CD26D True Weight? "Tippy"

[rollo_cd26]

The Cape Dory owners manual and the specs on this web site indicates that the displacement of the CD26 as 5300 lbs with 2400 lbs of ballast. When lifted to my trailer for transport, the crane operator reported a load cell reading of 7000lbs. Should I consider there is a discrepancy between the displacement and the load cell weight reading? The reason I ask is that the previous owner repeatedly states that the CD26D is "tippy" and needs 500-800 lbs more ballast or 5' feet less mast (less sail area) to sail correctly. This would indicate that CD didn't place enough lead in the keel when the boat was built. But, the load cell reading leads me to believe that boat is heavier than it should be! Either of the proposed corrections is difficult if not impossible to achieve. The boat has been out of the water since I bought it in August 2010 and I have no experience to confirm or deny the assertion of "tippiness". What do other CD26D owners know?

[Oswego John]

Hi Rollo,

I have never heard of a CD26 D. I believe that the CD26s are powered by an outboard engine sitting in a built-in well.

If you do have a Diesel engine in yours, it most likely was an aftermarket idea that was installed by the previous owner.

It's a very interesting concept. I'd like to see pictures of the conversion.

Best regards,
O J

[Russell]

OJ, CD did in fact build 26Ds. Not many of them though. Its basicly a 25D with a more traditional layout (v berth forward).

As for it being "tippy", all CDs are tender boats, perhaps the previous owner was more used fat bleach bottle boats.

[Oswego John]

Hi Russell

How about that? You learn something new every day. Any idea when they were made, or how many?

Sort of like a CD25D but the stretch version. Hearing about them is a first for me. Does anyone have a picture(s) of the 26D.

Hey Robert, are you paying attention?

Best regards,
O J

[Russell]

A search of the board I found this link:

http://www.interlakes.org/ilhs/faculty/bburke/CD26D.htm

Click on the "More Photos" link and there is some good interior shots. That particular boat looks like it has a very nicely done interior, I am not sure if that is typical or not.

There is a few threads about the 26D if you do a search, many people asking similar questions as "how many where made" and no one seems to have a definitive answer. I would imagine very few though considering how infrequently they are heard of.

There has been one for sale in the Annapolis area for over a year, advertised in either Bay Weekly or Spinsheet (I forgot which). I sent robert the phone # from the ad about a year ago, not sure if he looked into it or not.

[Duncan]

...the previous owner repeatedly states that the CD26D is "tippy" and needs 500-800 lbs more ballast or 5' feet less mast (less sail area) to sail correctly. This would indicate that CD didn't place enough lead in the keel when the boat was built. But, the load cell reading leads me to believe that boat is heavier than it should be! ...

It may be difficult to find any more 26D owners. Even the regular (outboard-engined) 26's are relatively scarce.

As Russell says, the previous owner must be very unfamiliar with this sort of boat. All Alberg boats have a similar design, which has 'slack bilges'. This means the hull tapers gradually to the full keel. She will heel more and earlier than a flatter-bottomed boat, but then she will hold steady at that angle.

Basically, the boat will "find the groove" where she goes fast and feels well-balanced, and stay there very comfortably.

This angle of heel can be unnerving to some people who aren't used to it, however, so I often explain to casual sailors that "it is impossible for this boat to tip over". This is not quite true, but short of getting rolled in the Southern Ocean, it is true 99.99% of the time.

There's little or no chance that Cape Dory 'made a mistake' and under-ballasted the boat. The lead ballast was formed in a mold that would have been the same for every 26 that was made.

This is confirmed by the 7000 lb reading, which is due to a combination of a) gear and equipment, plus fuel and water and so on (always happens); and, b) some overbuilding relative to the designed displacement (often happened with boats of this era).

Finally, with respect to the mast, it is already short, and the boat has a low-aspect, conservative sail plan. Most Alberg designs have this type of sail plan. which is well-proven, so I would ignore the previous owner's comments in this respect as well.

