c&c sailboat review

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

C&C 30 – blistering performance in a manageable package

• Belinda Bird
• July 31, 2015

The C&C 30 strikes a good balance between performance and handling, believes Matthew Sheahan. She’s a fast ride, but without the jitters

All photos: Ocean Images

Today, going like the clappers downwind is easy; anyone can do it. But there are two basic approaches: there is eye-watering, fixed-grin, backside-twitchingly quick, with the boat balanced on a knife edge, and there’s clocking the same numbers without the jitters.

In the latter case the boat knows where to go and encourages you to follow by gradually loading the helm as if starting a friendly arm wrestle. Push her too far and you’ll still end up on your ear, but at least you will have had plenty of warning.

Developing a balance between performance and handling has been a tough nut to crack. How do you produce slender, high-lift foils with minimal drag without creating a lifting surface that operates like the flick of a switch? Such binary hydrodynamic behaviour has taxed modern yacht designers for years, but the lessons learned aboard the big boys’ VO70s, mini maxis and TP52s, among others, have been filtering down into the smaller size ranges.

Then there’s the issue of deck layouts and control line systems. Again, the big guns have led the way with innovative details and devices to help crews change gear from the weather rail as they hike over the guardwires.

But not everything that has filtered down has been appropriate. Just as the complexity and power of a modern F1 racing car makes it impossible to pull away without stalling for anyone other than a seasoned racing driver, so not all the high technology aboard professionally run grand-prix machines works for the rest of us.

Striking the balance is the key. And that’s where the Mark Mills-designed C&C30 stands out in the new breed of 30ft raceboats.

This is a design that takes the best bits of modern high performance and wraps them up with a deck layout that will look and feel familiar to a wide range of crews, yet launch them onto a new level of performance.

Technology where it’s needed

Throughout the boat it is clear that the strategy has been to employ technology where it makes a difference while keeping things simple elsewhere. The best example is the Hall Spars carbon mast supported by 1×19 Dyform wire rigging with ordinary T-terminals on the top and open-bodied bottlescrews at the bottom.

But there are plenty of other examples, from the simple hanks on the headsails to transverse genoa tracks and control lines fitted and run above decks with rope tidy bags. Even when lines do need to go under the deck to prevent crew from standing on them at crucial times, they do so through recessed channels in the deck, which are covered by easily removable lids.

Down below there’s a similarly practical approach. Sparse though her interior is, with little headroom thanks to the flush deck, she still has basic seating and cushions with the provision for hingeing pipecots, a heads and even a small galley should you wish to take her offshore. She has no mast jack, but she has a simple rigging screw-driven adjustable mast foot to allow you to alter the mast rake.

She’s easier to keep in the groove than others of her ilk

The C&C30 also has very few openings in the deck, a rarity aboard modern raceboats, which can look like pepper pots from the inside. Despite taking several waves over the foredeck on our downhill slide and a few thumps through the chop upwind, she had less than half a bucket of water in the bilges at the end of our test sail, most of which was shipped when a wave came over the bow just before the kite drop and the foredeck hatch was open.

Look a little closer and there are some very neat ideas, among them the non-retractable, but detachable bowsprit. This can be removed when the boat is at rest by untying the bobstay that runs from the bow to the tip of the sprit and back through its centre to emerge below, where it is attached to the main bulkhead. This allows the sprit to be pulled out of its socket and stowed.

Another clever detail is the constrictor lock for the main halyard, which is operated below decks, along with the halyard itself – simple and effective.

On deck the low-friction bullseye fairleads have been set up to allow cross sheeting of the genoa sheets, and the position of the primary winches make this system easy to use from the weather rail.

Overall the deck layout has been well thought out, with everything within easy reach. One particular detail is the ability for the mainsheet trimmer to move behind the helmsman on the downwind leg without having to thread the mainsheet under the tiller – handy when the breeze is up.

Easy to get on with

The C&C30 is a boat that is very easy to get on with so long as you let her talk you through where she wants to go. Unlike the superlight, almost neutral feel of many modern machines, the helm loads up significantly, but smoothly if you stray too far outside the sail trim envelope. As always, whether sailing upwind or down, fighting the helm is a cue to talk to your trimmers, but here the feedback is that bit clearer, which helps you to stay in the groove.

