whole area, until you find dry balsa.

222 is a PHRF rating, meaning this boat would be 222 seconds per mile behind an imaginary "scratch" boat in a race, if sailed to its potential. See PHRF New England - Handicapping - Base Handicaps for a collection of ratings for different boats. If you're traveling any distance, a rating under 180 is nice, but unusual for a 27 foot boat with cruising accomodations.

Really, try to enlist some help before you get too carried away here.

This might help ...

Marine Survey 101, pre-survey inspection

[Rbritton]

As far as a trusted 3rd party, I unfortunately dont know anyone to help inspect, that said the members I know at the club are definitely trustworthy-- all great guys and guys who have a genuine passion for sailing and often buy and resell boats at no net gain or even a loss to get more people interested in sailing... so no reason for me not to trust them.

Like I said though Ill definitely be going through her with a fine tooth comb before any talks of purchasing start, both with and without someone from the club with me.

I feel confident in my ability to inspect the engine/electrical (mechanic by trade) and was planning to budget for an electrical overhaul anyway purely due to its age. As far as inspecting the sails I'll have someone help inspect with ke, but procedures seem relatively straight forward from what I can tell. Same with the running rigging & hardware.

@sandy stone thanks for the tips on fixing the soft spot! After injecting the epoxy in the boles should I dab some paint over top just to seal it in better, or should the epoxy itself be sufficient? Obviously Ill be super careful in my drilling depth, but if I do happen to pop through the other side would the process othereise remain the same? (I.e: dry out / refill with epoxy, just with something undernearth to stop it dripping?) True marine-grade 2 part epoxy or would an automotive based epoxy from the local car parts store be sufficient to save a few bucks?


Thanks again!

[sandy stone]

I suppose any old epoxy is fine, as long as it's thin enough to soak into the core. Epoxy degrades from UV, so you'll need to protect it from sunlight somehow. If you accidentally drill completely through the deck, you can just put a piece of masking tape on the underside to contain the epoxy. However, the Dufour may have a molded fiberglass overhead liner that is not part of the deck, so that would make things difficult. You'll have to check.

Just one last thing - you're going to find out that boat ownership is usually not compatible with "saving a few bucks". Good luck.