About the Norsea 27
The NØRSEA 27 has been designed by Lyle Hess in 1977. About 250 boats have been produced using the same original mold which was used in 1979 for hull #1.
Lyle Hess wanted a boat small enough to be trailerable, without any concession to seaworthiness. The reasonable size of the NØRSEA 27, its legendary robustness, and its limited draft were key points in our choice of a sailboat for the San Francisco Bay, and beyond.
The NØRSEA 27 was one of the only sailboats that you can get as a kit (3 versions were available to complete yourself) on the US West Coast. It was important for us to be able to monitor the quality of the work done at the boat shop and to be able to do the finish work ourselves (money-wise and to get exactly what we wanted).
Plume was built in the Nor’Sea Yachts boat shop in Ontario (California) managed by Bob Eeg. We bought her as a Kit boat #3, which included the hull, deck, main cabinetry, and standing rigging. Everything else was left for us to do, like painting, trimming, plumbing, electricity, and deck equipment. Bob Eeg was kind enough to give us full access to his boat shop and we were working there every other weekend during six months. Besides the advantage of having professional tools, we learned a lot from Bob and his excellent carpenter Alonso. Furthermore, we were able to hire Alonzo for the more complex work requiring true craftsmanship, such as the teak hatches, teak knees, storm hoods, sliding chart table, folding table, and bowsprit.
Plume Aft-Cabin Interior Layout
Specifications
| LOA | 9.4 | m | 31 | ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOD | 8.2 | m | 27 | ft |
| LWL | 7.6 | m | 25 | ft |
| Bmax | 2.4 | m | 8 | ft |
| Draft | 1.2 | m | 3'10" | ft+in |
| Disp.* | 3860 | kg | 8500 | lb |
| VD | 3.76 | m3 | 133 | ft3 |
| Ballast | 1400 | kg | 3100 | lb |
| SA | 36.6 | m2 | 394 | ft2 |
* The specification of the Norsea 27 shows 8100 pounds of displacement. However this number is probably the lowest limit. There are reports of fully equiped Norsea weighting more than 11'000 pounds. Plume was weighted at 8400 pounds before going in water, with sails and one anchor, but some equipement like the stove or head were still missing. So 8500 pound is probably a realistic number for the empty boat.
| LOA | Length Over All | Longueur Hors Tout |
| LOD | Length On Deck | Longueur de Coque |
| LWL | Length at Water Line | Longueur à la Flotaison |
| Bmax | Maximum Beam | Beau Maximum |
| Draft | "Draft" | Tirant d'eau |
| VD | Volume Displacement = Displ / 64 |
Déplacement en Volume = Displ / 1025 |
| SA | Sail Area | Surface de Voilure |
| Ballast Ratio | 36% | Blst / Displ |
|---|---|---|
| SDR | 15.1 | SA / VD1/3 |
| CSF | 1.57 | Bmax / VD1/3 |
| SDR | Sail area Displacement Ratio Give an idea of the sailing power |
Rapport Voilure / Déplacement Fournit une idée de la puissance du voilier |
| CSF | Capsize Screening Factor Simplified evaluation of the boat blue water capability (has to be <2) |
Facteur de Retournement Evalue de manière très simplifiée l'aptitude d'un bateau à la grande croisière |
| Water Tank | 2x75=150 | l | 2x20=40 | US gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel Tank | 110 | l | 30 | US gal |
| Type | Yanmar 2GM20F | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 16.0 / 3400 | HP / rpm |
| 2-Blade Prop | CDI Plastic 14x10 (up to 2024) | Michigan Bronze 13x12 (since 2024) |