tanzer 28 sailboat reviews

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looking at Tanzer

• Thread starter mark rocco
• Start date Apr 23, 2015
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Just want to get some kind of input on a Tanzer...22ft-30ft are they any good...most of the ones i see for sale are in Canada...any one have one.... let me know what you think Thank You Mark Rocco  

Friend at the marina has 2- Tanzer 22 and Tanzer 29. He likes how the 22 sails for sure. The 29 shoal keel was a bit tender, he added a shoe to the keel, and it sails really nice now. Line honors in our marina regatta.  

Claude L.-Auger

Made in Eastern Canada right outside of Montreal, they were extremely popular in their heyday because of being a good boat with great support from the manufacturer. Because of this and the proximity of the manufacturer, Canadians bought most of the production when Tanzer was in business. There are still thousands of them sailing and racing successfully. My club alone must have over 40 (mostly 22 and 26). A google search will bring you lots of info regarding the various model. You can start here: http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=56 . BTW, it's a real nice trip to bring it down from Montreal to Wrightville Beach. I did it with my own boat and highly recommend it. Good luck in your search.  

Claude L.-Auger said: Made in Eastern Canada right outside of Montreal, they were extremely popular in their heyday because of being a good boat with great support from the manufacturer. Because of this and the proximity of the manufacturer, Canadians bought most of the production when Tanzer was in business. There are still thousands of them sailing and racing successfully. My club alone must have over 40 (mostly 22 and 26). A google search will bring you lots of info regarding the various model. You can start here: http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=56 . BTW, it's a real nice trip to bring it down from Montreal to Wrightville Beach. I did it with my own boat and highly recommend it. Good luck in your search. Click to expand

Mark I will second Claude's comments. Our club has its fair share of Tanzers, many of which are sailed and raced on a regular basis. They seem to be holding up well and seem to have no big issues. I have heard of some leaks along the hull deck joint and some of the models with the long skinny windows have occasional issues with leaky windows as well. Neither of these issues are a big deal and are fixed relatively easily. There still is some support for these boats: http://www.tanzerboatparts.com/ There is a Tanzer 22 class association that may be a good source of info. http://www.tanzer22.com/ This site also has some good info: http://www.christinedemerchant.com/tanzer22_nav.html Finally on a bit of a personal note, if you're looking for a bit more space, also check oyt the Paceship 26 (PY26) They are quite a solid boat, are veru spacious and sail quite well. Tanzer built them for a few years as the Tanzer 27. I'm a bit partial to the PY26 as my dad had one in the '80s and we owned one from 1998 to 2011. Sorry for the long post Matt  

py26129 said: Mark I will second Claude's comments. Our club has its fair share of Tanzers, many of which are sailed and raced on a regular basis. They seem to be holding up well and seem to have no big issues. I have heard of some leaks along the hull deck joint and some of the models with the long skinny windows have occasional issues with leaky windows as well. Neither of these issues are a big deal and are fixed relatively easily. There still is some support for these boats: http://www.tanzerboatparts.com/ There is a Tanzer 22 class association that may be a good source of info. http://www.tanzer22.com/ This site also has some good info: http://www.christinedemerchant.com/tanzer22_nav.html Finally on a bit of a personal note, if you're looking for a bit more space, also check oyt the Paceship 26 (PY26) They are quite a solid boat, are veru spacious and sail quite well. Tanzer built them for a few years as the Tanzer 27. I'm a bit partial to the PY26 as my dad had one in the '80s and we owned one from 1998 to 2011. Sorry for the long post Matt Click to expand

Apex said: Friend at the marina has 2- Tanzer 22 and Tanzer 29. He likes how the 22 sails for sure. The 29 shoal keel was a bit tender, he added a shoe to the keel, and it sails really nice now. Line honors in our marina regatta. Click to expand

George Da Porge

agprice22 said: Sorry to hijack this thread, but what is a "shoe to the keel?" Thanks, Andrew Click to expand

