-----------1980CapeDory25 wrote:I just bought a 1980 Cape Dory 25. I’m in the Chesapeake Bay but that CD Group seems to be inactive as several of my emails have gone unresponded to.
1.What size should my running rigging be? 1/4, 5/8?
2.What are the sail-plan sizes and what sizes should storm / tri-sail be? Can I rig a second fore-stay (either an inner or parallel)? …trying to solve the reefing or depowering problem for a single hand.
3.What are the sizes of the little steel pins for the many side stays?
4.How do I properly take down the mast?
5.What are the proper tensions on the rigging?
6.Are the cabin wood frame bulkheads structural or convenience? Can I redesign interior bulkheads? I need to enlarge V-Berth.
7.Thinking about battery operated bilge pump. Thoughts?
8.Thinking about getting rid of sink, icebox, fresh water can in V-Berth. Don’t need sink but need more counter space for NAv. Don’t need icebox. Need space to slide and hold cooler. Don’t need fresh water. Will carry plastic bottles and need sail and anchor chain stowage. Thoughts?
9.I need to improve the reefing system (main and jib) for single handing. Thoughts? I was at the tiller last week and got knocked down in high winds that came on…couldn’t leave tiller. Scared the hell out of me. I need a solution. Thoughts?
Advice on …well, everything.
10.Also, advice on self-steering with sheets and bungee chords. [/list]Trying to stay low tech for reliability reasons.
Thanks for your consideration.
Semper Fi,
Tom
Congratulations! Looks like you have some good suggestions. I will offer a few more, since I have an older 1975 CD 25 and previously owned a smaller (Alberg) Kittywake 23, a larger 27 which I cruised on and full timed on the east coast and south Florida, and have sailed several much larger sailboats in Florida and Bahamian waters.
I learned, for me, long ago that I am not a big ocean sailor but love the coastal stuff. Big seas and storms are not my thing. I know my 25 very well, and consider the Cape Dory 30 cutter to be my favorite and smallest CD I would want to sail long distances. Why? You can carry a dinghy, more water, food, supplies, a better inboard diesel engine, fuel, bigger anchoring systems, and staples, and it has a great sail plan, is stronger, as is the CD28, which is smaller and also very well built. We have all read about people who have sailed not-seaworthy 16 ft boats to Hawaii and 27 ft more sea worthy sailboats around the world. But the smaller boats were lucky, and the larger boats had better preparation and volume for much needed safety and living supplies. But that is my opinion only.
Other comments/opinions to consider if you seriously intend to go the long trip:
1.running rigging is 3/8" but there are newer stronger smaller lines now, which are not as easy on the hands.
2.If I were going to plan such a trip, I would have a professional rigger go over all my wires, and rigging parts, upgrade the wires and equipment to be bullet proof. I would also have a very good mainsail made with at least 2 sets of reef points, with the higher one a deep reef, with all the quick reefing hardware for single line reefing. No trysail needed. The later CD25s have better hardware, but more is needed. If you are sticking with manual sails, no roller furling, I would have a 150, 120, strong 80% and a strong storm jib, and good hardware. A strong 4 part boom vang should be set up with snap hooks and padeyes for winging out the main, with the control line to the top deck halyard winch. Likewise you need an adjustable whisker pole with topping lift and down haul to control the clew of the larger jibs out the side for downwind. You must be able to sail under control in 35-45 kts at night. Talk with your sail maker and rigger. You will need good chain, and a combination of a 13# AND 16# anchor systems. This is all heavy, and a lot for a CD25 with its low free board. Likewise I would have an engine that will charge your batteries, and/or a solar panel system with auto regulator system is needed to run an electrical tiller pilot and and nav/electronic systems. I would go up one size in a single head stay only, and have all the wire to deck chain plate hardware removed, inspected and reinstalled with fresh stainless and butyl tape sealant.
3.There are 2 sizes of the ss cotter pins on the turnbuckles alone, and they should always be trashed and replaced with new when removing them for mast work. You need an assortment for other hardware and the tools. Make sure your spreader tips covers are good so they do not damage your head sails.
4.dropping and raising the mast is best researched in depth, and there are many ways.
5.What are the proper tensions on the rigging? See other comments regarding the data in the old manual info. The important part includes getting mast straight, symmetrical, evenly tightened and never "bar" tight.
6. The cabin wood bulkheads are structural and I am reinstalling new ones in my boat because some fool cut them out to open up the boat. The boat relies on both of them for supporting the compression loads imposed downward by the mast and sails. I would recommend tabbing them into the boat with epoxy if you do your serious trip. The starboard berth is the only long berth, and you will need the V-berth and water tanks for supplies, sails and water. Adding 5 gal jugs of water (or other fluids) to the top side decks will remove part of your reserve stability in large seas on this little boat, and make it even more difficult to go forward to tend sails and anchors.