She doesn’t have such aggressive chines aft as other boats of her ilk and appears to carry less rocker here too. As a result, she tends not to squat down by the stern and lift her bow when you send her downwind. To get her to accelerate and stay on the plane you still need to press her to get around 5° of heel, but the transition is much smoother than others of this type.

Upwind feedback through the helm was clear and unequivocal

This can feel a little odd at first if you are more used to the bow-up trim of other downhill flyers. It also means you have to plan the gusts a little more carefully to avoid putting the handbrake on as you bear away.

But make no mistake, she’s quick. In 16-18 knots of true breeze we were sliding along at 14-16 knots with ease. Such relatively docile handling will inspire confidence, particularly with those making the transition from heavier, conventional boats to something a little more saucy.

And therein lies what I believe is the key to the C&C30; she’s a modest, manageable and practical package that is capable of a blistering performance.

It is inevitable that she will be compared with the Farr 280, especially as both boats were launched at around the same time. Broadly speaking, they look similar and have little to separate them on the technical spec sheets. With a basic price tag of US$137,390 ex works USA, the C&C30 is slightly more expensive, but in the same ball park.

But the best thing about this boat is that she’s another in the growing band of sporty 30-footers. All want to be tomorrow’s successful one-design, and maybe some of them will be, but in the meantime her arrival adds another model into this growing fleet of sportsboats. Everyone can go quickly downhill, it’s just how you choose to do it that is different. And now there’s even more choice.

The C&C30 takes the best of high-performance design, but with a clever, conventional-seeming deck layout

Vinylester/E Glass/foam core construction throughout. The structural grid includes carbon fibre. A 12hp Volvo inboard diesel engine is standard

A well laid-out cockpit makes the C&C30 easy to get to grips with. I felt the foot rest bars were a little too low to give good support, however

Unbolting the keel plate allows the 2.30m deep fin and bulb keel to be raised by 600mm to make it easier to trail the boat. She can also be lifted on a central point

The bowsprit can be removed easily when moored by detaching the bobstay that runs through the centre of the pole and into the boat. This also helps to prevent lines getting caught under the pole

No mast jack, but a simple rigging screw adjustment to move the mast heel forward and aft to rake the rig

Car control lines run under the deck to make crew movement easier and safer, but do so in covered recesses rather than running through the accommodation.

