New member and CD25 owner

[D Rush]

I just worked out the details on the purchase of a 1978 Cape Dory 25. CD 25 Hull #595 will be renamed “JAZ’D” in the spring after the appropriate renaming ceremony. This is the first "real boat" that I've owned. My family owned dinghy sailboats when I was in my youth and I have sailed PHRF in Hingham bay as the crew on my cousin's boats for 25 years. I've been looking at sailboats all summer. I looked at CD25, Bristol 22 & 24, Tanzer 22 and S2s All nice boats but I sort of "fell in love" with CD25s. I’ve been reading the “Cape Dory Board” since July and have enjoyed the discussion threads and the CD for sale postings.
My CD25 has been "on the hard" for two years. While a little dirty, the only real work to be done is to replace / repair the front foredeck hatch and the cabin sole. The hatch's white "gel coat", I think that's what it is called, is breaking off in chips. The cabin sole / floor needs a new bilge hatch or needs a teak panel fabricated for the length of the cabin floor. I’ve read the CD board’s archive threads on CD cabin sole replacement. This discussion board is a great source of info for CD owners. So I have two winter projects to work on. It’s a tough time of year to buy. I won’t be able to sail her until the spring. After I empty the boat of cushions and equipment, I’ll wash her down and have her shrink-wrapped for the winter. So my first question for my new Cape Dory family is: What should I do to winterize my CD25 before it's shrink-wrapped?

[seadog6532]

Hi and welcome to the board. I think you will find you made a great choice of a boat and will find a lot of help right here on this board.

As far as winterizing the boat if it has been on the hard for two years there is not a lot you should need to do that was not already done, but you should make sure there is no water in the tanks or bilge, that the cockpit drains are free and the through hulls are open and if it still has batteries you should take them home so they can't freeze. If the boat has an outboard it needs to be fogged before a long layup. If it has been layed up for the last two years it would be a good idea to have it looked at to make sure it will be in good shape before you try to put it back into use in the spring.

Good luck with your new boat and we're always here if you need us.
sincerely
Mark

[Neil Gordon]

Congrats and welcome to the club.

As was mentioned, winter layup is really about making sure there's no water in the boat. Drain what might be there and pour some non-toxic antifreeze in the bilge, tanks, etc., where water might accumulate. (If you shrink wrap with the mast down, the boat will be pretty watertight. With the stick up, some accumulation from what works down the mast and stays can be expected.)

Spend the winter plotting and planning... you'll love the anticipation.

Where will you be moored in the spring?

[Dick Barthel]

Welcome aboard. I'm looking forward to reading all about your new adventures. That never gets old. Dick

[Sea Owl]

Welcome to CD world! I bought my CD25 late last year, got a few sails in, but this year was my first full season. Loved my boat when I saw it, and still do!

Tremendous resources on this board, both archived and 'live' from many experienced sailors. It has been invaluable to me, I know!

If you have the original 'plastic' ports (as opposed to opening brass ports) watch for leaks....the originals tend to leak these days, as mine have. Just spent time today hopefully fixing one such port.....

Fair winds!

[D Rush]

JAZ'D will be moored in Hull, Ma near Hull Gut. Easy access to Hingham Bay and Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands.

The boat will be shrink-wrapped with the mast down. The boat is dry.
I did have the boat surveyed with no big issues found. The outboard has been winterized.
My boat does have the plastic ports. I would love to replace them with brass ports. That will be a project I'll have to schedule and plan.
When looking for boats two 1980 CD25 were bought before I could contact the sellers.

The responses to my question about winterizing are pretty much what I expected. I didn't know if I should hang those dehumidify / anti moisture bags in the boat.
Thanks for the response.

[KDreese]

Congratulations and welcome not only to the group but to the small but happy group of CD25 owners! I bought Pintle a CD25 in April and just ended my first season.... in fact today I just winterized the boat. sigh. The CD25 is a great boat and I hope you love yours. As people have mentioned this board is an amazing source of information. Where are you keeping the boat?

Cheers,

Kevin D

[Neil Gordon]

I didn't know if I should hang those dehumidify / anti moisture bags in the boat.

I use calcium chloride crystals in a bucket. Yes, you want to dehimidify, if you can. I also like to get the cover off as early in the spring as I can... both because it makes the season longer but also because it keeps the greenhouse/science project from growing things inside the boat.

