Cape dory 27 vs a catalina 36, is bigger always better !

[RonE58]

Just curious how my fellow Cape Dorians would respond to this comment.
Late this afternoon my sailing buddy and I assisted a dock neighbor of ours into his slip. He was out with his wife sailing up around NYC's harbor. His sail back to our home port in brooklyn turned out to be a bit of adventure when the winds kicked to near 30 knots. After we tied his Catalina 36 up to the dock we took a break and had a beer. As he was describing his adventure he commented that he was glad that he was in his 36 and not a 'small' boat like mine, a Cape Dory 27.
I waited a few minutes and assured him that a cape dory is not an ordinary 27 like some 26 he had years early, and that my boat was very capable. I didn't get any response and I didn't push it, but it definitely pissed me off a bit as I related it to my buddy later.
Ron

[Big E]

I'll take a Cape Dory over a cookie cutter Catalina any day. I'm not in it for the glory but I always get tons of compliments on Solstice wherever I go. When was the last time you heard someone say, "Wow, check out the lines on that Catalina!"

[Warren Kaplan]

I've been out in 30K wind in my CD27. Not by choice but I have been out in it. I never worried about the boat and if I reefed my sails appropriately the boat handled well. Much depends on who is sailing the boat.

I suppose all OTHER things being equal, a larger boat might be more "pleasant" to be on. But, since things are rarely "equal" sometimes a smaller boat is better to be on than the larger one.

[tartansailor]

It's ironic, you as a sailor help a fellow sailor, then he insults
you.
Time for a meeting of the credentials committee.

Don't feel bad. Down here the stink pots refer us as blow boats.

Now I do not know the shape of a Catalina keel, but given a choice,
I would pick a full keeled Cape Dory 27 in a blow any day over a 36' Catalina, and a CD-27 is considered by most to be one of the most beautifully proportioned ships afloat.

And another thing; you don't weed out the sailors from the wanna be's in only 30 knots.

Dick

[Maine Sail]

As one who has actually owned both a Cape Dory 27 and a Catalina 36 I actually feel well qualified to comment.

The Cape Dory is better built, and more robustly constructed, no question, but in a blow at sea to 35 or 40 knots the C-36 is more comfortable and I would personally chose it over a CD-27 in rough weather, as the motion, wetness factor and hobby horsing are all less on the C-36. It is also faster so I could potentially get out of the weather faster if needed.

Having been pooped (water in the cockpit) in our Cape Dory 27 more times than I'd care to admit (low free board/hobby horsing/short waterline factor) arguably in less severe conditions than I pushed our C-36 too the dryness factor is a huge one for me & my family's comfort.

Not to be a dissenting opinion but as one who has owned both that is my personal take. Of course I'd take my CS-36 over my Catalina 36 any day of the week and there is NO comparison between the two in terms of construction.

With both boats CD-27 and C-36 the proper sails gear and equipment are a must.

P.S. The CD-27 is significantly better looking than the C-36 but kind of shoe box tight inside..

Let the arrows start flying..

[jambalaya]

In 2002, I sailed my then owned cape dory 30 from West Palm Beach to Bermuda and return. We experienced 30+ knot winds for two days durning each leg of the trip. Moreover, the seas were 10+ feet. I was so happy I was on a Cape Dory rather than a Catalina of any size. The boat faired much better than the crew.
Jambalaya

[Dean Abramson]

Comparing a 27 and a 36 is kind of apples and oranges.

But a guy who disses your boat while you are helping him is just a common jerk.

You have a great, well-built boat. If you (or I) ever graduate to a 36, let's hope it is a CD36. Comparing a CD36 to a Catalina 36, well, that's apples and rotten apples.

Love thy boat. Avoid thy neighbor.

Dean

[Ray Garcia]

The very first time we sailed our CD27 was in 15 knot winds on the South Shore of Long Island. Along comes this 40' motorboat throwing off this big wake. We had speed on as both of us prepared for the onslaught. We held onto anything we could find. I quartered the wake and we both looked at each other and said "that's it?". The smiles were ear to ear. We knew then we found what we were looking for. Mind you we used to have a 21 foot pound and ground keel centerboard were any wake would stop us in our tracks.

Let's be honest here, 30 knots and above is no joke to be sailing in. Next time your out there above 30 look for a Catalina - "nuff said"

I don't mind what anyone else sails, I have my Cape Dory.

[WaywardWind]

30 knots of wind isn't all that much wind, yet the Catalina driver needed help in controlling the boat near the dock (and was scared enough by the incident that he later insulted the boats of the men who helped him).

The CD27 was designed to a different purpose than a Catalina 36.

The CD27 was designed by a man who grew up near often rough water and in a time when the sails "had to get you home". The CD27 has a wet cockpit because it has low freeboard, all the better to "claw off a lee shore".

The Catalina 36 was designed by a man who wanted to sell social ambience. Its high freeboard makes for more social space below and a mostly drier cockpit, though its hull form factor can make for a bouncy ride in rough conditions. The Catalina 36 uses the engine to sail when the winds are up.

Each boat works well in the context for which it was designed. A water sailor would choose the CD, a dock sailor the Catalina.

[Neil Gordon]

Just curious how my fellow Cape Dorians would respond to this comment.

You might mention the 25Ds and 28s that have crossed oceans. (I'm just not aware of any 27s that have; there might be some.)

[rtbates]

I take my 25D out in winds that the Catalina 34-36 folks don't. Too much like work they say.

[Gary M]

No need to get p......

Just let it flow right off your back.

When he was out there he was thinking of many places he would rather be, like his hot tub, his easy chair, or his BMW!

He didn't mean to offend you.......in reality he hardly knew you were there! After all............

Its all about him!

Gary

BTW. Was it his beer you were drinking? I hope so!

[RonE58]

Thanks Big E, Warren, Dick, Maine sail, Will, Dean, Dog Watch Ray, WaywardWind, Neil, Randy, and Gary for your responses.
Honestly my Catalina 36 dock neighbor, is a decent guy, he just is, should I say a little opinionated and straightforward.
I have been out for a sail or two on his C36, be it in only light air. But for all the years of experience he has sailing, he
seems to throw the motor on pretty quick when he runs into weather. I have been out more then once in the bay with a reef or two and sailing comfortable
while seeing him motoring. And yes you can't compare the party room he has to hang out in, but when it comes to sailing I would take my 'little' cape dory
over that 'dock boat' any day of the week.
Ron

[Joe CD MS 300]

Obviously we all love our Cape Dorys or we would not be on this board. But I also love just being in and around the water, sailing motoring, at the dock or anchored out, sailboat or powerboat, classic or modern, cruising or racing, monohull or cat. I won't begrudge anyone their choice of poison. I even enjoy working on boats (sometimes). It's all better than a day at the office.

[Neil Gordon]

But for all the years of experience he has sailing, he seems to throw the motor on pretty quick when he runs into weather.

I wouldn't be my first choice of boat for lots of reasons, but a Catalina 36 should be able to handle "small craft" conditions safely and reasonably comfortably. If the motor is going on, it's the sailor and not the sailboat.

Perhaps years of experience include turning the motor on often but learning to sail through the problem rarely. I'm lots more comfortable on my boat now when the wind is at 20+ kts than I was ten years ago.