Yeah, I'm happy with the F-27. Like you, I couldn't unfold my wallet enough to get an F-28r (although I've seen some that have come close). I did come close to an F-25c, but got scared off due to it being full of water and hearing of potential issues with the balsa core as a result.

My wife couldn't stand the keelboat - too much heeling, not enough speed, not comfortable. We took a test sail on a F-28r, and she liked it alot - except for the price.

The 28 felt a little livelier, but I believe that the 27 has a better interior layout for cruising/overnighting. The aft cabin is surprisingly useful, and my hope is that will be the playhouse for the kids. The aft cabin makes the **** a little cramped, but depending on your preference and philosophy, that's good or bad. I like that the head is separated from the main cabin forward in the vee-berth area. Mine even has a little vanity up there, which I thought was useless until I actually sat there and realized it could be useful for the fairer side of the family.

But the 27 is no slouch. I've not rigged my bowsprit yet, so I have yet to fly the spin or screacher. But I've seen 17 knots, and easily see over 10 routinely. Not N-20 speeds, but given that I've done no tuning and my sails are rags I'm pretty happy with that. I can see more of the Bay on a day sail than I ever could with the mono, and I can pull this right up to the beach. Downwind in lighter stuff is a little painful without the headsails - easily remedied.

Rigging is easy. It's easier than any of the beach cats I've had. The mast rests on a removable stand with a roller on top at the stern, and is captive on the pullpit at the bow. The lower stays stay attached, and act as stabilizers as the mast is raised. Lift the mast off the pullpit, roll it back until the mast base lines up with the step, put the pins in. At that point the mast balances almost perfectly on the stern stand. There's a bar that rests on top of the ends of the front beams - take the trailer winch and attach it the end of the jib halyard, and crank the mast up. Attach the baby stay and forestay, and you're essentially done.

The only real wrestling is with the main/boom. The main by itself isn't heavy, the boom by itself isn't heavy, but the two together is heavy. Some people store it on deck, I store it in the cabin. I find that if you leave the topping lift attached, you can handle the other end and guide it down below, opposite for getting it out.

So, basically, with a little practice and organization, you can rig the boat in half an hour, maybe a little less with two practiced individuals.

One thing on the 27 is that the outboard is in a well, where on others it is stern mounted. You can't steer with the outboard much (if at all) as there's not much room to turn the motor in the well. This affects low speed maneuverability, as you must have the boat moving before the rudder takes affect. With a stern mount you can steer the motor and be very nimble. But, with practice, you figure out what you need to do, and once it's moving it's very maneuverable. The other downside to the well is that with the new motors being 4-stroke and a bit larger, it's a little difficult to find one that fits. The most common outboard that seems to have found its way onto these boats is the Nissan 8hp - which is surprisingly adequate. The upside to the well is a reduced tendency to cavitate the motor in waves, and there's no ugly motor hanging off the back.

I initially kept mine rigged on the trailer at a marina, but recently I've kept it folded in a slip. The trailer option is a great way to go. Keeping it folded in the water presents an issue with keeping growth off the sides of the floats - a battle I have yet to win, and it's a hassle. Ideal would be on a mooring or slip where I could keep it folded out (working on that). Keeping it folded in the water means you either scrape and scrub often, paint anti-fouling up the sides of the floats, invest in a lift of some sort, or use an in-water surround that you pour anti-fouling chemicals into the water. I have bought an airdock lift, but I haven't had the time to set it up. This means I get to scrub and scrape, and it sucks.

If you want all-out speed at a better price, find a F-25c. But there's not as many out there, and you're dealing with more of a custom boat. I found my 27 for $36k, but like I said, it's a work in progress. Expect normally to spend low 40s to mid 50s on a decent F-27. I've seen F-28r's for as little as mid-60s. They only go up from there! F-24 mkII's seem to go for around the same prices as the 27, and F-24 mkI can be as low as the mid-high 20's. Something for everyone, depending on what you want.

If you're looking more for fast daysailing/racing, check out the new 750 - it's a F-24 with a taller rig, different foils, without the cabin and with a more open ****. Still not cheap, but new it's cheaper than a used 28r, and will be more lively than the stock 24 and 27.

Anyway, sorry for the long post - let me know if you have any other questions!