Build date of Cape Dory CD25D

[Jeromejib]

1. What is the build date of my father's Cape Dory, CD25D-057? He has passed away, no longer owns it.

2. Auxiliary engine was diesel.

[ch.ocallaghan]

The year the CD25D was built is contained in the Hull ID stamped into the starboard upper section of the transom:

For example:

CPDY0057M83H

Built in 1983

[Steve Kuhar]

On Cape Dories built within your time frame the last four places of the hull identification number will give you a good approximation of the build date. Your HIN should be CPDY0057M82J or K. M is always in the 9th place, the 82 is the model year and the J or K is a code for the month of production. Only Cape Dory knows what month A is, but my 25D, hull number 0005 was delivered in November 1981 and the HIN is CPDY0005M82D. A check of the CDSOA database shows hull # 55 is a J and hull # 62 is a K, so 57 should be one or the other.

Steve Kuhar,
Southeast Fleet Secretary

[wikakaru]

...Only Cape Dory knows what month A is...

Hey Steve,

I may have a clue about what month "A" is. As background, this document has good history of the use of HINs: https://newboatbuilders.com/docs/HIN-10 ... owners.pdf. The Coast Guard specified that HINs should run from A=August to L=July, but the article also notes that prior to 2009 not all builders did it that way. It says:

Most manufacturers started their model year in August, but some used June or July. One even started in May.

My CD22 actually has a manufacture date stamped inside a locker under the sink. It reads 4-17-81-A. I believe that to mean the hull was built on April 17, 1981. My HIN has the year "81" and the month code "K". I see three possible scenarios:

1. The hull was laid up in April, and the boat was certified in June (K=June by the Coast Guard's reckoning). In that case, the standard A=August to L=July model year applies to Cape Dorys.
2. April is the month indicated by both the date stamp and the HIN. So if K=April, then Cape Dory's model year would have been A=June to L=May.
3. The "4-17-81-A" stamp has nothing to do with either the manufacture or certification date. Since it is awfully close to the HIN information, I don't think this is likely, but I'm willing to consider the possibility.

I am inclined to believe that Cape Dory used the standard Coast Guard model years of A=August to L=July; if not, it is A=June to L=May. I would be happy to see any evidence one way or the other, and would like to hear from any members who have located a date stamp on their hull and can corroborate or refute either scenario.

Smooth sailing,

Jim

[Cathy Monaghan]

Use this link to decipher the HIN on your boat:

https://www.boatsafe.com/hull-id-numbers/