[Carl Thunberg]

It's a silly little comment, but just to clear up any confusion on alloys. If you're thinking about swapping out the port lights from plastic to bronze, you can get them new through Spartan or watch this Board. Occasionally (not very often), you'll see someone posting used ones for sale. Be prepared to do some re-glassing, because the plastic ports are different sizes than the bronze.

FWIW, I've never shrink wrapped a boat. I swiped Jon Ring's winter cover design and I use tarps. On a warm winter day when it's about 40 degrees, I like to be able to slip under the tarp and do some work on the boat. Okay, really I just sit and dream about sailing, but don't tell my wife, okay?

[Joe CD MS 300]

D Rush,

I just recently went through the process of deciding to replace my plastic ports with bronze ports. Although Spartan was the original supplier of bronze ports for Cape Dory's and the first place I looked, the cutouts for the plastic ports (which tend to be more rectangular) from the Spartan ports (which tend to be a more oval shape) don't match up. I ended up getting bronze ports from New Found Metals who carries an almost exact match for the plastic ports that I had. They have designed their ports to be close swaps for a lot of standard port sizes. As Carl mentioned you'll probably need to be committed to doing or having done some glass work to get the Spartan ports to fit. The prices on the New Found Metal ports were also about a third cheaper that the Spartan ports of similar size and seemed to be made as well or better.

The ports were delivered to the yard where I'm having the work done just Friday so they are not in yet. I'm anxious to see them installed. Unfortunately I'm about 8 hours away from my boat. Hopefully I'll get up to Maine to see them before Christmas.

[bill2]

Congrats on your purchase - a good choice

Just to give you some more options here's another winter prep item(s) I'll tend to:

a couple mothballs strategically placed throughout - though they're not in favor I've had good luck with them keeping out critters and growths

some grease in thru hulls/gate valves and work them a couple times - if they're already stiff no sense in letting them lock up ( corrode ) over the winter

a little "RV antifreeze" in the holding tank and bilge - my boats have always seemed to let fluids in and I'd rather have a little pink slush than dirty ice in the bilge or tank

a mid winter visit ( or two ) to check up on things - or deal with problems - I usually time it in advance but still on the coldest windiest day in the winter

Good Luck

[Roy J.]

None of these may be applicable, but here are a few things I do that haven't been mentioned. If you have a marine head, draw non-toxic antifreeze into the head and holding tank by removing the hose from the intake seacock and sticking it into the full antifreeze bottle and pumping until you hear the antifreeze going into the holding tank. If there is an overboard pumpout thruhull, also pump some antifreeze out that way to displace any water that might be there. I remove anything fabric from the boat so it doesn't mildew, including cushions, curtains, rags, sponges, anything. Also following Don Casey's advice, I put a coat of cleaner wax on the topsides without rubbing it off. The wax coating keeps windblown wet junk from producing stains, and makes the spring cleanup easier. When you shrink wrap make certain you leave some oportunity for air to flow through under the plastic and into the cabin, this will keep things drier as well. I use the hanging "Damp Rid" moisture absorbtion bags to control damp. They have some deodorant in them, aren't messy and are really easy to replace. You can buy them at the big orange box for half what they cost at any store with "Marine" in the name. Also it is definitely worth coming back to the boat a few weeks after it is up on the stands to check for settling of the keel blocks. If your jackstands are deforming the hull a little, or feel way too tight, back them off. The stands are for balance, not holding the boat up, as all weight should be on the keel.

The CD-25 is a sweet sailing boat that will provide years of seafaring pleasure. This board is filled with the most erudite, helpful and polite people on the web, who also seem to have the best taste in all things nautical. Just don't mention helicopters, locked propellers, the weighted advanages of tillers or wheels, and whatever product you decide to use to protect the finish of your coamings and everything will be fine. Welcome aboard!

[Neil Gordon]

>>... who also seem to have the best taste in all things nautical.<<

And otherwise.

[D Rush]

For this year my boat is in a boat yard. The jackstands and Keel blocks are on solid cement. I got a "special" deal on the storage for this winter.

[Roy J.]

No settling on cement! One more thing: make sure you have chains running between the jackstands. The chains should pass under the hull from aft stand to aft stand, and the same for the stands forward to make sure they don't pop out like grape seeds squeezed between two fingers. Or knocked out by a careless cart driver in the yard, or any number of crazy things that can happen. Securing your stands will be especially important if we get the predicted winds for tomorrow.

Good luck.