The Cape Dory Board

Neil, I would reef the jib if I could figure an easy way to deal with the Jack line that runs through the hanks. This jack line pulls the sail tight to the fore stay. If I drop the sail partially to reef it, the jack line goes slack and I have zero shape to sail. Usually we reef the main sail down a...

Hi Adam, We have a CD30K with the self tacking jib on a boom. The clew of the jib attaches to the end of the jib boom. Our jib is hanked on, and has a jackline that goes up the luff about 7 feet. I had the sail made this way so I could raise and lower the sail from the cockpit with a halyard and dow...

Hi Cliff, We had a 27 and loved it. For long hauls, I'd take the spare main, get a tiller auto pilot, and get a good oil change pump/system (plastic bags,etc.). The pump can be manual, but it needs to be good. I never seem to have enough hands to pump oil and hold the storage can. As for myself, I'v...

I had trouble with a small tractor and a chainsaw- wouldn't start,etc. The small engine people told me to use 89 octane or higher if the fuel will sit for more than 60 days. The lower octane 10% ethanol gums up the works, hence the cleaning required. I got interested and looked up the numbers on the...

Thanks Steve, that's what I was looking for
Hud

We have an pretty bad bow roller, which allows the anchor rode to slip off it to one side or the other. I suppose we'll have to replace it, but, it raised a question. In order to secure the anchor through one of the chocks on the bow, and not have the bobstay saw through the line, would it be possib...

We're missing our end stops, and would be very interested in yours- if they're still available.

We finally got the boat (CD30K) out today and motored around to check the engine. Normally the temp gauge moves up to about half, then the thermostat opens and the temp drops all the way down to minimum- the thermostat then closes, and the temp rises again. This cycle goes on continuously, every 4 o...

With all the countries being affected by the piracy, why not send up a stationary orbit satellite to monitor the area(paid for by a bunch of countries). Add in ship tracker, and you could alert freighters about approaching small craft, identify "mother ships" by the small craft activity, e...

That is a beautiful job. Thanks for all the info from everybody
Hud

Thanks Mark, I'll take a closer look at the shoe for signs it was attached in the past.
Thanks again,
Hud

On our 30 ketch the pin that attaches the bottom of the rudder to the bottom of the keel is loose. It is not attached to the rudder or the keel fitting, and will rotate without moving the rudder. I have checked some other CDs in our yard and some have pins that move easily ( not attached) and some t...

If you think of a rock sitting in a stream, it has a cone or pyramid of water upstream from the rock. The cone forms several seconds after the rock is dropped into the water. Once the cone has formed, the friction is water against water, not friction against the rock itself. So maybe a slowly turnin...

Hi Peter,
We have a cd30k, and if it needed a repower, I would look at the Yanmar 2YM15 (or 3YM20) . I don't know how it would fit, but they're good engines.

Troy-
Just saw your heave to posting. That's the problem. How can you heave to without having the auto pilot engaged? A tiller wouldn't be too hard, you could deploy a drag over the stern which might make the boat circle (JV), but with a wheel it seems a lot harder.