cape dory 33 rig questions

Discussions about Cape Dory, Intrepid and Robinhood sailboats and how we use them. Got questions? Have answers? Provide them here.

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pfunk
Posts: 2
Joined: Mar 10th, '06, 12:27

cape dory 33 rig questions

Post by pfunk »

Hi all - I am looking at a CD 33 sloop rig. I know CD 33's were delivered with sloop and cutter rigs ... was the mast placement different for the two? Anyone replace the wheel with a tiller on that boat?

I wondered if anyone could compare a CD 33 sloop versus cutter rig and if you know of any converting a sloop to a cutter and how that went. I'm looking for information about weather helm, upwind ability, and overall impressions.

Thanks in advance. Fair winds.

pf
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Ed Haley
Posts: 443
Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 18:45
Location: CD10, Sea Dee Dink

CD33

Post by Ed Haley »

The mast placement for the CD33 sloop and the cutter is identical. The cutter version is really a double-headed sloop with the mast placement at a point about 42% aft from the stem where a true cutter will have the mast at 50% aft (or centered) aft of the mast.

I have a CD330 rigged as a cutter and have sailed her both as a cutter and as a sloop. I use the sloop version when I'm racing and the cutter rig when I'm cruising. The cutter handles wind (more balanced) than the sloop with less heel and easier to change to a different sail combination to match conditions. The sloop is faster and supposedly points better. I've had pretty good results racing with the 135 and 150 sails.

Leo MacDonald is presently adding a staysail stay on his CD33 to convert his sloop to a cutter. Maybe he'll chime in to give you pointers as he gets involved in the project. It should have a removeable attachment at the deck and be very strong.

This season I'm trying a different sail cut on an old 135 jenny (cut with a higher clew) to see how this sail works with my staysail. By eliminating 5 feet of luff from the foot it seems that I can get the 135 "yankee" to both sail faster in light winds and point higher. When cruising, it's also high enough to see under the foot to watch for traffic. I singlehand on many 130 mile runs on Lake Ontario and being able to see ahead better without craining my neck is a big plus.
Leo MacDonald
Posts: 251
Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 21:00
Location: 'EVENING LIGHT' CD33 No. 38, Pine Isl. Bay, Groton, CT

Double headstay sloop

Post by Leo MacDonald »

Hi Mr. Funk,

As Ed said it's really a double headstay sloop, and a work in process.

The inner forestay will just be for a Storm Jib.

Overall the cutter with the bowsprit is a good looking profile. The rest is preference :-)
Fair Winds,
Leo MacDonald
Founding Fleet Capt., NE Fleet
Past Commodore, Member No. 223
A 'Cape Dory Board' supporting member ~1999 to ~2015 :-)
pfunk
Posts: 2
Joined: Mar 10th, '06, 12:27

Post by pfunk »

Thanks for the info - it seemed that the mast was far forward for a cutter.

I modified a sloop (cheoy lee 27) recently and added a bowsprit and it reduced weather helm considerably and just made the boat behave better in all conditions.

I see the use of making a double headstay sloop for storm conditions since the storm jib will be much closer to the center of lateral resistance than if you flew it on the "actual" forestay.

Does the CD 33 have a great deal of weather helm in high winds? Sometimes I think a wheel is added to a boat to hide the weather helm that would be obvious with a tiller. I've been on well balanced boats much larger than a CD33 that had a tiller that were no problem to handle. I noticed the 330 had a little anchor roller platform which in turn moved the forestay about a foot or so forward. Sometimes that's all it takes to reduce weather helm..

Thanks again for the info. Fair winds.

pf
valenteach
Posts: 29
Joined: Dec 15th, '06, 12:41
Location: '80 CD33 Sloop Hull #8 Sanderling

CD 33 Cutter

Post by valenteach »

To follow up on this thread, does anyone know if there is any other difference between a 33 "cutter" and "sloop" rig aside from the addition of a bowsprit and inner forestay/sail? Was the deck actually reinforced or modified near the foot of the inner stay? I could only find mention of the mast position in the archives.

-Mike
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