Cape Dory 27 vs. Catalina 36

[gates_cliff]

Had an interesting experience this past Sunday. I sailed out of the West River and across the Chesapeake. There was a fair amount of traffic so had to be vigilant. I was on a port tack and there was a nice Catalina 36 on a stbd tack. I altered course and passed behind them. Close enough to say hello, and note the attractive skipper! (but that's not the point). Oh, and also saw another fine CD!

Anyway, I headed back in. So, I notice the Catalina is heading the same general direction and before long we are running parallel with a 100 yards or so between us. Low and behold I overtook them and passed them. Now mind you, I am not a racer and don't try to eke every1/10 knot out of the boat, even if I knew how, so it's a testimony to the boat and certainly not the skipper by any means. They had their Ginny out so sail plans were commensurate.

[Frenchy]

Hi Andre! - Yes, I've had similar heats in Buzzard's Bay. Other CD owners confirm our boats are not slugs, especially in rough conditions.
About two weeks ago I left a 1990's Tartan 34 fading from view over the transom- and I'm not a racer either. - Jean

[psjanker]

Andre

Were you just north of Poole Island when you saw the other CD late am?

V/r

Pete

[gates_cliff]

Just a quick clarification, I am Cliff. André Gide is the author of the quote.

[Frenchy]

Sorry Cliff, - please accept my apologies. - Jean

[gates_cliff]

No offense taken. Just didn't want anyone to confuse me with a Nobel winning author!

Ummm, not likely anyway.

[fmueller]

I wouldn't want to bet my life on my 27 against most 36 footers, but with a little wind I get up to hull speed no problem ...

proof @ 0:25

https://www.dropbox.com/s/isylwzymjo7qi ... 9.MOV?dl=0

cheers

[Warren Kaplan]

A CD27 has a nice turn of speed when the wind gets around 10-12knots or above. If you have good sails and you know how to trim them, and you know how to keep your boat on its feet instead of having it healed waaaay over, the CD27 can nip along smartly. At least mine did.

I wouldn't contemplate taking on too many 36 footers and expecting to beat them....especially if the cap'n of that boat also knows what he/she's doing!!
But its sure fun trying!!!!

[Paul D.]

Now, I am not blaming my teenage acid years for the reason I think our boats may just be faster than many other boats with lower D/L and higher SA/D ratios. I just think they are faster than their numbers. I have thought this ever since I passed scows in light airs in our old Typhoon in the '90's. It has been further proved to me when Femme has consistently passed larger "performance cruisers" over the years. Often I thought this was due to charterers just not knowing how to sail and get the most out of their boats, or caring to.

But after I have taken other knowledgeable sailors out and heard them proclaim that the Cape Dory sails better than they ever thought, I now think it may be a thing. Just recently I was again surprised (and quite pleased) to find Femme holding firm with a larger, late model Beneteau in moderate winds. (Now if I do find us going the same way as another sailboat I do adjust the sheet leads and trim a bit, if you perceive my line of reasoning.)

Perhaps some of us should join in on a couple round the buoys races and see how it goes. Especially those of us with new sails and a clean bottom. Anyone who does can report back to the board. What have we got to loose? We can always point to our displacement and old school design philosophy if we do poorly, but if we win, there will be rum pouring freely in glory.

[mgphl52]

Heheh... we got nothing to lose! The very first long distance, offshore race I ever skippered was on KAYLA in 2002. This was the 100 mile Lorillard-Kent regatta out of St. Andrews Yacht Club. We won the the cruiser class!
We went back the next spring and raced 5 of the 6 races and smoked their cruiser fleet! Several races we won scratch and we had the highest PHRF! BTW, by "going back" I mean every other Friday we sailed KAYLA from Niceville to Panama City, raced on Saturday and sailed back on Sunday. The races were usually just fun for us, we'd already sailed our butts off just getting there!