looking at buying a Dufour 27

[boomer]

Hello everyone.....my question is on directional stability.....I plan on cruising the boat. How well balanced is the rig? Does the boat hold a course reasonably well after you trim the sails to balance the rudder? I am moving up from a twin keel westerly that tracked and sailed very well with sheet to tiller steering. Any input would be great.

[larryr]

I have owned and sailed my Dufour 27 for over three decades, it tracks beautifully and I have often let it almost sail itself on a calm day. As I mentioned previously the two best items I added were an autopilot and spray dodger which have helped me really enjoy single handed sailing on San Francisco Bay when in the summer it's frequently blowing 25-30 knots in the afternoon. The high coamings help you stay dry and are especially kind to your back too. It is important to reef early and in the very gusty conditions I sail in during the summer I use a small 85% headsail and a reef (sometimes two) in the main that allows me to steer with fingertips while making good speed. In lighter winds I have often flown a spinnaker alone with the help of the autopilot, these are in my opinion beautiful saiing and very safe boats.

[boomer]

Thank you for your response. I purchased the boat today. When the winds come up and you reef early, is it because of excessive heal or because of weather helm? I have read that the 27 is a fairly stiff boat.

Does your main have two deep reefs or three? Is it a full batten main, 2 & 2? My new boat needs a full set of sails so this is a good chance to buy only what works.

I am assuming you use hank on foresails. I am not a big fan of roller furling. I dont like the extra windage and weight aloft. I prefer a 100% jib with a single reef that can be tied in at about 75%.

[boomer]

Excessive heel....sorry....

Also have you ever hove to in high wind? I am curious how the boat behaves.

Does the extra freeboard translate into needing heavier ground tackle than normal? I plan on cruising the boat and staying on the hook so behavior when anchored in high winds is a concern.

[larryr]

Boomer, in high winds with too much sail the boat will heel excessively and head up into the wind but this is true of every boat from my experience, some worse than others. I have two reefs in the main and four headsails ranging from the 85% up to a 150% genoa including 110% and a spinnaker. Experience and a good instructor taught me to reef early both for comfort and good sailing performance, it's really remarkable to see an increase in speed and control by reducing sail area and being able steer with fingertips as you sail by others struggling to hold their course.
The high freeboard while giving ample room below does cause problems when anchoring. I have always had problems dragging using the CQR that came with the boat even with 60' of chain and 150' ft of line and using the engine at full power in reverse to set the anchor. A stern anchor used to keep the bow heading into the wind or current is highly recommended. Most of my anchoring has been in the soft mud of San Francisco Bay but I have also had problems with the sandy bottom along the California Coast.
Best regards,
Larryr

[larryr]

Incidentally boomer I did use 100' of chain years ago, a little lighter than my current 60' but that made no difference.

[simonf]

Hi Boomer,

I also think that this boat behaves much better when the main is reefed. Roughly, I start reefing when wind reaches 10knots.
If I were you I'd think of changing the reefing system and instal a new boom. With mine, which I guess is the original, one has to maneuver at the tip of the boom to reef. This is dangerous, especially singlehanded.

Also, I think the rail of the genova is too short. I have thus added a hauler that pulls the genova corner down when rolled up. I thus have much better control on the shape of the jib.

Regarding directional stability, I thick it is fairly stable (thought the mains needs be a little looser than the jib or she will head upwind) but an autopilot helps a lot.

ENJOY YOUR NEW BOAT! SHE'S WORTH IT ;-)

[larryr]

I leave both reefing lines in place ready to go. They are led back to the winch under the boom and supported by the bracket that the vang is connected to, a knot is tied at their ends to prevent them slipping back out. I also installed a hook with elastic cable in front of the winch and jam cleat to hang the coiled reefing lines securely. The stretched cable eminates from the base of the hook in a loop and supports the line that is then looped over the hook which is plastic and made I believe in Italy. This is absolutely safe and secure, you do everything sailing on a reach while standing safely by the mast. The stretchable line enables you to secure both reef lines if a second reef is required. This system has worked superbly for over thirty years and frankly trying to install a reef line while under way in a blow is in my opinion absolutely insane.
When to reef is totally dependent on both conditions and the size of your headsail. When flying a genoa you may indeed need to reef at ten knots but a smaller headsail would allow you to put off putting in a reef until 15 or 20 knots of wind. Also make good use of your traveler, moving the sheet out to the ends really does lighten up pressure on the tiller while retaining sail shape and also can delay the need to reef while maintaing good speed as does flattening the sail using the outhaul and downhaul lines if needed. Good luck and enjoy.

[fabrizena]

Sorry, it'a mistake.