Specifications

LOA 9.15m/30ft 0in

Beam 3.00m/9ft 10in

Draught 2.30m/7ft 6in

Displacement 1,812kg/3,995lb

Upwind 59.51m 2 /640ft 2

Downwind 152m 2 /1643ft 2

IRC Rating 1.140

Price US$137,390 ex works, ex tax

Designed by Mark Mills

Built by C&C Yachts, Bristol,RI, USA

UK/Europe agent Checkmate Sailing www.checkmatesailing.com

This is an extract from a feature in June Yachting World

A dual-purpose boat prepares for racing and romping on the Great Lakes Many builders have tried to perfect the racer/cruiser design. The idea is to have a boat that is comfortable enough to cruise, but still fun and competitive around the buoys. C&C has come as close as anyone to balancing this formula. We have been looking for a boat to cruise, a lot of weekends but some longer trips as well, but we still want to have fun on Wednesday evenings. Naturally, we looked to C&C. We spent a lot of time looking at boats, the 30 was a little too small, and the 37 and 41 a bit too big, not to mention too expensive. The 33 and 35 seemed close to the mark. We talked a few brokers into demo rides and we fell in love with the 33. The boat was fast, but did not require a lot of tweaking to go fast. It was small enough to handle, but large enough to carry our cruising gear or all of the racing crew on the rare nights when everyone turns up. C&C actually produced two 33-foot boats, the 33 MK I from 1974 to 1977, and the 33 MK II starting in 1984. The newer 33 is a more modern design, but we fell in love with the classic lines of the MK I. A freshwater find With our sights set on a 33 MK1, we went to search for our boat. The boat had a big production run, and a lot of them are still on the Great Lakes. We found a very nice 33 in Michigan, but there were other interested buyers and we did not want to get in a bidding war. After a few months of looking we found a solid 33 in Ohio. It needed a little work but all the important bits were there. For the record, we bought a 1978 33 MK I, and after the dust settled we paid $32,500. We closed the deal on the boat in mid-July, and rather than diving into the refit straight away we decided to go sailing. We had some great weekend trips, and spent a full week aboard in August. As the summer waned, we took stock of the season and decided where to spend our refit money. Our goal was a comfortable boat that we could race at a respectable beer-can level. We needed a solid, slippery hull, a dependable engine, efficient sails and maybe a few toys. Our hull was in good shape overall but had some fairly chunky bottom paint on it. Since the bottom paint was a little flaky and we didn't know what type of paint it was, we decided to remove it. In a classic "while we were at it" way, we decided to do a barrier coat job at the same time. The worst part of this job was the removal of the old paint. We were able to rent vacuum sanders from our boatyard, which kept the mess down and protected the environment, but it was still a ton of work and very dusty. Two of us were able to sand the bottom to gelcoat in a weekend. Between the sander rental, sanding disks, safety gear and a case of beer, the job cost us $275. With a nice clean bottom, we got to work on the barrier coat, choosing Interlux Interprotect 2000E. The first step was a wipe-down with solvent to be sure the hull was clean, and then five coats of Interprotect. The Interprotect system is quick drying, with short overcoat times, so we were able to get all the coats on in one very long weekend. With painting materials, solvents, and the Interprotect we spent $470. Finally we were on to bottom paint. A slippery race bottom in fresh water means VC17, specifically Interlux VC-17m Extra with Biolux. This is a copper-based paint with Teflon for slipperiness, and a Biolux to keep the slime under control. Since we were starting with a fresh clean bottom we chose to apply the manufacturer's recommended three coats. The paint and materials cost us $450. We were tired and paint-spattered, but for a little over $1,000, three weekends and a lot of called-in favors we had a beautiful new bottom. Mostly to psych out our competition, we took another afternoon and burnished the bottom with 600-grit sandpaper. The C&C 33 used the Universal Atomic 4 engine exclusively. The trusty Atomic 4 has a bad rap, but it is really a pretty good little engine. The biggest complaint is the "danger" of using gasoline. Yes, gasoline is explosive, but it is not that dangerous. Remember, there are millions of gasoline-powered powerboats in the world that cruise around without incident. The important thing is make sure that the fuel system is sound and to be responsible with the use of the bilge blower. Even though we trusted our little engine, it started hard and ran a little rough. We called in our local Atomic 4 expert for a little tune-up. Our mechanic did a tune-up, changed the oil, replaced the starter battery and gave us a little maintenance lesson for $420. After this small investment the engine started and ran very nicely. A new suit of sails Since we were looking to competitively race, we needed a decent set of sails. We wanted a new mainsail, genoa and spinnaker. Our budget would not allow both racing and cruising sails, so we needed a good compromise in the sail material and design. We turned to our trusted sailmaker Peter Grimm of Doyle Sailmakers in Fort Lauderdale. The C&C 33 was designed in the day of the short boom and large foretriangle. The mainsail is extremely high aspect at approximately 3.5:1, meaning it is 3.5 times as tall as the boom is long. The space between the backstay and the back of the boom is much larger than you would typically see. Peter used this space to build a very full roach mainsail with 15 percent larger sail area than the original main. He supported the roach with two full top battens and two long bottom battens. The sail was designed with slightly more draft for power and a straight leech profile for pointing. The increased roach helps boat speed in all breezes and all angles of sailing, especially reaching and running. Peter built this sail of Contender MAXX sailcloth, a low-stretch, high-performance polyester laminate material. The sail and cloth have served us well on the race course and is durable enough for extended cruising. The mainsail cost us $2,700. For our boat, Peter recommended a 150-percent genoa to give the performance we need for light wind on the Great Lakes. The C&C derives much of its power from its large foretriangle. The 150 is almost twice as big as our mainsail. The sail was cut with the draft well forward and a very straight exit angle on the leech, this sail shape allows for a much wider groove making it easier to maintain consistent boat speed. The clew height was set at the lifelines with a nice round foot. This will allow the clew to pass easily over the lifelines yet still maintain the performance of a more tedious-to-handle deck sweeper. Peter added a foam luff pad to give us a good shape when we furl the sail down. To protect the sail from the sun yet not impact performance, Peter recommended a zip-up external UV cover. We could have added a sewn-on UV panel but it adds extra weight and changes the sail shape in the leech area, where it really counts. This sail was also built from Contender MAXX cloth. This big genoa, with the external cover, cost us $3,925, a tidy sum but the cost of doing business on the race course. The C&C 33 spinnaker is a real workhorse downwind. The sail is very large because the foretriangle is so large. Peter designed a versatile shape for "pole-on-the-headstay reaching" and to sail deep downwind angles. To keep the boat moving fast without a lot of tweaking, Peter cut the sail with a large groove-he joked that the sail was designed to be trimmed "beer in hand." For fabric we chose Contender Super Kote 75, a .75-ounce nylon with a polyurethane coating. We appreciated just how big that chute was when got the bill, $3,450, but that is for a whopping 921 square feet of spinnaker. To be able to efficiently trim those new sails we decided to do a tune-up of all blocks and winches. We started by washing all of the grit from the blocks with hot, soapy water. After a thorough rinse and dry we lubed up each one with McLube Sailkote. Next came the winch rebuilds. We took down each winch, cleaned the parts in solvent and reassembled with new lubrication. Some of the pawl springs were a bit sprung so we replaced them. Parts are not readily available for Barient winches, but Harken springs fit well and are a little beefier than the original Barient springs. This job took all weekend but the deck hardware all worked like brand new. We spent about $40 on the solvent, Sailkote, pawl springs, winch grease and lightweight oil. We did a lot of work, but we have a solid boat that we know inside and out. I envision a great summer of relaxing evenings on the hook and some exciting ones on the course.

