The Cape Dory Board

I had a CD27 for 15 years. Backing up was always a crap shoot. Always at the mercy of wind, current and whether you needed to back up fast or slow. I had to back out of a tight slip every time I wanted to use the boat. The area to back into was very narrow and if I couldn't back the stern to starboa...

My CD27 has reefing lines and main halyard brought back to the cockpit. I had a self tailing winch on the coach roof. I’d usually start the engine and set the tillerpilot to steer into the wind at a low speed. From the cockpit I could then reef the main in under 30 seconds, solo sailing. I sometimes...

Just following up on some of the observations others have made; When I had SQN in Oyster Bay, I’d often see boats beings launch when I was in the yard. When the boat was in the slings BEFORE it was launched, a crew person would “examine” the underside of the boat. If all was okay on inspection anoth...

GULP!!!! Any way you want to think of that word!!

Scary indeed!

I sailed solo 95% of the time. So I decided to set the boat up for that. Furlex for the genny. Tiller pilot to help steer the boat into the wind when I must be away from the tiller hoisting or dousing sails. Lazy jacks to control the main when hoisting or lowering. Most important though, I brought t...

I too thought I'd need someone who really knew sail trim to help me out. I felt I had a mental block because no matter how much I read and "studied" sail trim, I just couldn't learn it. I'm no dope so it bothered me a lot!! Then I thought about other times I found myself in a similar situa...

The CD 30 MK II are FABULOUS laid out boats for a 30 footer. Some years back I was aboard 2 of them and they wowed me. Former NE Fleet Captain Michael Heintz's Machts Nichts, and also the late Dick Feffer's boats. As a matter of fact I almost bought Dick's boat ( but it wasn't the right time for me!...

I had a Doyle 140% genny on a furlex furler. Worked just fine. And as many alluded to if the wind piped up I could always take a few rolls on my furler to reduce sail. I found that the CD27 suffered a little from weather helm. It could become quite annoying as the wind rose. As one who sailed solo 9...

John, As one who lost his beloved CD27 in a storm in 2015 when someone else’s boat broke her mooring line, blew down on my boat, and gutted the hull and rigging of Sine Qua Non, I congratulate you in having the sea gods on your side this day. To this day I feel terrible that a great boat was sent to...

I am veterinarian ( just retired July 10th after 49 years in the trenches.) I remember a professor in vet school half a century ago who said something that stayed with me my whole life!! Background: We were in class discussing an eye condition for which a brand new "miracle drug" had just ...

Bill, If memory serves, you used to have a CD27 way back when. Didn't it have a teak bowsprit?? The 18hp Yanmar is a big engine but I remember that was the "preferred" upgrade until the Beta engine came on the scene. Nevertheless, that 18hp will come in handy and even though it's a tight f...

I had a 1980 CD27 for 15 years. Absolutely a TERRIFIC boat (and pretty to look at!) My boat had the YSM8 engine and while I agree that it was a rock solid VERY dependable engine, I did find it somewhat underpowered for a 7500 pound modified full keel boat in instances when going against the tide and...

When I had my CD27 and my balance was getting long in the tooth, I brought as much as I could back to the cockpit. I had the main halyard, and a 2 Line reef all back to the cockpit. The furling lines for the roller furling genny went to the cockpit. I had lazy jacks also. An ST winch for main halyar...

Hi all, I haven't posted on the CDSOA board since the end of 2015 (or thereabouts). That was the time when some boat slipped her moorings during a storm in Oyster Bay and blew down on my CD27 Sine Qua Non. The damage was severe! The estimate to repair her was way more than the boat was insured for (...