Advice for new owner of a Cape Dory 22

[CapeDory22]

I've fulfilled a childhood dream and bought a very original Cape Dory 22. It will continue its history as a fresh-water only boat, now to be moored on Lake Champlain.

I am planning to repower. Currently, it has a 1987 Mercury 9.9 that doesn't want to stay at lower idle and billows smoke even when not choked. That era motor requires you to be in gear to adjust idle, so there's a lot less control compared with more modern engines with a neutral position. I prefer the aesthetics of a 22D, but those are few and far between... and thought I'd be able to pull off an electric motor with a removable battery. When at its mooring, this would allow me to remove the motor and take the battery to charge. But, I can't find anything with enough oomph currently (get it?) available. Does anyone know of an electric option that is actually available and not 'coming soon?' My hope is to have it in the water by mid-May '24.

The local shop that stores the boat wants me to repower with a Suzuki outboard. I've only had Mercury and Yamaha motors... any reason not to go with the Suzuki?

I also would like to fit it with a stern ladder. The shape of the topsides prevents me from using a fold-out/removable design because the lower legs aren't long enough to create anything resembling a level step. In fact, three of us struggled to pull my daughter back into the boat when she went for a swim this summer... humorous at the time, but not funny in an emergency.

Would anyone have experience with modernizing the stern of their boat? I'm inclined to replace the outboard bracket as well if width is needed to install a folding ladder. With so many stainless options available online, I just don't know where to begin. Thanks!

[Jim Walsh]

Back when I equipped Orion with a Monitor windvane I had to remove my stern boarding ladder, I bought a five step folding ladder to mount at my boarding gate just aft of amidships. The legs were stubby and I needed to extend them to meet the curvature of the hull. I “temporarily” used schedule 40 PVC pipe to extend the legs. It has worked wonderfully all these years. Something like this may satisfy your needs.
As far as small outboards go keep in mind that the Tohatsu plant supplies the same outboards to Mercury (and others I don’t recall…just search the web) they just change the labels.

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[CapeDory22]

Fabulous, Jim. Great idea and one I'll likely duplicate.

Can I trouble you to take pictures of the top mount? Is it the kind that just hangs over the rail?

I think I'd prefer the ladder off the side anyway - both from an aethetics perspective, but also two-fold: (1) I never like climbing up near a propeller, even if it's not running (short of pulling the spark plug, it seems vulnerable to a stranger inadvertently starting); and (2) it'd be a lot easier to throw a leg over the rail, as opposed to trying to thread my feeble body through the fixed lifeline that is affixed to the stern.

[Jim Walsh]

The least amount of movement is amidships so it is the most comfortable place to board using a ladder. Here is a photo of the brackets I have attached to my toerail.

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[CapeDory22]

Thank you. I will plan to replicate and appreciate the guidance!

[Carl Thunberg]

When you get a new outboard, think about how you will use it and get the smallest outboard that will suit your needs. In my opinion, 9.9 Hp is way too big for a CD22. Of course, this assumes a gas powered outboard. Hopefully others will chime in about your search for an electric outboard, as I have no experience with them.

[CapeDory22]

I'd be very interested to hear from other owners of 22's that run something less than a 9.9 hp... almost all of the ads I've seen show 22 and Ty Sr models with that size. I had a 4-hp on a Typhoon Weekender that certainly was sufficient, but the 22 is heavier by a factor of 150% and beamier.

[keneasley]

I had a Sea Sprite 23 for 10 years. Pretty similar to Cape Dory 22.
We used a Tohatsu Sail Pro 6 hp outboard mounted in a well (as opposed to hung off the stern on a mount).
The 6 hp was more than enough power to push her along at hull speed and was strong enough even in poor conditions.
We sometimes went 8 miles or so under outboard power alone when we had to.
It was a bit heavy at something like 45 pounds and so it stayed submerged most of the season. It would have been better mounted on a bracket off the stern. It was a bit loud. Costs a bit under $2,000 and simple maintenance. I found that it should be run dry after each use to prevent the carb. from getting gummed up and that the impeller must be changed every year or two.
Electric outboard (Torqeedo) might be possible if you do not need to motor very far and if you do not anticipate needing to motor home when conditions turn bad. They are quieter, lighter weight, less power and range, and more expensive.

[Carl Thunberg]

I had a CD25 with the same Tohatsu 6HP. I had no trouble achieving hull speed in relatively benign conditions and had no trouble making reasonable headway in adverse conditions. Even on a CD25, 9.9 HP is a lot of horses. Hull speed is hull speed. More horses won't push the boat any faster, and will make the boat squat in the stern.

[CapeDory22]

I do understand the relation of hp to hull speed... but, I live on Lake Champlain and a lot more people have interest in sailing on the 22 than the Ty. The lake can kick up some ugly swells pretty quickly and safety is always my # 1 concern. I'm not looking to set any speed records... what I'm wondering (being inexperienced with sailboats, but very experienced with power boats) is: if I have 6 people on board and the swells kick up to 3', will a 6HP get us back to the mooring? Or would the 9.9 have the torque/oomph to overcome a north wind in bad conditions?

I guess I'll reiterate: Lake Champlain can get ugly, quickly... it's the narrowness of the lake crossing paths with the long length - and throwing in some strong north or south winds that build up in short order.

GLAD TO HAVE THE BOARD BACK !!

[LSD87]

Congratulations on your 22! I have a CD22 on the Hudson River in Saugerties NY. I have a Tohatsu SailPro and I can recommend it. The extra long shaft is essential in my opinion. 2-3 mph current and changeable conditions with sizable chop are handled just fine. I’ve never felt underpowered. I can’t speak to having six passengers though. The engine is only one cylinder and does vibrate and may seem a bit loud, but not too bad. It’s fairly light at 62 pounds. You need to have it in gear to tilt it out of the water, but you get used to it. Gas consumption is low. I’ve had it for 2 years.

[keneasley]

Steve's boat has a nice set up for an outboard. Looks like the stern mount allows the outboard to be raised and lowered.

Where I sail, on Long Island Sound we get some big seas too at times. I've been caught out in a gale or two over the years.
The 6 hp Tohatsu was always up to the task to get us home or to hold course into the wind and seas to ride it out.

As for having 6 people on board -
I don't think the added weight would slow the boat much but -
My Sea Sprite had two cockpit drains. When I had 5 (some large) adults on board a bit of water would come up into the drains at times when healed. The boat sat pretty low with so many in the cockpit. So your CD 22 may respond similarly.

[ctcd22lis]

I agree the SailPro works well, but it does need a special “tweak” so it runs flawlessly.

I have it on a Spartan Bracket which IS PROBLEMATIC because it won’t full tilt due to the gargantuan front handle…. I require a significant amount of motor jiu-jitsu in order to tilt but even then it doesn’t full clear the water on a Starboard tack. It’s been super reliable since I did a special tweak…. But I did keep my 5HP Tohatsu 2 stroke 25” shaft….

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[LSD87]

Ctcd22lis, I see your issue. What kind of gas container do you use and where do you keep it? I use the Scepter Neptune 3 Gal and keep it in the port lazarette. I can’t find another that will fit there I don’t fancy keeping it on the cockpit sole.

[ctcd22lis]

Steve, yes. Unfortunately there is only one (maybe 2) gas tank made in the solar system that fits the 22. I also keep it in the lazarette.

West Marine had a 3 gal tank that fits, but i believe they discontinued stock. If you find one grab it!