George Da Porge said: This link may explain: http://boatbuildingwithburnham.blogspot.com/2010/09/puttling-wormshoe-on-keel-botton.html?m=1 This might not be exactly what the Tanzer owner did, but likely similar in context. Click to expand

mark rocco said: Thank you Claude...i have been doing a lot of research on sail boats I'm looking for my first one...the first Tanzer i saw was on a learning to sail DVD from the Chesapeake bay maritime i just like the way it looked and handle so i began my research.....were is your club located and do you have any suggestions for a first time novice sailor thank you mark Click to expand

I have one on a trailer in my garage, 1977 22 footer, 10hp.johnson ob on the back. $3000.00 come and get it. You are about 13 hr. drive from here. Message me for pics and info [email protected] Dean  

mark rocco said: thank you matt i will look into these tonight as i just got home from work and this is a great way to relax The py26 that you mention is that the Tanzer 27 or a different boat thank you for your info and the post are never to long ...one of the best things i have done was join this forum you guys are great!! Click to expand

I have a tanzer 28, they are extremely good in choppy wheater and built like a tank, their hull is very thick and solid, they are the biggest 28 footer available to date, love the old girl  

Thank you Matt  

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The Tanzer 28 is a 27.58ft masthead sloop designed by Johann Tanzer and built in fiberglass by Tanzer Industries Ltd. since 1972.

The Tanzer 28 is a moderate weight sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a day-boat.

Tanzer 28 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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Tanzer Industries Ltd.

Founded by Johann Tanzer, Tanzer Industries Ltd. was one of the largest sailboat manufacturer in Canada for more than 20 years. The Tanzer line ranged from 16 to 35 feet. The most successful model was the TANZER 22 with more than 2200 built. But other models including the 26 were also built in large numbers. In it’s heyday Tanzer built boats on both coasts of the U.S., but the factory at Dorion, Que., turned out the bulk of the roughly 8,000 Tanzers built. The company was forced into bankruptcy in May of 1986.

Associations

• Quarter Ton Class
• Tanzer 16 Class Association
• Flying Scott (USA)
• C&C Design
• Dick Carter
• Gordon K. (Sandy) Douglass
• Johann Tanzer
• Johan Tanzer
• Johnson/Melges Boat Works
• Joubert-Nivelt
• Raymond Hunt (C.R. Hunt & Assoc.)
• William Shaw

20 sailboats built by Tanzer Industries Ltd.

Flying Scot

Overnighter 16

Tanzer 22 cb.

Constellation 16

Tanzer 10.5

Tanzer 22 T/4

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This unusual, flush-deck 1970s-era boat draws a bit too much to be a true trailer-sailer, but her performance nearly rivals a J/24. The cockpit is big, but the cabin quite small.

We originally reviewed the Tanzer 22 in the December 1, 1981 issue, but a friend of ours did such a good job restoring the 25-year-old T-22 he inherited from his father that we decided to take a second look. The T-22’s accommodations haven’t gotten any more workable than they were when we first sailed her; her aesthetics are, at best, “unique,” and we doubt she’d have much luck in a drag race with lighter 22’s like those that have come on the market since she was introduced in 1970. Still, she’s simple and fun to sail. She’s also capable enough as a cruiser and challenging enough as a racer to make her one of the most popular boats of her type ever built. There were 2,270 sold.

The Tanzer 22’s shortcomings may illustrate some of the ways that sailboats have gotten better over the years, but her strengths are still genuine. A pint-sized weekender/racer that wears well, the T-22 has earned remarkable loyalty from her owners.

Johann “Hans” Tanzer, designer/builder of the T-22, grew up in Austria where he apprenticed as a boatbuilder. Then he went to Switzerland where he built and raced dinghies and small boats. Finally he emigrated to Canada. He worked at first on one-offs, dinghies, and raceboats before starting his own shop. Tanzercraft built Lightnings, International 14s, and Y-Flyers. “Right from when I started in Austria the main thing was always racing…to make a boat go fast,” Tanzer said from his home near Dorion, Quebec. “Then I thought, ‘What about a boat for the family, for the average guy?’”

