On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:50:30 -0800, wrote:

My wife and I are still looking for a 27 foot used boat, for summer
cruising north from Port Townsend, WA, where we live, mainly if not
entirely on the inside of Vancouver Island. Our price range is $8,000 -
12,000

We want a boat which has
- solid construction
- good stability - not too much heeling - adequate
performance upwind
- moves in light air

We're narrowing our search down to boats within a reasonable distance,
and I wonder if anyone has opinions on the relative merits of the
following for this type of use

Catalina 27 - 1987
San Juan 28 - 1978
O'Day 272LE -1987
Ericson 25+ -1976
Morgan 27 -1971

I've always liked the Cal 2-27, which I used to rent occasionally.
It does sail well in light air. It's as least as solidly constructed as
the others, if not as "nice" inside. Here's a page about it:

http://pages.sssnet.com/go2erie/cal227.htm

With luck you'll find one with a good inboard diesel at a good price.

The Newport 27 and 28 might be worth looking at too.

Matt O.