Project list and cost summary Retrofit budget: 1. Bottom strip $275 2. Barrier coat $470 3. Bottom paint $450 4. Engine work $420 5. Mainsail $2,700 6. 150% genoa $3,925 7. Spinnaker $3,450 8. Winch rebuild $40

Total retrofit work $11,730 36% of purchase price Grand total $44,320

Sources Interlux Yacht Finishes, www.yachtpaint.com , (800) 468-7589; Doyle Sailmakers, www.doyleflorida.com , 800-541-7601; Contender Sailcloth, www.contendersailcloth.com , (508) 674-7700; McLube Sailkote, www.mclube.com , (800) 262-5823.

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C & C 24 pros and cons

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C & C 24 pros and cons I am seriously considering a 77 C&C 24 for sailing around the Buzzards Bay area and hope to get some feedback from other folks with some experience with this particular class. I would need to purchase a new working jib or 110% jib for the boat and possibly a new depth guage and have found a wide range of prices so I could use some feedback from this as well. Any sort of info would be welcome.  

C & C 24 pros and cons I had a C&C 30 for a number of years and absolutely loved her. I think that C&C make fine boats. That being said, I wud spend the money and get a pre-purchase survey. You might want to chek out the 25'' for sale at www.blockislandmaritime.com Good Luck.  

C & C 24 pros and cons If you can handle a 24 you can handle a 30'' boat. Having owned both and sailed in Buzzards Bay I suggest you get as big a boat as you can afford. I really like C&C''s but the 24 has an outboard and when they hobby horse the prop comes out of the water. Buzzards Bay has lot''s of wind and waves. Good luck.  