His answer was a 16-foot daysailer he called the Constellation, his first design. When his company expanded and became Tanzer Industries, Inc. in 1968, the Constellation became the Tanzer 16, and then Hans Tanzer drew up an overnighter version, the next step in appealing to the average guy.

Next up was the Tanzer 22.

“I was inspired a bit by Uffa Fox, some by George Hinterhoeller and what was happening at C&C; I knew how to make boats go fast. But for the 22 I wanted a boat that was first of all safe, that would be forgiving, that you would not need to be expert to sail, that would let families sail together.”

Design The T-22’s cockpit is large. It is well over 7′ long and (in the absence of side decks) utilizes the whole of the boat’s beam. It provides room to seat six and lets four sail comfortably. The well is deep, the seat backs are high, the seats slope outboard; it is secure and comfortable.

“We’ve sailed the boat for more than 20 years,” said an owner from Maine. “We like the roomy cockpit and solid feel. It’s a great boat for children as the cockpit is so deep and spacious.” Most owners say the same; its over-sized cockpit is a key to the appeal of the boat.

It is also, however, too big to drain quickly. And there is no bridgedeck. We asked Tanzer about the potential danger of filling the cockpit offshore and/or in heavy weather.

“The corner of the house deflects water and protects the cockpit from taking solid waves,” he answered. “My son and I took out the first boat we built and tried to break it. We had the spreaders in the water and the waves still didn’t come aboard. The water just streamed aft along the deck. The hull has plenty of freeboard and the cockpit sides are high. I think I should have made the cockpit more self-bailing, though.”

John Charters, once service manager at Tanzer Industries and now editor of the class newsletter, said, “Many owners have, like I did, added drains in the forward corner outboard end of the cockpit benches to drain what water comes aboard to the scuppers. I’ve seen T-22s with their keels out of the water, but I’ve never seen them swamp or heard of one that sank. When it starts to blow hard, though, I always sail with the bottom drop board in place in the companionway to make sure no water gets below.”

The T-22 displaces 2,900 pounds (3,100 for the keel/centerboard version). That’s heavy, even by 1970’s standards. The Catalina 22, a contemporary of the T-22, weighs 2,150 pounds. The more modern J/22 is just 1,790 pounds (and she’s hardly the lightest racer/cruiser available in this size range.) It’s natural to think of displacement as “dead weight,” especially in a small boat where size puts an effective limit on sail area. However, it can also translate (as we feel it does with the T-22) into robust scan’tlings and healthy ballast/displacement ratios. “Everything on the Tanzer is built extremely heavy-duty,” said one owner.

Tanzer put much of the T-22’s buoyancy in the after sections. As a result, she accommodates the weight of a cockpit full of sailors without squatting or deforming her sailing lines. Finally, the T-22 provides little of the “corky” feel that some small boats do. It would undoubtedly be possible to build the boat lighter today. That might improve it some, but the T-22’s solid feel and generous payload have endeared her to “the average guy,” and much of that is due to her heavy displacement.

The mainsail is small (112 sq. ft.) with almost no roach. Her spar is a “tree” in section and virtually unbendable. A 200 sq. ft. (170%) genoa provides the real muscle of the sail plan. We prefer a big controllable mainsail married to a small, non-overlapping jib for versatile, efficient sailpower. In a bigger boat an out-sized genny can become a man-killer. However, the Tanzer’s sails are small enough to handle. Putting most of the horsepower in the foretriangle is one way to limit weather helm and boost square footage for light air performance. A 375 sq. ft. spinnaker is allowed by the class. The T-22 sailplan, though dated, is proven and straightforward.

The hull and foil shapes also are products of their time. Not nearly so sharp of entry nor flat of exit as a modern racer/cruiser, hers is a “through-the-water” hull.

