Sailing characteristics of 25D, 27, and 28

[Serang]

Can anyone tell me how the three models compare when sailing them? I see the 27 has a very large disp/length ratio compared to the other two. How much of a difference is there between them?

[Warren Kaplan]

I can only testify that a CD27 is a great sailing boat. She can sail comfortably in strong winds, provided you hoist the proper sails and sail area. She is easy to single hand if you set her up correctly.
Not great in very light winds...but what full keel boat is?
And, as it is with most full keel boats, she sails best to windward.

Maybe if you ask more specific questions all of us could help you better.

[barfwinkle]

Ga day Mate


If you will cut and paste the topic of your post into the search phrase portion of the search page you will see two previous post that address this qustion. I am sure that there are others as well.

I would give you the links to the two I found, but I don't know how to post both of them.

Good luck on your search.

BTW the 27 is the Gem of the Fleet when it comes to lines And with a skilled captain, one damn fast boat, huh CC & Capt Sam?

Fair (FREAKING HOT) Winds.

Still awaiting those Sweating Emoticons

[Neil Gordon]

The 27 seems to have the reputation as having the best lines and being the best sailing boat, but I suspect the differences are subtle. Are there other factors you are considering?

[Oswego John]

Bill,

It's too bad we can't swap some of my weather for yours. It's going down to 48° F tonight here in Emerald City. It is predicted to go down in the 30s in the Adirondack Mountains.

The darn cooling breeze is constantly blowing in from Lake Ontario and we have to wear a sweater or a jacket. It is a troublesome breeze, it keeps the flying bugs and mosquitos grounded. All the frogs and toads are dying from starvation. Last night I had to use an extra blanket.

But good news is on the horizon. The Farmers Almanac tells us that summer is on it's way. It says that summer in Camelot this year will be on Thursday, Aug. 23 between 11:14 AM and 4:53 PM

Well, I have to go now. I have to bring my snowblower to the shop for a tune up. A guy can't take any chances and get caught short.

Good luck with the sweating emoticons.

O J

[Mike Raehl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5AqrzeuO24

Note high cut 135% Genoa shortened to about 110%.

[Anthony P. Jeske]

I can't speak to the CD-27, but I have owned a 25D and a 28. The 25D isn't just a slightly smaller version of a bigger sister. The 25D is more tender and needs to be reefed early, in 12 to 15 knot winds. The heavier 28 can cut through chop more easily. The added length and displacement of the 28 result in a smoother, more seakindly ride.
As far as speed differences among the three, I suggest you consider the PHRF ratings of the three boats. Those ratings are established by unbiased (non CD owner) outside sources and I believe accurately reflect their individual sailing performance.
The PHRF ratings for the three boats is:
CD25-D 252
CD-27 243
CD-28 219
Regards,
Tony Jeske
CD-28 #365
NO REGRETS
San Diego

[Joe Myerson]

Serang,

Tony's numbers sum up performance pretty well.

However, when I was researching for an article on the 27, I spoke to two former Cape Dory employees, Dave Perry of Robinhood Marine and Hunter Scott, who now builds semi-custom Down East-style powerboats. Both men told me that the 27 was their favorite Cape Dory sailboat, and said it was the boat they each owned personally.

That said, you won't go wrong with any of the three.

--Joe

[bhartley]

We looked at a 27 prior to buying our 25D as they were the same price. I personally felt totally claustrophobic down below on the 27. Not so on the 28 (which was/is out of our price range!). I also found the galley arrangement did not suit me either.

I am not wild about the sink arrangement on the 25D, but I love my galley.

I focus on the other attributes of the comparison as we already own the best sailing boat built by Carl Alberg bar-none. A Sea Sprite 23.

If there's family/spouse/friend involved, their opinions count if you want them to let you spend time sailing.

Clearly you can't go wrong with any of the three, but I am very happy with the choice for us as a 2 people overnight (although we've done 3) and sailing with 4-6.

Bly

[Neil Gordon]

Serang hasn't posted since his initial question. From my reading, everyone who has commented is right, proving once again that sailing is all about compromise.

The initial question has sufficient ambiguity... you get a different answer if you are sailing for an hour vs. a week, solo vs. with a crew of four, etc., etc. Is speed more important or is it about elegance? Etc. Maybe we can get another post to clarify the question.

[John Vigor]

As far as speed differences among the three, I suggest you consider the PHRF ratings of the three boats. Those ratings are established by unbiased (non CD owner) outside sources and I believe accurately reflect their individual sailing performance.
The PHRF ratings for the three boats is:
CD25-D 252
CD-27 243
CD-28 219

With all due respect to Tony, these PHRF ratings for the CD27 and the CD28 are way out of whack. Ratings are awarded by various sailing bodies in different parts of the country, and take into account both skippers' abilities and the boat's potential performance. Thus, they are not a true reflection of simple boat speed.

As a matter of interest, the CD27 rates 228 in the Northeastern PHRF tables; the CD28 rates 222 in the Northern California PHRF rating list. That's just six seconds difference--much more like reality.

I have always felt, though, that the CD27 has a slight edge over the CD28; certainly it is nimbler around the buoys despite its greater displacement ratio.

This is borne out by Carl's Sail Calculator, which you find under "Cape Dory's" at the head of the page. The CD27 displaces 7,564 pounds and has a sail area of 367 square feet. The CD28 displaces 9,000 pounds, and has a sail area of 400 square feet.
So, for an extra 1,436 pounds in deadweight, the CD28 tries to make up with only 33 more square feet of sail area. There's optimism for you.

So the 27's sail area/displacement ratio computes as 15.24 compared with the 28's 14.79. That ratio equates to horsepower per pound, so guess which boat has more voomah?

As for comfort, the 27's heavier displacement gives her a motion kindness almost indistinguishable from the 28's. The 27 is a small boat that feels and acts like a much bigger one.

John Vigor

[Judith]

What exactly does "PHRF" stand for? Performance Handling something Factor? OK, one guess is embarrassing enough. Will someone please explain?

Thanks
Judith

[John Vigor]

Judith, PHRF stands for Performance Handicap Racing Fleet.

Wikipedia will put you right:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHRF

John V.

[Judith]

[mgphl52]

Hi Judith,

For the full blown details, USSA is the real source: http://www.ussailing.org/phrf/what_is_phrf.asp

If your interested, I also have a spreadsheet that calculates "raw" ratings from a vessels measurements. As mentioned before, different areas may make adjustments for particular vessels due to prevailing weather conditions, etc. But this is not usually done with captain/crew in mind (ala bowling or golf) as it is the boat that has the handicap, not the crew. Custom adjustments to a particular boat will cause "custom" handicap changes if the handicapping organization is doing their job properly.

Another anomaly is that you may get an "interesting" handicap if the organization is not familiar with a particular builder and/or model...