C & C 24 pros and cons Chuck, I owned a 1980 C&C 24 from 1987 through 1999. I thought the boat was very well designed and constructed, and about the best boat for day sailing and limited cruising on the Chesapeake Bay that I could find. She would pound a little in choppy conditions, and the comment about the prop coming out of the water occasionally is a valid one. I had a 1980 Honda 7.5 outboard that I replaced in 1997 with a Honda 8. Both had long shafts, and the mount was adjustable, so not too bad a problem. Annual maintenance was a breeze. Basically one day to compound and wax the topsides and paint the bottom (I recommend ablative paint to minimize prep time). My only significant maintenance problem with the cabin windows, both port and starboard. The plexiglass windows are bonded to the cabin with (what appears to be) expoy or polyester resin, such that they are structurally integrated into the cabin side. The starboard window developed a vertical hairline crack (that never caused too much leakage or problem). The port window separated from the cabin at the aft end, and leaked more than I would tolerate. I made a template of the old window before removing it, had it duplicated in plexiglass at a local auto glass shop, and reinstalled it in 3M 5200, secured with s/s round head screws approx 12 in on center. I was not comfortable with my ability to rebed the window in resin or epoxy or whatever. This worked well, and was a one-weekend project to install. The chief reason I no longer have the boat is that my then financee, now wife did not like the head arrangement in that model of the C&C 24. The portapotti behind a canvas curtain did not afford enough privacy, so she suggested we get a larger boat. But for that, I would still be sailing the C&C. Good luck with a boat that I strongly recommend.  

leluck said: C & C 24 pros and cons Hi Leluck, I bought a 24 ft C&C last summer and love it. I have a dark blue hull and I have seen crack in the paint... I was wondering if you, or anyone here might have an Idea on what the paint is on this boat? Thanks in advance! Click to expand...

C & C 24 pros and cons Hi, I just want to thank you for turning me on to the C&C 25 over at Block Island Maritime. I am currently having a survey done on the boat (as soon as the weather gets above freezing)and if everything checks out alright, I will be the boat''s next owner. Have you had any experience with this particular boat? It appears to be well maintained but unfortunately, took on some water during the past few snows (I think through the the companionway boards) and it currently has about 2 inches of solid ice sitting on the cabin floor. Once again, thank you for the tip on the boat. Chuck Gilchrest  

C & C 24 pros and cons Chuck: Alas, I do not have any experience with that particular boat. In my quest to purchase an inexpensive boat, I stumbled across the website. Good luck with survey. Keep us informed as to your progress.  

Re: C & C 24 pros and cons I know these posts are over 10 years old. But in the event that ChuckG still gets an update on this post. Then, I have to ask if he like his purchase and tell us all about the boat. I have always been interested in pocket cruisers and this one seems roomy.  

Re: C & C 24 pros and cons Does your 24 have any type of kitchen area?  

Re: C & C 24 pros and cons Thanks alot, that really is a 24 with a lot of room!  

Re: C & C 24 pros and cons No problem, let me know if you have any more questions about her.  

Re: C & C 24 pros and cons I just purchased a 1975 C&C 24. This will be my first of many, have you had any problems finding any parts?  

Re: C & C 24 pros and cons Very few parts are C&C specific so no issues, if you need certain bits such as stanchion bases, these guys have odds and ends that come in handy, Holland Marine Products¨  

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C&C 99

• By Ralph Naranjo
• Updated: August 21, 2002

With its new C&C 99, Fairport Yachts is obviously targeting sailors interested in a raceboat that can also be cruised. But even geezers like me, with a penchant for performance gunkholing rather than regattas, will see the merit in this seagoing roadster. Her powerful sail plan, stiff demeanor, and safe side decks merge with a modest-sized cabin house cleanly perched on a light but stiff hull with a long waterline and a fair ration of form stability.

The result is an action-oriented 32-footer that’s all sailboat, rather than a surrogate beach house, and an excellent value in performance and structure. The C&C 99 is built with technology that’s a notch above standard industry practice. I sailed the boat last fall with Tim Jackett, her designer, and it was instantly clear to me how his hands-on involvement with the project turned a good idea into a great sailboat.

Jackett also is the chief operating officer for Fairport Yachts, builder of C&Cs and Tartans. In addition to playing a key role in the corporate decisions, he remains the company’s lead designer. Judging from this innovative racer/ cruiser, wearing both hats hasn’t diminished his creativity.

When Jackett set out to design a new boat that would sport the familiar C&C logo, he didn’t stop with a set of lines drawings and a table of offsets. His participation continued through the building phase and even long after the boat left the factory. Along the way, he remained intimate with the details. He sailed the new sloop all summer with his kids; then, in January, he took her to Key West, where he won his class in one of sailing’s toughest week-long regattas. To me, however, the Key West success is overshadowed by an even bigger success: the value this boat holds for cruisers who like one that’s a pure pleasure to sail. That’s why I, along with the other CW Boat of the Year judges, voted the 99 the Best Performance Cruiser for 2002.

