Arne Kverneland wrote:
I think converting the Compac 27 to JR (sloop) should be doable. The position of the rig depends on how she balances with the present rig.
I also notice that she has a very wide beam. The question is what happens to the steering balance as the boat passes 20° heel. If you struggle with weather helm with the present rig, she will struggle even more with a JR, in particular when reaching. In that case, it might be an idea to build a new, bigger rudder and hang it on the transom.
Your question #1: I guess the mast would go somewhere a bit forward of the trunk cabin.
Your question #2: The hull should be all right (if it is so with a Bermuda rig), but as said, she may, or may not need a bigger rudder.
Your question #3: Yes, I have replaced deck-stepped, stayed masts with keel-stepped, freestanding masts on three boats, so far, no problem. That is a most common procedure when converting to JR.
Thank you for the reply, Arne.
In answer to your question about weather helm, I have not driven the old girl too hard since I bought her as she and her rigging are are getting long in the tooth at 30 years old. I do not ever expect to drive her too hard on any point of sail. That being said, I don't think I would want to replace the rudder with a transom hung rudder since that would require rethinking davits and rails and boarding ladder, etc, etc.
Your answers to my first and third questions leads to more questions, of course. :) One that springs directly to mind, and I ask only because you have done multiple conversions, is this: What are people doing with their Vee berth once there is a mast in the middle of it? I would guess that some will just not use it, but we are a family and need the accommodations. I am sure some aspects of this question are matters of personal tastes and choice.
So long as the consensus is that there is nothing stopping the boat from becoming a seaworthy junk rigged boat, barring major modifications to the hull or other major issues, I intend to convert her.
Thanks again!