# Re-assembling a US Yacht 27



## Roger1998 (Aug 13, 2018)

This is my second sailboat, and a tortured story. I am looking for pics of the interior of the 1982 US Yacht 27. Previous owners removed the mast and gutted the interior then abandoned the hull. I think I've recovered most of the interior woodwork, stainless steel hardware, four sails, cushions, and even the mast, and I am ready to start putting this jigsaw puzzle back together. 
I see a few of these US Yacht 27's for sale on internet with some interior pics, but I am interested in more... especially of the starboard area where the shroud stays are anchored through the deck to an interior bulkhead. Or the whole starboard side kitchen area.
I have gotten the little diesel inboard engine running! But I'd like to discuss that with someone with knowledge. 
Roger in Alaska
907-302-8843


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

You may already know this, but this boat started life as a Chaser 27, then became a Buccaneer 272, then became a US 27, and then a Pearson Triton II and ended production as a Pearson Triton 27. The original design was by Doug Peterson. but there were several modifications along the way. To the best of my recollection, the interior layout remained pretty much unchanged from the Buccaneer 272 through the end of production so any images and drawings of any of these should provide some useful information. That said, my sense is that the build quality and finish continued to get better with each variation. 

Jeff


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

If you just plan on making it functional and getting it "done" you will be miles ahead of others doing the same type of thing. There is no reason to seek, try to copy the "way it was" in other words, it's not a collectible antique and not worth anything to anyone but you. Boats in this respect are worse then cars. Good luck!


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## hnash53 (Aug 18, 2017)

There is a Bayliner Buccaneer Yahoo Group that might be a source of info/pics for you. It's not a busy group but there is always some activity.

Post your question there and you might get some responses from the Buccaneer.

Finally, go to this link: Sailboats built by Bayliner (Buccaneer/US Yachts) on Sailboatdata.com - (sort by LOA) and you will see several 27x models, some of which Jeff mentioned above. Perhaps then do a Google image search for each model... who knows what you might find!!

Good luck.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

I stood next to Dad when he bought his 1981 US Yacht new. I was 11.
Spent the whole day with him when they commissioned her, I mean 6am, till 11pm (long story).
We put a lifetime of sailing into that boat in the 5 years he owned it. Most of them him and I sailing it. I even learned to crew for him racing our mixed fleet on Lake Norman, NC.

My observations are less technical than Jeff's (as per usual)...
I do recall the Triton, and the 27, and vaguely the bayliner and buccaneer variants.
The US 27 as you came through the companionway, was quarter berth to starboard (and under).
Galley starting with sink, then gimbled alcohol stove.
to Port was a settee, that backed up against the bulkhead. 
Cushions were THICK 6inch foam. The salon sat 4 adults comfortable, and table dropped to make a nice double berth. My parents slept there lots.
The V berth as I recall was high, and hard to get into, and behind both the ice box (starboard top load), and head.

The head was tight, probably 5' 9" with a hand wand that attached to the sink faucet.
6 foot standing headroom in the main salon... my father was 6'2" and could only stand under the sliding hatch.

Boat had a pretty teak/holly sole floor, bulkheads had a nice teak veneer plywood. Boat was heavy heavy heavy built.

INboard models had a 13 hp inboard volvo. Outboards were fitted with an undersized 9.9 mariner.
These came with tall and standard masts.
The boats had a pinched stern that looked like a wine glass.
Lots of headsail, not a lot of mainsail.
Masthead rig.

I understand the tiller/outboard model sailed quite well to its rating... our inboard fixed prop, wheel was terrible. Dad put icing on that cake by ordering a 170% headsail (for super light days on Lake Norman) and he didn't understand what that penalty was. Our other sail was a 100%. He'd have been well served with a 155%, but a folding prop would have served better as well.

Dad bought the boat when someone ordered it customized, and then canceled.

Boat was rigged with wheel steering/inboard, and the bonehead had them rig the cabling up backwards so the wheel would steer starboard when you spun it to port. Sales guy said original guy wanted it that way cause he thought he'd adjust better from tiller that way. That turned out to create huge problems later.

Deep fin keel we had (and they made a shoal too), sailed on its ear well. Deep spade rudder would steer down all the way to 40 degrees, until there was nothing left, and she'd round up even and smooth. 

We have pictures in a box somewhere with the orange and yellow striped 170% up in 15 knot winds and the boat is cooking at 30+ degrees heel boiling along at 6.5 knots.

Many folks will not be real fond of these boats. They were bayliners through and through... which to me isn't a horrific thing. They were very much better built than the later Hunters of the same era, which have held up better than anyone ever expected as well.

The biggest problems I saw with them was the lewmar hatches forward would leak and owners wouldn't address it, and it would ruin the cushions and eventually the wood bulkheads. That and the plexi port lights weren't mounted well (as many were in other models those years), and they leaked terrible. Catalina had issues with their metal mounted portlights as well, each had their plusses and minuses. 

Anyway, I was only 15 when Dad had to give up his beloved boat.. but it was etched in my memory as a huge part of my reason I sail (as you can likely tell).. . I have thought many times of doing what you are attempting now.

I wanna find one that is mostly intact, with inboard, fin, and wheel, I might snatch it up, race it and rename it...
You see, Dad named his boats after my mom... Maureen... His boats were, "Reenie Won," "Reenie Too" and "Reenie III." I even have a name picked out "Reenie's Revenge." a PHRF sleeper... yeah I dream of crazy stuff.

I have written logs from each of them that I have threatened to turn into a bunch of blog entries... but I'm to busy or to lazy to start. I doubt anyone would want to read them but family. But the stories are great just the same, and show that cruising doesn't have to be much more than a day on the water, swimming, sailing, picnicing getting sunburnned, and going home exhausted.

I'd love more pictures and keep us posted on your progress in your project.


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## Roger1998 (Aug 13, 2018)

Wow! Great to see so much activity so quickly on this forum.

I am not overly attached to recreating the interior exactly, but my main concern is the starboard shroud attachments to the deck. It appears that they pulled loose, and the mast fell over to port. No damage to the aluminum mast, but the lag screws were bent at 90 degrees and pulled out of the fiberglass deck. Not impressed with these lag screw attachment. I can't figure out how to re-attach the mast! There is a plastic/polymer insert in the mast base that looks like must be removed. I have no pics handy, but I'll get some tonight. As a work-around, I am thinking about having a collar fabricated to bolt to the deck that the mast will slide into.

Here in Anchorage, Alaska, there are not any sailboat shops available. As you can guess, I am shopping the internet for parts for a 40 year old sailboat.

Finally, my real concern on the interior is to add a bulkhead wall beneath the starboard shroud base to better anchor those mast stays and prevent another mast toppling incident.

Thanks for any input!
Roger


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## Roger1998 (Aug 13, 2018)

Here was my first glimpse of the interior. Ugh! Entire cabinetry and kitchen/sink/plumbing are removed from starboard side.
Flooring removed. Wall covering stripped off. And it was full of about four years of attempted repair materials, cigarette butts, trash, etc.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

layout loooks right... starboard side should have a gimbled stove, and ice locker (stern to bow)... ice locker is top load directly across from head.


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