A Closer Look

My overall impression of the C&C 99 is summed up in one word: “Balance” describes how the boat looks and sails as well as how design decisions were blended to create a practical racer/cruiser. This attribute enables the C&C 99 to stand tall in a forest of production peers.

The 99 isn’t an update of traditional C&C boats. Still, she remains faithful to a design approach that for decades has kept the C&C logo visible on the waterfront. For example, as I stepped into the cockpit, I quickly noticed that lines lead cleanly from blocks and cars to winches, the helmsman had several seating options, and a crew could trim the genoa without elbowing the jaw of the crewmember trimming the main. Even more captivating was the ease with which the balanced sail plan could be handled. Under main alone, the boat tacked cleanly, which is handy when sailing in crowded harbors.

Under sail, the boat excelled—not in a quirky raceboat context but in an easy-to-handle, well-behaved, maneuverable fashion. Her large rudder helped balance the boat nicely when beating to windward with just the slightest amount of weather helm, a favorable trait. The Edson steering system was strongly installed, and the helm was butter smooth. Tacking and jibing are easy singlehanded endeavors.

Initially, I was concerned about the wedge shape of this racer/cruiser, whose beam is carried well aft. But a closer look revealed how fore-and-aft changes in the flare and volume helped prevent the broaches caused by rudder ventilation seen on many other boats her size. Even when we were overpowered and lacked the rail meat to keep the boat flat, she still resisted broaching. While I followed the C&C 99 in a runabout, watching her cut through the water on different points of sail, she was reluctant to root her bow and raise her stern, which no doubt helps keep her rudder in play.

The roller-furling jib was a snap to handle. And although there’s about 300 square feet of mainsail, it’s set up with single-line slab reefing led aft and with all the “big-boat” sailhandling controls (vang, outhaul, traveler, and a double-sided mainsheet with fine and gross tails). Owners who sail shorthanded might want to add a Dutchman system or lazy jacks to simplify setting and dousing the big mainsail.

Construction Quality

Tipping the scales at just 9,265 pounds, the 99’s a boat racing sailors will find fairly light; to cruisers, she’s absolutely a flyweight. However, she’s built to high standards. A friend of mine, Paul Miller, is a naval-architecture professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and a structures specialist with a Ph.D. He once said, “The single best move a composite boatbuilder can make is switching to epoxy laminating resin,” which is what C&C has done for the hull of this boat. Incidentally, some recent laminate destruction tests performed in his U.S.N.A. labs revealed that ATC Core-Cell and epoxy resin were a very compatible, structurally sound duo.

The hull is a sandwich structure that gets laid up with E-glass fabric; Kevlar is used in high-load areas. The fabric is wetted out with epoxy resin using a mechanical impregnator to ensure complete saturation. Combined with vacuum bagging, this technique improves resin-to-fiber ratios when compared with traditional hand-layup techniques. Next, the hull is baked in an oven for eight hours to post-cure the epoxy resin. The builder gradually ramps up the temperature, increasing molecular cross-linking, thereby strengthening and stiffening the composite structure. The resulting hull element has superior mechanical properties and a low void content. ATC Core-Cell foam is used below the waterline, and Baltec AL-600 is the core material laminated into the topsides and deck. A Mars Metal bulbed keel is attached with stainless-steel keel bolts.

Her canoe-shaped underbody, fin and bulb keel, and deep spade rudder are far from the cruiser’s traditional model, so this boat may not fit every cruiser’s needs. Case in point: Load-carrying capability for extended cruising is sparse. Tankage is 40 gallons of water, 20 gallons of fuel, and 20 gallons of effluent. Then again, this is a 32-footer. There’s also the negative impact of weight on performance and the limitations of space for storage. Obviously, this boat isn’t a deep-bilged, high-wetted-surface load hauler. She’s fleet and meant to be cruised without all the stuff you horde in the garage. Still, you won’t be roughing it. There’s a functional galley with two-burner LPG stove, and provision is made for an optional microwave oven. The two saloon settees work well as underway berths once lee cloths have been rigged, and berths forward and aft are good for sleeping in port. She sleeps six, is comfortable for four, and will seem luxurious to a couple headed off for a weekend or for a few weeks of adventure. She owns an ISO Category A offshore approval and has a limit of positive stability of about 122 degrees.