Like many racers from the early 70s, especially those produced by neighboring C&C, the T-22 has a swept-back keel. Designers have since plumbed the underwater mysteries with deltas, trapezoids, ellipses, bulbs, and wings. You don’t see swept-back fins much anymore, but they provide a generous and wide “groove” (which suits the boat well for the average sailor) and minimize wave-making resistance (which helps the boat accelerate and adds to her lively feel). Other shapes have come into fashion, but the T-22’s fin works well.

The same is not entirely true of the T-22 rudder. Tanzer’s original design was a shallow, aft-raking, semi-scimitar. He wanted, he said, a lift/drag profile to match the keel’s and a “fail-safe” element to keep sailors from “driving the boat into trouble.” What he got was a foil that tended to lift clear of the water and ventilate when the boat heeled in a puff.

“We should have replaced it right away,” said Charters, “but it took a long time before we developed a new one. It was deeper, semi-balanced, and straight on the leading edge. It worked! What used to involve fighting ‘on-the-edge’ weather helm is now a two-finger operation. We let the new rudder (it was developed by one of our owners and costs only about $200) and old rudder race together in our regattas.”

There aren’t many boats that look like the T-22. Her straight housetop/deck extends from stem to cockpit. The bow is spoon-curved but a bit bulbous. Very modern-looking in profile, the sheer is traditionally sprung, traced by a cove-stripe/rubbing strake that runs along the deckless “deckline,” which creates the illusion of low to medium freeboard while the actual hull/house sides are quite high. Except for the visual trickery involved with this cove stripe, Tanzer didn’t invest much in trying to make his boat look like something it wasn’t. Her big cockpit, raised side decks, and “good-for-the-average-guy” hull were the main thing, and that is what you get. From some angles she looks saucy, from some others silly.

Accommodations Dinettes were very popular in the ‘70s. “Convertible space” was the magic key to making little boats accommodate big people. Obviously, you have to bend some to cruise a boat this small.

The T-22’s headroom (4′ maximum) makes that point emphatic. So do the sharply tapered V-berth and the narrow quarter berth. The physical and visual “elbow room” created by taking the house side out to the rail, however, helps make the cabin less cramped. Still, the need to convert is a haunting reality. Change the table into the double berth, lift the forward berth to access the head beneath, convert the front-opening ice box into something you can live with underway, the hatch cover into a pop top, etc. and, after a while, “two-way space” becomes a mixed blessing.

Ventilation is another sore spot, but stowage (except for the “silly waste of space given over to the sink and ice box” noted by an owner from Lake George, New York) rates as “good” to “very good” with most owners. Hardly the heart of the design, the T-22’s interior has still let thousands enjoy the sort of limited cruising she was meant for.

Construction Eric Spencer, Tanzer Industries president from 1968 until 1985, now runs Yachting Services, Ltd. (Box 1045, Pointe Claire, Quebec H9S 4H9, Canada; 514/697-6952) that, among other activities, sells parts for the more than 8,000 Tanzers out there.

“Hans was always on the shop floor,” Eric said, “rarely in the office. He was prone to over-engineering things. You can see it in the T-22 keelbolts. They’re the same size we later used on the T-31. And we used the same mast section in the 26 with no problems. And the rigging—everyone else was using 1/8″ wire; Hans had to have 5/32″”

The hull/deck joint is an outboard flange joined by semi-rigid adhesive and 3/16″ machine screws on 6″ centers. Charters, the ex-service manager, said, “Though many owners report no leaks, the joint can leak—sometimes. One of the simpler systems and certainly one of the easiest to fix, it has some minor faults. Impact to the hull, even squeezing between lifting slings, can break the adhesive bond. Both the machine screws and the Monel pop rivets used on some boats may loosen where fasteners pulverize the fiberglass. Remember that the T-22 sails with her rubrail in the water. That pressure can turn even a tiny gap into a leak.”

Charters recommends removing the rubrail, (“but leave it attached at stem and stern or you’ll never get it back on,”) replacing (with oversized machine screws or through bolts) loose fasteners, and redoing the seal using BoatLIFE Life-Caulk or 3M 5200. This “two- to three-hour process,” he said, will renew most boats’ hull/deck joint to tightness.

