From: Chuck Fadely [fadely@gate.net] Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2004 11:09 PM To: bristol-list@sailnet.net Subject: RE: [bristol-list] considering an old B-27...???? I have a 1965 B27 cruising model with the outboard well. I too have the two-piece wood rudder. As long as the wood is solid and the metal parts are solid, I'd paint it along with the rest of the bottom with anti-fouling and throw it back in the water. The wood will swell back up in the water and be fine. Check the top of the rudder for a good fit in the bearing tube and make sure the tiller attachment in the cockpit is solid and free of play. As for the outboard, it's hard to find a motor to fit in the well if yours is the same size as mine. In the last year or two, all the manufacturers have discontinued the two-stroke motors which fit nicely in there. The new four-stroke motors are mostly too big. If you're lucky enough to find a longshaft leftover two-stroke Nissan or Tohatsu 9.8 hp motor from last year, buy it. Otherwise you might be stuck with a 6hp fourstroke, which is really all you need, anyway. The boats are pretty solid, but you need to check three places for structural problems. First, check the wood beam under the mast for rot. Water can run down where the wires go up into the mast and rot the beam, collapsing the coach roof. Second, check the bulkheads where the chainplates come through the deck. Rot there is bad. And finally, check the bulkhead under the icebox -- water leaking around the cooler access in the cockpit can rot the bulkhead at the foot of the starboard bunk under the icebox. Make the sale contingent on sea trials and sail it in some decent winds before purchase... You want to check to make sure the mast step doesn't sag and that the vee berth door still fits after sailing it hard. The B27 is a great boat. Be aware though, that it likes to heel rapidly to it's sweet spot (and it will then stay there at 15 degrees or so) and this can be a little off-putting to passengers not expecting it. My wife hated it; I loved it. Thus I have a different boat now and my B27 is for sale in Miami, if anyone's interested. Chuck B27 "Truro" -----Original Message----- From: Linda Barton [mailto:104451.3267@compuserve.com] Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2004 9:22 PM To: INTERNET:bristol-list@sailnet.net Subject: [bristol-list] considering an old B-27...???? I'm considering buying an old (1966) Bristol 27. I have always sailed long keel boats and appreciated the designs of Alberg. I'm considering moving up since the non-headroom in my cape dory 22 is becoming ever more annoying with each passing year. I would cruise the boat extensively in the great lakes. Does anyone have any particular words of wisdom, for or against, concerning a 27? The boat I'm considering I've only seen lying in the yard, I have not even been aboard/below yet. It has a multitude of cosmetic problems including much poorly applied paint in inappropriate places. The wood is a mess, of course. These are simple problems that I know how to fix... have sander, have varnish brush...know how... and I'm one of those weird people who actually enjoys refinishing paint and varnish. The outboard looks to be the same vintage as the boat; that is, a disaster. Does anyone have any recommendations for specific replacement model outboards for a Bristol 27? The rudder is what looks to be the worst problem. The two main boards which comprise the rudder surface have parted company from each other. It appears that they are throughbolted to the rudder post (that is, long bronze bolts go through the rudder post, through the first board about 8" wide, into the second board where they mysteriously never emerge, there must be nuts bedded in there somewhere...the bolts look to be 3/8" bronze or maybe 1/4"s, about 14" long, but I'm guessing on all this based on a cursory look in the yard). The bolts and post itself seem to be in fine shape, as does the actual wood, other than this one crack/delamination of planks. I'd be tempted to clean the 40 years worth of peeling paint off the mess, try to clean out the crack between boards (or remove the through bolts and replane to get a good gluing surface), reglue the joint, draw up the through bolts, and possibly put some stainless "mending straps" about 8" long, throughbolted across the seam. If this was supposed to be one piece, then, this is not so good... if it was always two planks butt joined, this seems a reasonable plan. Does anybody have any experience with these old wood rudders on the 27's? What would you recommend doing in this case? I'd also be curious as to estimates for price for this boat. It has 1 year old sails from a good sailmaker, and seems to be structurally solid as could be other than the rudder problems described above. The boat appears to be built like a tank - even by my standards, and I am used to Cape Dorys !! The deck non skid is a horrid bright blue. Anybody ever repaint these, and with what luck? Wow, too many questions - sorry Linda ----------------------------------------