The Cape Dory Board

Too bad on the backstay. I have an adjustable backstay (wheel type) and love it. This wrinkle in your main isn't severe and I certainly wouldn't make a permanent change that would result in reverse rake. Maybe a professional rigger would recommend it for other reasons. It's really a great opportunit...

You've been very helpful. I don't want to show up on the Casco Bay cruise with a scuzzy looking hull. Now, a scuzzy looking helmsman, that's fine

Scott, I have to admit you have guts opening yourself up for people to critique your sail trim. But since you asked for it, folds that radiate from the end of the boom to the luff usually mean too much backstay tension, which in effect shortens the leech. I don't think it's the outhaul tension. If t...

I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for removing alumininum scuff marks from my hull. I searched the archives on this and came up empty. I have a 14-foot Starcraft aluminum boat that I use to ferry equipment and crew out to my mooring. Despite my religious use of boat fenders, the boats inev...

First, welcome to the board! You have a lot of questions all rolled into one, and there really aren't simple answers to any of them. You indicated that this would be your first boat. The best advice if you're serious about this particular boat is to have it surveyed by a reputable marine surveyor. T...

I believe the Tohatsu 6HP and the Nissan 6HP are the same. I don't really keep up with mergers and acquisitions in international commerce, though. Anyone out there know who acquired who, and when?

Hi Scott, Search the archives on this topic. Type in "CD25 Outboard" and you'll find lots of information on this. This topic has been discussed at length. There are actually some very recent threads on this. Personally, I have a Nissan 6HP 4-stroke and it suits my needs very well. I motor ...

Rperlot, I'm so glad to hear there was apparently no serious damage and no one was hurt. It could have had a very different outcome. Interesting timing on the drills question. On Sunday, we picked up a mooring in Gosport Harbor and fired up the grill. A friend of mine decided he'd go for a swim. I t...

I finally got around to burning extra copies. Greg, you should be receiving yours in the mail early next week. That leaves five others that are up for grabs on a first come first served basis. Plus the other four people who received them, there should be an ample supply of archive CDs for those who ...

Troy, Your post gives me some appreciation for what our Gulf Fleet friends have to deal with. We in New England haven't had a "real" hurricane since 1938, although we did have the Perfect Storm. I did some web research (off the clock, really :wink: ) and found many many articles on this to...

I don't necessarily disagree with what's been said. However, our body of knowledge will never increase unless and until someone takes a chance and then reports their findings, in detail. I'm a strong believer in experimentation. Science and engineering don't advance if no one takes a risk. This &quo...

Thanks for all your responses. Stan, that's good to know about the 1977-78 cutoff date. Having gone ahead and painted the non-skid beige, I have to admit I like it a lot more, so I'll keep it, even if it's not authentic to the original. Mine's a 1975. Thanks again.

Carl

I have always been under the impression that the original color of non-skid decks on Cape Dories was beige. My boat came with sky blue non-skid and I promptly painted it beige, thinking I was restoring it to its original. I have since seen two other CD25s that all had sky blue non-skid decks. So, I'...

Today, my old trusty plunger failed me and I was stumped. I was about ready to go for a dive to check the through-hull fitting for marine growth. I don't know what made me think of it, but I happened to look up at the right place and saw this little air horn :idea: . The horn part was about an inch ...

Adam, I don't pretend to know a lot about the various marine coatings, but I know how to open a book. In Don Casey's book "Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual", on pages 281 through 283 he lists what can be used below the water line. The short answer is, there don't appear to ...