The portlights originally relied on a sponge rubber inner gasket and a hard rubber outer seal. These, too, most likely will need to be renewed on older boats. Replacing the inner seal with butyl tape is one suggestion. Cutting new, over-sized ports from an acrylic or polycarbonate material (the original plastic clouds with age) and fastening them to the house side with sealant and mechanical fasteners is another good fix, owners report. “The sponge and spline seals I purchased (about $100) for the hull ports from Eric Spencer made re-doing the cabin ports easy. It took four hours and the leaks are completely gone!” said the owner of a 1981 model in Ontario.

An interior hull liner incorporates the berths, cabinets, sole, etc. It’s easy to assemble, and strong if done meticulously (as it seems to have been on the Tanzer floor). But when this construction system includes molded headliners it is hard to move or add deck hardware.

Resin-rich fiberglass from the era when the boat was first built is prone to becoming granular and powdery around screw holes. The early gelcoats craze easily. Still, most owners seem happy.

“Finish has held up very well over the years,” and “Boat looks like new,” were comments frequently heard about the T-22.

Our friend’s 25-year-old heirloom, however, had passed that stage. To bring the hull back he washed it down with Interlux 202, patched dings and scratches with epoxy and microballoons, then brushed on two coats of marine gloss enamel. The result rivals a professionally sprayed job while the cost (time, labor, and materials) is in keeping with the value of a quarter-century-old 22-footer.

The T-22’s iron keel is a sore point. Iron is 40% less dense than lead so you need more of it (at a cost in added wetted surface) to give the boat sufficient ballast. And it rusts. One owner said he discovered no primer beneath the bottom paint applied at the factory. Many sailors know the agonies of fairing a keel that scales and peels. For race-ready perfection you can fill the major craters with epoxy and then build and sand with a system like Interlux’s Interprotect (2000 E coating and V135 Watertite fairing). Not many owners are that far into their fleet racing, but most wish that the keel originally had been made of lead.

Performance Hans Tanzer’s solid background in performance boats, dinghies, and daysailers helped him design the sort of “safe and forgiving” yet lively sailboat he was looking for to appeal to the average guy. He struck a number of balances well. The big cockpit (little cabin), good stability (stiff but not rock-like), controllable rig, and powerful yet easily driven hull combine to give her good manners.

We sailed our friend’s newly painted boat through a drifty morning and a sea-breeze afternoon. In the river she was quick, but tacking the genoa made us wish for a smaller jib and bigger mainsail. On the ocean she was solid and dry. She tacked in 75° in smooth water, and short-tacked up a channel, quickly getting her foils working after a tack.

With a 15-knot breeze she surged rather than surfed. Her deep, rounded afterquarters make her easy to steer but reluctant to get up on plane where a J/22 might.

The strongest T-22 fleets are in Montreal and Ottowa, but American fleets are active, too. Said Charters, “We were the first cruiser/racer invited to CORK (Canadian Olympic-training Regatta at Kingston). We’ve moved now to the offshore course and start 5 minutes behind the J/24s. Usually, the first T-22s, light air or heavy, catch the straggling 24s. We’ve never beaten the winners though.”

PHRF ratings for the T-22 range between 92 and 98, while the J/24 rates between 88 and 98.

The standard mainsheet is attached to a strongpoint on the cockpit sole. A number of traveler options have been tried. Tracks mounted on the sole rather than on a cross-cockpit bridge cut up the cockpit less but offer less control.

You might point higher if you could sheet the genoa tighter, but the shrouds don’t let you. Also, those shrouds, not in perfect alignment with the tabernacle hinge at the base of the mast, must be loosened before you lower the mast. Depending on how (and how much) the wind is blowing, that can be a problem.

The keel/centerboard version (about 10% of the boats sold have this configuration) is less close-winded and, according to racers, not that much faster off the wind than the full keel. Either needs at least 5′ of depth to float off a trailer, so being ramp-launchable involves sending the trailer into the water on a tether.

