CD 25 outboard well- problems? seaworthy?

[matane]

Carl- It's funny you mention that about Fay's. I almost became one of those impulse buyers. A couple years ago they had a fully restored Typhoon for sale. I drooled. Fortunately I came to my senses, and stopped talking to the sales dept.

[Jdpmus]

Here's what the well looks like, viewed from the cockpit.

[matane]

Thanks again JD

[joelcunningham]

I have a CD 25 and it is extremely seaworthy. I have sailed her in pretty rough conditions. I couldn't get her out of Keyport harbor on the Raritan Bay before Sandy hit. Five of us stayed on mooring while everyone else scrambled out to the boatyards. The result? My boat suffered no damage while virtually every other boat in a yard or marina got banged up or destroyed. The owner of the boatyard lives on site and my boat was about 200 yards off shore. He said the mooring chain wouldn't allow her to ride over the huge waves so she just rode through them. After the storm, she was still floating at her proper waterline. I pumped out about two inches of water from down below. The two over sized scuppers in the cockpit will get rid of water at the rate of more than a gallon per second.

Why are they cheap? Narrow beam and low headroom. Not at all big enough for inviting friends along. Two adults and two kids is about all you really want aboard. She'll carry a lot more weight but would not be comfortable. Also, a CD 25 is not well suited for dockside partying. Again, she's just too narrow and bobs around at a dock or on mooring unless the water is very flat and calm.

Good points...While she's not an Alberg, she is solid and seaworthy in the classic tradition of an Alberg. That's why Cape Dory bought the plans and built these boats. She is also not as slow as many people think. The theoretical hull speed is 5.7, but she can easily exceed 6 knots in a good breeze I've seen 6.5 a few times.

If you want to sail, and not just be a "marina rat", she's a lot of boat for the money You'll be able to take her out when a lot of owners of far more expensive boats are sitting it out at the yacht club bar because they think it's too windy or choppy.

[matane]

Thanks for the reply. I'm sorry, I thought the subject had died! That's a great story about Sandy. Recently, I was looking at
other full keel boats in the same category- 20 boats to take you anywhere- and was interested in the Contessa 26.
I had been wondering why very few were in the southeast. They are built in Canada (previously UK)-no real reason why
you wouldn't find a few. There was one in South Carolina. I'm sure most of you have heard about the records set etc.
Finally I read a few pros and cons. Primarily the complaints were about the cabin. There was very little ventillation and
some had cut/installed a midship hatch. Also, what amplifies this problem is that there is no sliding companionway.
The Contessas are well designed for the North Atlantic etc... not for the tropics.
Granted, it is an entirely different boat. However, the Cape Dory 25D is on the list, which is entirely different from the CD 25,
as mentioned before. The long and short of it is- the CD 25 is perfect for what I intend to do. I'm not ready to commit to
a full blown larger sailboat with inboard. The ventilation is good w/ the sliding companionway- where one can also
stand with your head sticking above the deck while standing on the stairs.
This spring I will begin looking for one in good shape- I do not want a project boat. Thanks for all the pictures and
input.