7.Thinking about battery operated bilge pump. Thoughts? Make sure your manual whale gusher is operable and has a fresh diaphragm, and the best hoses (and clamps) are run high under the side deck to an upper loop, before it drops back down to the lower stern outlet. I bought a new Titan gusher, with bronze pickup, with all new hoses, and adding an auto/man electric Rule 1000 bilge pump on its own breaker for normal bilge control pumping, and will add a new higher volume/located electric Rule 3500 auto/manual bilge pump on its own breaker for panic backup if the smaller one fails or I have a big leak. Keep in mind the manual gusher intakes from the deepest part of the bilge in front of the rudder, aft and lower than the little cabin bilge pump. All hoses are critical as are the proper double hose clamps.
8.I am removing my galley sink and cabinet top, and all its poor plumbing in order to clean up the area and make the portside berth sleepable. I too will have my nave stuff in the area of the new switch panels and battery monitor/selector. I will have 2 large 6V golf cart batteries, of 220 ah in series, and a solar panel charging system to help maintain the batteries. I will carry bottled water for my local trips, but will put a smaller sink with an electric pump on its own breaker for a demand pump for a new smaller sink on the starboard side across from the head, with an additional manually fillable water supply below it. I will have the breaker turned off when not needed, and run a 3/8" water line out to the cockpit to ball valve and a kitchen sprayer hose for washing off and showering. I am removing the old useless icebox and making room for dropping in one of the new small super coolers on the market, which can be removed from the boat for bringing ice to the boat. The V-Berth water tank hoses are yucky. I will bleach, and scrub the tank, and replace the hoses with the correct kind to the demand water pump. I also do not need the old sink but need more counter space for NAV. I will open up the anchor line/chain storage area and increase it to 2 sides for more chain, and 2 larger chain access haus pipe openings on deck. I will be carrying 35 ft of 1/4 HT galv chain on a 16# Bruce (or equal) anchor, with several rodes from 1/2" to 5/8". I will always have a 12/13# Danforth at the stern with 10 ft of chain on 1/2" rode for a back up and lunch hook.
9.I need to improve the reefing system (main and jib) for single handing. The 25 is tough to get forward due to small side decks. I always set up my boats for halyard controls at the top of the cabin, with a spring turning block on the cabin for Main and Jib halyards, and have a turning block there and at the bow for down haul lines which are smaller and run thru bullets to simple cam cleats near the halyard stoppers and winch on the cabin top. that way I can release the down hauls to raise the halyards for both sails, and secure them while sailing without going forward, then release the halyard (s) and pull the sail down from the cockpit anytime. I know about the Gerr system but prefer the simpler down haul on both sails. That and always reef early gets it done simpler and easier for me on a small boat. After dropping a sail, you cam cleat the small downhaul line and go secure the sail at your leasure. Great for single handing.
Likewise an anchor roller like one of the longer Windlines to protect the headstay connections from the anchor system on the little boat is important to hold, more easily roll, and secure the larger anchor on the boat, and makes life so much simpler and convenient. All this stuff adds up to $$ and weight, regardless of which size boat you bolt it onto.
10.self-steering with sheets and bungee chords? None are a good choice for me. The only way to self steer without power in all conditions is a wind vane system, and I do not know what is available for a little 25. It is easier for a larger sailboat. I will have power so I will be adding a tiller pilot.
11 (other) you need to have good LED NAV and interior lighting and a better reliable electrical panel for modern equipment. The existing CD wiring and lighting systems in the old boats is sad. Also add a portable internal battery powered LED anchor light and extra batteries to your stores which you can hang up at the rear of the boom for when your main anchor light does not work.
Also rig a floating polypro line off the aft deck and a system which will let you grab it if knocked overboard, such that you can grab a loop at 5 knots, and pull down a releasable fitting to get access to your stern ladder, and trip your autopilot. It may one night save your life when alone.
Likewise run a port and starboard safety line on deck, and pad eyes system (in the cockpit and near the mast, to religiously snap onto for moving for and aft in your safety lanyard system. The boat is no good to you if you are not on it.
12. Go thru all the hull valves/seacocks, and update/replace hoses with the best hose clamps, double where they will fit.
13. Make your companionway boards more secure/lockable with a larger higher fixed splash area in case a wave fills up the cockpit.
Bob CCitrus Springs FL
