The Cape Dory Board

All I can offer is if at all possible do not cut the cable. If you do, it has to be spliced in a metal box, using terminal strips, which is not bad with the normal wires but splicing the coax is a pain. Make sure the cable is long enough.

1974 was the first year for the CD 28. Mine came with a 24 hp 2 cylinder Volvo MD2B which has more horsepower than the later model years. There were some changes to the interior (for the better) over the years. Mine did not come with bronze opening portlights, it came with crappy plastic windows so ...

Main_Buzzard is correct. You need a (any) diesel tach. Diesels do not have coils. The tach gets the signal from the alternator. You do need to figure out how many poles your alternator has and set the switch on the back of the tach. or you can sail for years and years without one. Other than not hav...

I own a 1974 CD 28 with a 28 hp Volvo MD 11, 2 cylinder fresh water cooled engine. It was rebuilt in the 1990's and runs very very well. It seems to run better after being pushed all day. Parts are expensive and difficult to find. I have access to a machine shop and that helps immensely. You do not ...

Upon further thought I think you should take those photos to a propeller shop or a boat yard. I am puzzled why both vents point forward? Obviously they were intended to direct water in as the boat is moving forward but how does it get out? I would think one vent would face forward and one would face...

I have never seen those "clam vents" on any boat ever in my life. They are not standard on CD's, that's for sure. Normally the cutless bearing is lubricated by sea water as there are longitudinal slits in the rubber. I would explore this further with a professional. I have no idea why anyo...

There are several good paints for non skid-Kiwi Grip (from New Zealand-go figure!) is latex and comes in multiple colors-if the deck is damaged and cracked from a collision you may want to consider sanding or grinding down the damage-repairing it with west systems or fiberlgass or marine tex and pai...

One suggestion-keep the antenna and power supply lines unplugged unless you are using the radar. A lightning strike near your boat can fry all of the electronics that have antennas on the mast. A vhf is not expensive, a radar unit is. Do not ask me how I learned this. I do have a mast mounted radar,...

Take the old lexan out-go to a glassier-have them discuss with you the options in acrylics-tell them it is for a boat and have them sell you the replacement acrylic and the correct sealant. You can choose from may different materials and shades -clear, tinted-green etc. They will cut it to size and ...

I'd play with it while it was on the hard-soak the nuts in penetrating oil-find the wrenches that will fit-make sure the nuts are adjustable and maybe buy some teflon or new packing and then put it in the water ans see what happens and tighten as necessary. At worst it will drip more than you want b...

If only you had started with the fresh water impeller first! I have the same motor, its actually an upgraded version called the MD11-it was rebuilt 20 years ago and still going strong. I have a decent amount of knowledge on these motors mostly gained by the same type of experiences you are having! h...

On a motor with a heat exchanger there are 2 pumps-one for the raw or seawater and one for the fresh water. Normally the heat exchanger and the 2nd water pump that feeds it are aftermarket add ons. It is possible your raw water pump needs and impeller but if that were the case you would not be pumpi...

The original manufacturer for the heat exchanger on my CD 28 volvo MD 11 was Sen Dure. They sent me an exact replacement a few years ago. They can be located on the Web and are currently still in business.They have many different exchangers for multiple applications. Mine boltes on the engine as mos...

So much for my well built boat. Yesterday I slackened off the back stay, removed the instrument panel, dig out all the old bonding material and filled the gap with marine tex and screwed it back together with bolts through the deck and hull flange as well as several screws and then tightened it down...

That is exactly what I have going on. It appears only the teak is lifting-and only at the stern of the boat. no deformation of the stern deck near the backstay padeye-no evidence from underneath that anything is moving and back stay tension has not changed-strange- Regardless, over the winter I will...