The Cape Dory Board

A couple of the respondents to this thread have talked about the simplicity of a small diesel engines and the ease with which these engines can be rebuilt. But what about the fuel injection pump and injectors? These highly precise mechanical devices are built to incredibly close tolerances and then ...

Cathy, As odd as it sounds, an observation I've made during the past many years is that the older the Cape Dory the less likely there are to be gelcoat cracks. My current 1980 CD27 has fewer cracks than my previously owned 1985 CD26. And my good friend, Sandy Davis, owns a 1978 CD27 that doesn't hav...

I refinished my companionway sliding hatch and am quite pleased with the results. I used a small detail spray gun I purchased from Harborfrieght as OJ mentioned. However, I drilled out the hole in the tip to about 3mm. You need a big hole in the tip. The typical paint tip is 1.5mm or smaller. Gelcoa...

Andy, Rhiannon has to be the nicest CD27 afloat. I know it's one of the last hull numbers built but never the less you have taken pristine care of her. I would love to see more pics inside and out. Another question...have you removed the door separating the main cabin from the head/vee bunk area? Kurt

While it is a sad day when the boat comes out each fall...I do look forward to skiing each winter. Although last year the winter was so mild...we really didn't do any skiing here in Michigan until February.

Warren, When I replaced my cushions about 3 years ago I shopped around and got by far the best price from a local mom & pop furniture reupholstery shop. They were very experienced at building boat cushions and beat all the boat/canvas specialists by 30-50% in price. BTW...my hull #167 never had ...

Hoses that connect to thru hull fittings beneath the waterline are critically important to the safety of your boat. Do not cut corners in this area. I suggest you look at Trident brand marine exhaust and water hose. It's available in many sizes from 1/2" to 10" in diameter. You may have to...

When I bought a CD26 back in 1992 there were six 1/2" dents in the hull where the boat had sagged on it's improperly supported cradle. I used the dents as a bargaining chip and the seller lowered the price...but guess what? After purchasing the boat and making sure it was properly supported in ...

The Bristol's rigging is heavier than the CD....although the standing rigging on the CD is certainly adequate

I've compared the Bristol 27 to the CD27 and have observed that the standing rigging is heavier...very overbuilt

Also sounds like a bad or improperly installed themostat.

FWIW...My experience has been that the newer the Cape Dory, the worse the cracks are. I owned a 1985 CD26 which had quite a few cracks. My current 1980 CD27 is much better in that regard while my friends 1978 CD27 is totally free of cracks. I don't think the problem is the thickness of the gelcoat s...

I've owned two Magellans and two Garmin. Both Magellans bit the dust withing 2 years of purchase. Don't buy Magellan. The Garmins are much more reliable. I own two bottom of the line eTrex models. They are simple, use just two AA batteries each and get me anywhere I want to go. I carry two on board ...

I watched a fellow remove built up Cetol from his Westsail 32 by using a heat gun and various shaped scraping tools. He's a very knowledgable woodworker and seems to know what he's doing.