Conclusions One of the biggest pluses for the boat is the 700-member owner’s association. It maintains Tanzer Talk (a newsletter) and egroups.com/tanzer (a website) that make fellowship as big a part of ownership as you’d like it to be. The owner of a 1979 model from Long Island Sound reports “an outstanding T-22 website (http//www.tanzer22.com) and network of owners who are always willing to help with ideas and experience.”

Built efficiently but using high quality materials throughout the boat (even the pop rivets are Monel), the T-22 commanded a higher price than many of her competitors.

A prospective buyer can still find cheaper ways into the pocket cruising experience, but not many offer the combination of big boat feel and reliability, plus raceboat life, that have suited the T-22 so well to Tanzer’s “average guy.”

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Thank You! Good article. Just purchased a Tanzer 22. Needing to get proficient at raising and lowering the mast. I received a few Tanzer.22 Newsletters with the boat. In Volume 2 Numbers 21 to 42 page 82 has a good article about ” Mast raising or lowering”. Its quite descriptive but a little confusion. It was written by Brian Rees from CA, I would love to talk with him and have him explain the details. If you know the article, review it and feel free to comment. hank you

Excellent article and review, thank you!

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This pocket cruiser and popular club racer is built for speed and comfort

Opinions vary widely when talk turns to the Tanzer 26, the Canadian-built masthead sloop that was popular in 1970s and 1980s. Some sailors contend the recreational sailboat offers just about everything you might want in a small package—simple rigging, rugged construction, ample room below deck, cruising capability and, surprisingly, speed. Detractors say the boat lacks style and is more akin to a plastic bleach bottle with an unpleasing squatty profile. 

Designed by Johann Tanzer, the boat enjoyed a 10-year production run starting in 1975 at the Tanzer Industries Vaudreuil plant in Dorion, Quebec. With 960 T26s built, the company went out of production in May 1986 when Tanzer Industries filed for bankruptcy. 

During those two decades, the company also built 2,270 Tanzer 22s, its most successful model, which emerged as a popular club racer. Tanzer first found success in 1958 with its Flying Scot and over the years the company churned out approximately 8,000 boats in several lengths, up to 34 feet. 

According to T26 owners, the boat offers qualities that will appeal to cruising families as well as racing skippers. As the Tanzer 26 website puts it, “She provides both speed and responsiveness that is quite unusual for a production boat. But she is not just a fast sailboat that wins races. Her expansive and comfortable interior as well as forgiving nature make her a safe and easily handled cruising boat for the family.” 

First impressions

When discussing the merits of form versus function, the Tanzer 26 could easily be lumped in with the latter. Not the prettiest girl at the dance, the compact pocket cruiser nonetheless has many admirers. It’s a boat absent of traditional sheer, graceful overhangs, or even the openness of a race boat. In two words, the Tanzer 26 is practical and affordable, and that’s what attracts so many sailors. 

Construction

Although the majority of Tanzer boats were built at the home base near Montreal, others were produced in Edenton, North Carolina, and Arlington, Washington, during the height of the company’s success.  

The T26 hull is constructed as a single unit in hand-laid fiberglass with alternate layers of woven roving and mat. Additional layers are applied in high-stress areas. The deck, cabintop and cockpit are also constructed as a single unit, reinforced by sandwich construction to help ensure a rigid, insulated, non-flexing deck.

Latter models featured longer exterior handrails, nonskid deck, and a portal configuration with a single, long window on each side of the cabintrunk, replacing the former array of three or four portals per side.

The boat has a fiberglass hull, fin keel with a draft of 3 feet, 10 inches and transom-hung rudder. Tanzer offered a shoal-draft model as a factory option with a keel draft of 2 feet, 8 inches.

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TANZER 27 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of TANZER 27. Built by Tanzer Industries Ltd. and designed by Raymond Hunt (C.R. Hunt & Assoc.), the boat was first built in 1982. It has a hull type of Fin w/transom hung rudder and LOA is 8.1. Its sail area/displacement ratio 15.17. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

TANZER 27 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about TANZER 27 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, contributions, who designed the tanzer 27.