One area of concern for me was the outward cant of the pushpit at the stern. From the dock, it seemed like it could cause a crewmember to lean away from the deck on which he or she stood in order to grasp the stainless-steel tubing. Under sail, I intentionally moved about the cockpit to calculate the risk of this outward bend of the rail. Under normal sailing situations, it didn’t seem to be a problem, and the use of the swim-step transom appeared to be a workable arrangement.

The stainless-steel handrails, stanchions, and other hardware were fastened with through-bolts or were tapped into stainless-steel bar stock that follows the curve of the toerail. The metal toerail was fastened with stainless-steel machine screws tapped into the bar stock. All hardware was nicely bedded and securely fastened. There were cleats fore and aft (which you don’t always see on racer/cruisers of this size), but an anchor roller is on the options list.

The Volvo MD2020 is a 19-horsepower diesel with sail drive that pushes the vessel through a calm at just over 6 knots, runs as smoothly as a clock, and sips about two-thirds of a gallon per hour. The engine fits snugly beneath the companionway ladder. Like powerboat outdrives and other sail drives, these units bring with them the potential of galvanic corrosion and seal failure. Most engineers will advise you to religiously maintain the sacrificial zincs and regularly check nearby through-hulls and other submerged metals. Fairport Yachts has made a noticeable effort to meet guidelines set by the American Boat & Yacht Council. The wiring is well done, and systems for fuel and plumbing use top-quality hardware.

Perhaps the best news of all is that with a base price of $114,500 (not including sails), this dual-purpose sloop should attract considerable attention, and once two or more sister ships are cruising along together, there’s no doubt it will be called a race.

Ralph Naranjo is CW’s technical editor and a Boat of the Year judge.

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 31 - 40 ft , Boat of the Year , c & c yachts , keelboat , monohull , racer / cruiser , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
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• Sailboat Reviews

The Evolution of the C&C 27 Cruiser-Racer

C&C Yachts produced four versions-and nearly 1,000 hulls-of its popular C&C 27 boat. Called the C&C 27 Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, and Mark IV, these boats differed in various ways, but the hulls were similar. A fifth design, the C&C 27 Mark V, was a totally different design. Heres a look at the various editions of the C&C 27, and how they differed from one another.

Mark I: Production ran from 1970 to 1972; hull numbers 1 through 167. Shorter hull and shortest rigs, with single upper and single lower shrouds. Mainsail traveller mounted aft in cockpit. Standard equipped with tiller steering and Atomic 4 gas engine.

Mark II: Production ran from 1972 to 1974; hull numbers 168 through 451. Same hull and sail area as the Mark I. High-aspect rig was two feet taller than Mark I. Rigged with one upper and two lower shrouds. Same aft traveller, Atomic 4 engine, and tiller steering as Mark I.

Mark III: Production ran from 1974 to 1981; hull numbers 452 through 914. Hull similar to previous editions but six inches in length were added to cockpit/stern area. Traveller was moved forward to bridgedeck mount, and wheel steering became an option in 1975; diesel power became option in 1978 (Yanmar). Draft and sail area increased; ballast decreased; displacement remained same as previous marks. Rudder redesigned with higher aspect shape. Small interior changes made but basic layout the same as marks I and II.

Mark IV: Production ran from 1981 to 1982; hull numbers 915 through 979. Most changes in Mark IV were cosmetic; teak interior replaced with off-white melamine, trimmed with teak and dark-anodized aluminum. Forestay moved aft about seven inched to make way for a bow roller. Auxiliary power option upgraded to two-cylindar Yanmar.

Mark V: Production ran from 1984 to 1986; hull numbers 1 to 169 (Niagara-On-The-Lake plant) and 500 to 610 (Rhode Island plant). The Mark V is a completely different boat than the other 27s; it is not considered part of the evolution of those previous designs. Geared more toward racing sailors, the Mark V was designed to meet the Midget Ocean Racing Club (MORC) rule.

* Compiled with data from the C&C 27 owners association, www.cc27association.com

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