So, not to worry. Once you've sailed the boat for a while, you'll get a great seat-of-the-pants feel for the angle of heel that she likes best, and appreciate how this design is stable and steady in all sorts of conditions.

[Wingaersheek II]

Hi Rollo:

I believe the stated 5,300 pound displacement is for the model without the diesel inboard.

With regards to the mast being “too longâ€

[Sea Hunt]

Hi Russell

How about that? You learn something new every day. Any idea when they were made, or how many?

Sort of like a CD25D but the stretch version. Hearing about them is a first for me. Does anyone have a picture(s) of the 26D.

Hey Robert, are you paying attention?

Best regards,
O J

Yes, OJ, I am paying attention (as always) Unfortunately, a CD 26D is apparently so rare that this very website does not even list it among Cape Dory sailboats I am guessing, therefore, that locating a CD 26D in good condition that is for sale would be like trying to find a virgin at a "gentleman's club"

[Neil Gordon]

... like trying to find a virgin at a "gentleman's club"

If the club members were truly gentlemen, wouldn't all the women there be virgins?

[Duncan]

If the club members were truly gentlemen, wouldn't all the women there be virgins?

I never realized what a dreamer you are until just now.

[rollo_cd26]

It turns out the previous owner was lake TY sailor for years and acquired the CD26D boat for more serious ambitions related to the Atlantic and beyond. I acquired it as a "toxic asset" from a boat graveyard in Rogers, Arkansas. Mirabile (latin for miraculous) is in truly beautiful shape and needs interior refinishing due to sloppy storage that allowed a foot of water to accumulated inside her through the chain pull hole in the front. The W10-two diesel runs very well after replacing the oil pressure switch on the starboard engine side that was failed to ground and returned a continuous alarm. The PO upgraded the standing rigging in 2006 to handle the ocean. I have quite a sail inventory. Thanks for the proof on the handling chacteristics.

[drysuit2]

All CD's initially heel quickly. Usually to about 20+ degrees, then they hold there, rock steady.

The hull shape of most Alberg designs came from shapes evolved over hundreds of years. These are the hulls that have been used on work boats since before the internal combustion engine.

All the design features on the Cape Dory 26 are there for a reason. When she heels, she increases her waterline, and therefore boat speed and stability.

She is designed with a shallow keel so she will slide down the face of waves in giant seas instead of rolling. I have personally surfed my 26 down the face of mast high waves in seas that would have rolled most fin keel boats. Or at least snapped their keels. And it was fun!

In the very unlikely event that she does roll. she has a deck stepped mast. This is so the mast won't tear the deck apart as she rolls. The shrouds simply pop out at the deck, and the mast is very easy to jury rig. [All the geniuses out there who oversize their shrouds, and add vertical chain plates in the name of safety; ruin this important safety feature].

The flaws in the 26's have to do with the fact that they added about 6 inches of freeboard to the 26 vs. the 25. this makes the boat dryer: but the standing headroom means more windage. In addition: on the 26 standard, that extra foot on the stern adds nothing to the waterline. It simply creates a lazarete and a well for your outboard. Oh, and the "V" berth is too short for a 5'11" couple. Especially when your head is is right next to the Head.

I hope this helps.

In my opinion, if you want a fast, deep keep keel boat; buy a fast deep keel boat.

[Stan W.]

This angle of heel can be unnerving to some people who aren't used to it, however, so I often explain to casual sailors that "it is impossible for this boat to tip over". This is not quite true, but short of getting rolled in the Southern Ocean, it is true 99.99% of the time.

My CD28 is supposed to have 3,500 lbs of lead ballast so when a novice gets nervous I just ask them to imagine how hard it would be to tip the boat over if there was a mid-sized Buick strapped to the bottom.

[Ralph H]

...would the Buick be in gear or free-wheeling?

[Jim Davis]

The Buick should be free wheeling in order to better navigate shoals.