TANZER 27 was designed by Raymond Hunt (C.R. Hunt & Assoc.).

Who builds TANZER 27?

TANZER 27 is built by Tanzer Industries Ltd..

When was TANZER 27 first built?

TANZER 27 was first built in 1982.

How long is TANZER 27?

TANZER 27 is 6.86 m in length.

What is mast height on TANZER 27?

TANZER 27 has a mast height of 8.69 m.

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Does anyone have any experience with this make/model of boat? The model I am looking at is from the early 80s. I'm interested in what its limitations are, any "rules of thumb" for upkeep costs, things I ought to know, known problems with those boats, etc. Any information really would be helpful. Would you recommend this boat to someone fairly new to sailing? Thanks!  

well, i hope "no news is good news" because I made an offer on it today  

Fine boat. Several around here. Popular racer and seaworthy weekender.  

I hope you enjoy that Tanzer. I suspect that I looked at the same boat. New Bern? Good deal and by my research is a seaworthyvessel. If I didn't have 2 kids and need the extra space, I would have snagged her. I am still hunting around.  

Yep, its the same boat. I feel a got a very good deal and it is perfect for what I am looking for. They accepted my first offer, as well, which I wasnt sure they'd do. Going on a test sail and having the survey done tuesday... I've never owned a sailboat before, so i hope it all goes smoothly!  

Smoke, Whare are you sailing? I'm looking at a C&C 27 this weekend. LakeEscape  

I'm from the New Bern area. Not "sailing" anywhere yet but I hope to change that very soon. Boat will be down near oriental.  

Tanzers in general are very popular boat with a good reputation for both build quality and reliability. While some of the designs (notably 26, 28) are not likely to win any beauty pageants, esp the older window version, they were good boats that sailed well and engendered a strong following. The 27 was IIRC originally a Paceship design, and as such is a more conventional looking boat. The example on YW (presumably the one you are dealing on) looks to be a good one.  

Very popular boats up in Canada.  

Had the survey done, boat was in better condition than I expected. No major hull issues, and only two small blisters. Kept it on the hard and painted it, launched it Friday after working half the few nights before. Broke but sailing, and the estimate I got from boatus and the surveyor is considerably more than I paid for it, so I am very happy. Thanks sailnet!  

Congratulations! And just in time for the season!  

Smoke, now that you've had the boat a few months, if you get a chance I'd be interested to see your opinions posted under the Tanzer 27 review page.  

^I'll be sure to write up a summary of what I think, most of the other reviews are pretty old. If there is anything in particular you'd like to know, send me a PM or post it. The boat is solid and I've been very happy with it.  

To all you current and former Tanzer 27 sailors out there - I'm looking at a 1982 model with keel/centerboard, 15 hp outboard, and tiller steering. Understand it is generally thought to be a well built and comfortable boat. A few questions: 1- how does it sail to windward, and downwind? 2 - what is the headroom and ventilation in the cabin/salon? 3 - what is the PHRF? 4 - what are the weaknesses of the boat - any centerboard issues? 5 - what are your sailing experiences with the boat, and are/were you happy with it? My main use will be day-sailing and light coastal cruising on the west coast of Florida. In time, will probably cruise further to the Keys and beyond, but this boat needn't necessarily be the one to do that (though it would be nice). Obviously condition is key for any 30 year old boat, but before possibly traveling some distance to check it out, I'd like to get a better idea if one in good shape would be worth the trip. Thanks!  

Hi - found one my old best friend bought a week ago. Had just very little hurricane sandy damage, nothing major. Biggest issue is replacing the bow pulpit and a few stanchions. Does anyone know how to access the pulpit base/stanchion base bolts from underneath? They're through bolted but my friend hasn't found the nuts inside (excluding him, he's a psychologist, so...). I'm going over to help him on Monday and it would really help if he and I could remove the old ones, replace with new bases and stanchions. -I'm a very experienced sailor, owned several boats, think the Tanzer is one great boat. Thanks for whatever words of wisdom you (anyone) shares.  

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